LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Henry, L., Jashal, B. K., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., et al. (2022). Study of coherent J/psi production in lead-lead collisions at root S-NN=5 TeV. J. High Energy Phys., 07(7), 117–19pp.
Abstract: Coherent production of J/psi mesons is studied in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of 5 TeV, using a data sample collected by the LHCb experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 10 μb(-1). The J/psi mesons are reconstructed in the dimuon final state and are required to have transverse momentum below 1 GeV. The cross-section within the rapidity range of 2.0 < y < 4.5 is measured to be 4.45 +/- 0.24 +/- 0.18 +/- 0.58 mb, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third originates from the luminosity determination. The cross-section is also measured in J/psi rapidity intervals. The results are compared to predictions from phenomenological models.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., et al. (2017). Study of b(b)over-bar correlations in high energy proton-proton collisions. J. High Energy Phys., 11(11), 030–28pp.
Abstract: Kinematic correlations for pairs of beauty hadrons, produced in high energy proton-proton collisions, are studied. The data sample used was collected with the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1). The measurement is performed using inclusive b -> J/psi X decays in the rapidity range 2 < y(J/psi) < 4.5. The observed correlations are in good agreement with theoretical predictions.
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Archidiacono, M., Gariazzo, S., Giunti, C., Hannestad, S., & Tram, T. (2020). Sterile neutrino self-interactions: H-0 tension and short-baseline anomalies. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 12(12), 029–20pp.
Abstract: Sterile neutrinos with a mass in the eV range have been invoked as a possible explanation of a variety of short baseline (SBL) neutrino oscillation anomalies. However, if one considers neutrino oscillations between active and sterile neutrinos, such neutrinos would have been fully thermalised in the early universe, and would be therefore in strong conflict with cosmological bounds. In this study we first update cosmological bounds on the mass and energy density of eV-scale sterile neutrinos. We then perform an updated study of a previously proposed model in which the sterile neutrino couples to a new light pseudoscalar degree of freedom. Consistently with previous analyses, we find that the model provides a good fit to all cosmological data and allows the high value of H-0 measured in the local universe to be consistent with measurements of the cosmic microwave background. However, new high l polarisation data constrain the sterile neutrino mass to be less than approximately 1 eV in this scenario. Finally, we combine the cosmological bounds on the pseudoscalar model with a Bayesian inference analysis of SBL data and conclude that only a sterile mass in narrow ranges around 1 eV remains consistent with both cosmology and SBL data.
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Coito, L., Faubel, C., Herrero-Garcia, J., Santamaria, A., & Titov, A. (2022). Sterile neutrino portals to Majorana dark matter: effective operators and UV completions. J. High Energy Phys., 08(8), 085–36pp.
Abstract: Stringent constraints on the interactions of dark matter with the Standard Model suggest that dark matter does not take part in gauge interactions. In this regard, the possibility of communicating between the visible and dark sectors via gauge singlets seems rather natural. We consider a framework where the dark matter talks to the Standard Model through its coupling to sterile neutrinos, which generate active neutrino masses. We focus on the case of Majorana dark matter, with its relic abundance set by thermal freeze-out through annihilations into sterile neutrinos. We use an effective field theory approach to study the possible sterile neutrino portals to dark matter. We find that both lepton-number-conserving and lepton-number-violating operators are possible, yielding an interesting connection with the Dirac/Majorana character of active neutrinos. In a second step, we open the different operators and outline the possible renormalisable models. We analyse the phenomenology of the most promising ones, including a particular case in which the Majorana mass of the sterile neutrinos is generated radiatively.
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Unno, Y. et al, Bernabeu, J., Lacasta, C., Solaz, C., & Soldevila, U. (2023). Specifications and pre-production of n plus -in-p large-format strip sensors fabricated in 6-inch silicon wafers, ATLAS18, for the Inner Tracker of the ATLAS Detector for High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider. J. Instrum., 18(3), T03008–29pp.
Abstract: The ATLAS experiment is constructing new all-silicon inner tracking system for HL-LHC. The strip detectors cover the radial extent of 40 to 100 cm. A new approach is adopted to use p-type silicon material, making the readout in n+-strips, so-called n+-in-p sensors. This allows for enhanced radiation tolerance against an order of magnitude higher particle fluence compared to the LHC. To cope with varying hit rates and occupancies as a function of radial distance, there are two barrel sensor types, the short strips (SS) for the inner 2 and the long strips (LS) for the outer 2 barrel cylinders, respectively. The barrel sensors exhibit a square, 9.8 x 9.8 cm2, geometry, the largest possible sensor area from a 6-inch wafer. The strips are laid out in parallel with a strip pitch of 75.5 μm and 4 or 2 rows of strip segments. The strips are AC-coupled and biased via polysilicon resistors. The endcap sensors employ a “stereo-annulus” geometry exhibiting a skewed-trapezoid shapes with circular edges. They are designed in 6 unique shapes, R0 to R5, corresponding to progressively increasing radial extents and which allows them to fit within the petal geometry and the 6-inch wafer maximally. The strips are in fan-out geometry with an in-built rotation angle, with a mean pitch of approximately 75 μm and 4 or 2 rows of strip segments. The eight sensor types are labeled as ATLAS18xx where xx stands for SS, LS, and R0 to R5. According to the mechanical and electrical specifications, CAD files for wafer processing were laid out, following the successful designs of prototype barrel and endcap sensors, together with a number of optimizations. A pre-production was carried out prior to the full production of the wafers. The quality of the sensors is reviewed and judged excellent through the test results carried out by vendor. These sensors are used for establishing acceptance procedures and to evaluate their performance in the ATLAS collaboration, and subsequently for pre-production of strip modules and stave and petal structures.
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Hidalgo-Duque, C., & Llanes-Estrada, F. J. (2015). Soft interactions in jet quenching. Int. J. Mod. Phys. A, 30(13), 1550067–25pp.
Abstract: We study the collisional aspects of jet quenching in a high-energy nuclear collision, especially in the final state pion gas. The jet has a large energy, and acquires momentum transverse to its axis more effectively by multiple soft collisions than by few hard scatterings (as known from analogous systems such as J/psi production at Hera). Such regime of large E and small momentum transfer corresponds to Regge kinematics and is characteristically dominated by the pomeron. From this insight we estimate the jet quenching parameter in the hadron medium (largely a pion gas) at the end of the collision, which is naturally small and increases with temperature in line with the gas density and compare it to the jet quenching parameter obtained within the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) phase in widely known perturbative approximations. The physics in the quark-gluon plasma/liquid phase is less obvious, and here we revisit a couple of simple estimates that suggest indeed that the pomeron-mediated interactions are very relevant and should be included in analysis of the jet quenching parameter. Finally, since the occasional hard collisions produce features characteristic of a Levy flight in the q(perpendicular to)(2) plane perpendicular to the jet axis, we suggest one- and two-particle q perpendicular to correlations as interesting experimental probes sensitive to the nature (softness versus hardness) of the interactions of a jet inside the QGP.
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Al Kharusi, S. et al, & Colomer, M. (2021). SNEWS 2.0: a next-generation supernova early warning system for multi-messenger astronomy. New J. Phys., 23(3), 031201–34pp.
Abstract: The next core-collapse supernova in the Milky Way or its satellites will represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to obtain detailed information about the explosion of a star and provide significant scientific insight for a variety of fields because of the extreme conditions found within. Supernovae in our galaxy are not only rare on a human timescale but also happen at unscheduled times, so it is crucial to be ready and use all available instruments to capture all possible information from the event. The first indication of a potential stellar explosion will be the arrival of a bright burst of neutrinos. Its observation by multiple detectors worldwide can provide an early warning for the subsequent electromagnetic fireworks, as well as signal to other detectors with significant backgrounds so they can store their recent data. The supernova early warning system (SNEWS) has been operating as a simple coincidence between neutrino experiments in automated mode since 2005. In the current era of multi-messenger astronomy there are new opportunities for SNEWS to optimize sensitivity to science from the next galactic supernova beyond the simple early alert. This document is the product of a workshop in June 2019 towards design of SNEWS 2.0, an upgraded SNEWS with enhanced capabilities exploiting the unique advantages of prompt neutrino detection to maximize the science gained from such a valuable event.
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AbdusSalam, S. S. et al, & Eberhardt, O. (2022). Simple and statistically sound recommendations for analysing physical theories. Rep. Prog. Phys., 85(5), 052201–11pp.
Abstract: Physical theories that depend on many parameters or are tested against data from many different experiments pose unique challenges to statistical inference. Many models in particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology fall into one or both of these categories. These issues are often sidestepped with statistically unsound ad hoc methods, involving intersection of parameter intervals estimated by multiple experiments, and random or grid sampling of model parameters. Whilst these methods are easy to apply, they exhibit pathologies even in low-dimensional parameter spaces, and quickly become problematic to use and interpret in higher dimensions. In this article we give clear guidance for going beyond these procedures, suggesting where possible simple methods for performing statistically sound inference, and recommendations of readily-available software tools and standards that can assist in doing so. Our aim is to provide any physicists lacking comprehensive statistical training with recommendations for reaching correct scientific conclusions, with only a modest increase in analysis burden. Our examples can be reproduced with the code publicly available at Zenodo.
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Affolder, A. et al, Garcia, C., Lacasta, C., Marco, R., Marti-Garcia, S., Miñano, M., et al. (2011). Silicon detectors for the sLHC. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 658(1), 11–16.
Abstract: In current particle physics experiments, silicon strip detectors are widely used as part of the inner tracking layers. A foreseeable large-scale application for such detectors consists of the luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the super-LHC or sLHC, where silicon detectors with extreme radiation hardness are required. The mission statement of the CERN RD50 Collaboration is the development of radiation-hard semiconductor devices for very high luminosity colliders. As a consequence, the aim of the R&D programme presented in this article is to develop silicon particle detectors able to operate at sLHC conditions. Research has progressed in different areas, such as defect characterisation, defect engineering and full detector systems. Recent results from these areas will be presented. This includes in particular an improved understanding of the macroscopic changes of the effective doping concentration based on identification of the individual microscopic defects, results from irradiation with a mix of different particle types as expected for the sLHC, and the observation of charge multiplication effects in heavily irradiated detectors at very high bias voltages.
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Sanchis-Lozano, M. A., & Sarkisyan-Grinbaum, E. K. (2018). Searching for new physics with three-particle correlations in pp collisions at the LHC. Phys. Lett. B, 781, 505–509.
Abstract: New phenomena involving pseudorapidity and azimuthal correlations among final-state particles in pp collisions at the LHC can hint at the existence of hidden sectors beyond the Standard Model. In this paper we rely on a correlated-cluster picture of multiparticle production, which was shown to account for the ridge effect, to assess the effect of a hidden sector on three-particle correlations concluding that there is a potential signature of new physics that can be directly tested by experiments using well-known techniques.
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