Abstract: In this paper, we explore in detail the cosmological implications of an abelian L – L gauge extension of the Standard Model featuring a light and weakly coupled Z. Such a scenario is motivated by the longstanding approximate to 4 sigma discrepancy between the measured and predicted values of the muon's anomalous magnetic moment, (g – 2), as well as the tension between late and early time determinations of the Hubble constant. If sufficiently light, the Z population will decay to neutrinos, increasing the overall energy density of radiation and altering the expansion history of the early universe. We identify two distinct regions of parameter space in this model in which the Hubble tension can be significantly relaxed. The first of these is the previously identified region in which a approximate to 10 – 20 MeV Z reaches equilibrium in the early universe and then decays, heating the neutrino population and delaying the process of neutrino decoupling. For a coupling of g (-) similar or equal to (3 – 8) x 10(-4), such a particle can also explain the observed (g – 2) anomaly. In the second region, the Z is very light (mZ approximate to 1eV to MeV) and very weakly coupled (g (-) approximate to 10(-13) to 10(-9)). In this case, the Z population is produced through freeze-in, and decays to neutrinos after neutrino decoupling. Across large regions of parameter space, we predict a contribution to the energy density of radiation that can appreciably relax the reported Hubble tension, N-eff similar or equal to 0.2.

Abstract: We investigate a consistent scenario of time-varying neutrino masses, and discuss its impact on cosmology, beta decay, and neutrino oscillation experiments. Such time-varying masses are assumed to be generated by the coupling between a sterile neutrino and an ultralight scalar field, which in turn affects the light neutrinos by mixing. We demonstrate how various cosmological bounds, such as those coming from big bang nucleosynthesis, the cosmic microwave background, as well as large scale structures, can be evaded in this model. This scenario can be further constrained using multiple terrestrial experiments. In particular, for beta-decay experiments like KATRIN, nontrivial distortions to the electron spectrum can be induced, even when time-variation is fast and it gets averaged. Furthermore, the presence of time-varying masses of sterile neutrinos will alter the interpretation of light sterile neutrino parameter space in the context of the reactor and gallium anomalies. In addition, we also study the impact of such time-varying neutrino masses on results from the BEST collaboration, which have recently strengthened the gallium anomaly. If confirmed, we find that the time-varying neutrino mass hypothesis could give a better fit to the recent BEST data.

Abstract: A coupled-channel approach is applied to the charged tetraquark state T-cc(+). recently discovered by the LHCb Collaboration. The parameters of the interaction are fixed by a fit to the observed line shape in the three-body (DD0)-D-0 pi(+) channel. Special attention is paid to the three-body dynamics in the T-cc(+) due to the finite life time of the D*. An approach to the T-cc(+) is argued to be self-consistent only if both manifestations of the three-body dynamics, the pion exchange between the D and D* mesons and the finite D* width, are taken into account simultaneously to ensure that three-body unitarity is preserved. This is especially important to precisely extract the pole position in the complex energy plane whose imaginary part is very sensitive to the details of the coupled-channel scheme employed. The (DD0)-D-0 and (DD+)-D-0 invariant mass distributions, predicted based on this analysis, are in good agreement with the LHCb data. The low-energy expansion of the D* D scattering amplitude is performed and the low-energy constants (the scattering length and effective range) are extracted. The compositeness parameter of the T-cc(+) is found to be close to unity, which implies that the T-cc(+) is a hadronic molecule generated by the interactions in the D*D-+(0) and D*D-0(+) channels. Employing heavy-quark spin symmetry, an isoscalar D* D* molecular partner of the T-cc(+) with J(P) = 1(+ )is predicted under the assumption that the DD* -D* D* coupled-channel effects can be neglected.

Abstract: A study of the charge conjugation and parity (CP) properties of the interaction between the Higgs boson and top quarks is presented. Higgs bosons are identified via the diphoton decay channel (H -> gamma gamma), and their production in association with a top quark pair ((tt) over barH) or single top quark (tH) is studied. The analysis uses 139 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data recorded at a center-of-mass energy off root s= 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Assuming a CP-even coupling, the (tt) over barH process is observed with a significance of 5.2 standard deviations. The measured cross section times H -> gamma gamma branching ratio is 1.64(-0.36)(+0.38)(stat)(-0.14)(+0.17) (sys) fb, and the measured rate for (tt) over barH is 1.43(-0.31)(+0.33) (stat)(-0.15)(+0.21) (sys) times the Standard Model expectation. The tH production process is not observed and an upper limit on its rate of 12 times the Standard Model expectation is set. A CP-mixing angle greater (less) than 43 (-43)degrees is excluded at 95% confidence level.

Abstract: In this follow up of arXiv:1812.04663 we analyze the generalized CP symmetries of the charged lepton mass matrix compatible with the complex version of the tribimaximal (TBM) lepton mixing pattern. These symmetries are used to “revamp” the simplest TBM Ansatz in a systematic way. Our generalized patterns share some of the attractive features of the original TBM matrix and are consistent with current oscillation experiments. We also discuss their phenomenological implications both for upcoming neutrino oscillation and neutrinoless double beta decay experiments.