Sanchis-Lozano, M. A. (2022). Stringy Signals from Large-Angle Correlations in the Cosmic Microwave Background? Universe, 8(8), 396–13pp.
Abstract: We interpret the lack of large-angle temperature correlations and the even-odd parity imbalance observed in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) by COBE, WMAP and Planck satellite missions as a possible stringy signal ultimately stemming from a composite inflaton field (e.g., a fermionic condensate). Based on causality arguments and a Fourier analysis of the angular two-point correlation function, two infrared cutoffs k(min)(even,odd) (satisfying k(min)(even) similar or equal to 2k(min)(odd)) are introduced to the CMB power spectrum associated, respectively, with periodic and antiperiodic boundary conditions of the fermionic constituents (echoing the Neveu-Schwarz-Ramond model in superstring theory), without resorting to any particular model.
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Yang, Z., Cao, X., Guo, F. K., Nieves, J., & Pavon Valderrama, M. (2021). Strange molecular partners of the Z(c)(3900) and Z(c)(4020). Phys. Rev. D, 103(7), 074029–8pp.
Abstract: Quantum chromodynamics presents a series of exact and approximate symmetries which can be exploited to predict new hadrons from previously known ones. The Z(c)(3900) and Z(c)(4020), which have been theorized to be isovector D*(D) over bar and D*(D) over bar* molecules [I-G(J(PC)) = 1(-)(1)(+-))], are no exception. Here we argue that from SU(3)-flavor symmetry, we should expect the existence of strange partners of the Z(c)'s with hadronic molecular configurations D*(D) over bar (s) – D (D) over bar*(s) and D*(D) over bar*(s) (or, equivalently, quark content c (c) over bars (q) over bar, with q = u, d). The quantum numbers of these Z(cs) and Z(cs)* structures would be I(J(P)) = 1/2 (1(+)). The predicted masses of these partners depend on the details of the theoretical scheme used, but they should be around the D*(D) over bar (s) – D (D) over bar*(s) and D*(D) over bar*(s) thresholds, respectively. Moreover, any of these states could be either a virtual pole or a resonance. We show that, together with a possible triangle singularity contribution, such a picture nicely agrees with the very recent BESIII data of the e(+)e(-) -> K+((Ds-D*0) + D*D--(s)0).
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Babak, S., Caprini, C., Figueroa, D. G., Karnesis, N., Marcoccia, P., Nardini, G., et al. (2023). Stochastic gravitational wave background from stellar origin binary black holes in LISA. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 08(8), 034–37pp.
Abstract: We use the latest constraints on the population of stellar origin binary black holes (SOBBH) from LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA (LVK) observations, to estimate the stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB) they generate in the frequency band of LISA. In order to account for the faint and distant binaries, which contribute the most to the SGWB, we extend the merger rate at high redshift assuming that it tracks the star formation rate. We adopt different methods to compute the SGWB signal: we perform an analytical evaluation, we use Monte Carlo sums over the SOBBH population realisations, and we account for the role of the detector by simulating LISA data and iteratively removing the resolvable signals until only the confusion noise is left. The last method allows the extraction of both the expected SGWB and the number of resolvable SOBBHs. Since the latter are few for signal-to-noise ratio thresholds larger than five, we confirm that the spectral shape of the SGWB in the LISA band agrees with the analytical prediction of a single power law. We infer the probability distribution of the SGWB amplitude from the LVK GWTC-3 posterior of the binary population model: at the reference frequency of 0.003 Hz it has an interquartile range of h2ΩGW(f = 3 × 10-3 Hz) ∈ [5.65, 11.5] × 10-13, in agreement with most previous estimates. We then perform a MC analysis to assess LISA's capability to detect and characterise this signal. Accounting for both the instrumental noise and the galactic binaries foreground, with four years of data, LISA will be able to detect the SOBBH SGWB with percent accuracy, narrowing down the uncertainty on the amplitude by one order of magnitude with respect to the range of possible amplitudes inferred from the population model. A measurement of this signal by LISA will help to break the degeneracy among some of the population parameters, and provide interesting constraints, in particular on the redshift evolution of the SOBBH merger rate.
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Barenboim, G., & Hill, C. T. (2021). Sterile neutrinos, black hole vacuum and holographic principle. Eur. Phys. J. C, 81(2), 150–9pp.
Abstract: We construct an effective field theory (EFT) model that describes matter field interactions with Schwarzschild mini-black-holes (SBH's), treated as a scalar field, B0(x). Fermion interactions with SBH's require a complex spurion field, theta ij, which we interpret as the EFT description of “holographic information,” which is correlated with the SBH as a composite system. We consider Hawking's virtual black hole vacuum (VBH) as a Higgs phase, B0=V. Integrating sterile neutrino loops, the information field theta ij is promoted to a dynamical field, necessarily developing a tachyonic instability and acquiring a VEV of order the Planck scale. For N sterile neutrinos this breaks the vacuum to SU(N)xU(1)/SO(N) with N degenerate Majorana masses, and <mml:mfrac>12</mml:mfrac>N(N+1) Nambu-Goldstone neutrino-Majorons. The model suggests many scalars fields, corresponding to all fermion bilinears, may exist bound nonperturbatively by gravity.
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Barenboim, G., Martinez-Mirave, P., Ternes, C. A., & Tortola, M. (2020). Sterile neutrinos with altered dispersion relations revisited. J. High Energy Phys., 03(3), 070–18pp.
Abstract: In this paper we investigate neutrino oscillations with altered dispersion relations in the presence of sterile neutrinos. Modified dispersion relations represent an agnostic way to parameterize new physics. Models of this type have been suggested to explain global neutrino oscillation data, including deviations from the standard three-neutrino paradigm as observed by a few experiments. We show that, unfortunately, in this type of models new tensions arise turning them incompatible with global data.
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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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Olmo, G. J., Rubiera-Garcia, D., & Wojnar, A. (2020). Stellar structure models in modified theories of gravity: Lessons and challenges. Phys. Rep., 876, 1–75.
Abstract: The understanding of stellar structure represents the crossroads of our theories of the nuclear force and the gravitational interaction under the most extreme conditions observably accessible. It provides a powerful probe of the strong field regime of General Relativity, and opens fruitful avenues for the exploration of new gravitational physics. The latter can be captured via modified theories of gravity, which modify the Einstein-Hilbert action of General Relativity and/or some of its principles. These theories typically change the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations of stellar's hydrostatic equilibrium, thus having a large impact on the astrophysical properties of the corresponding stars and opening a new window to constrain these theories with present and future observations of different types of stars. For relativistic stars, such as neutron stars, the uncertainty on the equation of state of matter at supranuclear densities intertwines with the new parameters coming from the modified gravity side, providing a whole new phenomenology for the typical predictions of stellar structure models, such as mass-radius relations, maximum masses, or moment of inertia. For non-relativistic stars, such as white, brown and red dwarfs, the weakening/strengthening of the gravitational force inside astrophysical bodies via the modified Newtonian (Poisson) equation may induce changes on the star's mass, radius, central density or luminosity, having an impact, for instance, in the Chandrasekhar's limit for white dwarfs, or in the minimum mass for stable hydrogen burning in high-mass brown dwarfs. This work aims to provide a broad overview of the main such results achieved in the recent literature for many such modified theories of gravity, by combining the results and constraints obtained from the analysis of relativistic and non-relativistic stars in different scenarios. Moreover, we will build a bridge between the efforts of the community working on different theories, formulations, types of stars, theoretical modelings, and observational aspects, highlighting some of the most promising opportunities in the field.
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n_TOF Collaboration(Patronis, N. et al), Babiano-Suarez, V., Balibrea Correa, J., Domingo-Pardo, C., Ladarescu, I., & Lerendegui-Marco, J. (2023). Status report of the n_TOF facility after the 2nd CERN long shutdown period. EPJ Tech. Instrum., 10(1), 13–10pp.
Abstract: During the second long shutdown period of the CERN accelerator complex (LS2, 2019-2021), several upgrade activities took place at the nTOF facility. The most important have been the replacement of the spallation target with a next generation nitrogen-cooled lead target. Additionally, a new experimental area, at a very short distance from the target assembly (the NEAR Station) was established. In this paper, the core commissioning actions of the new installations are described. The improvement in the nTOF infrastructure was accompanied by several detector development projects. All these upgrade actions are discussed, focusing mostly on the future perspectives of the n_TOF facility. Furthermore, some indicative current and future measurements are briefly reported.
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Ding, G. J., Nath, N., Srivastava, R., & Valle, J. W. F. (2019). Status and prospects of 'bi-large' leptonic mixing. Phys. Lett. B, 796, 162–167.
Abstract: Bi-large patterns for the leptonic mixing matrix are confronted with current neutrino oscillation data. We analyse the status of these patterns and determine, through realistic simulations, the potential of the upcoming long-baseline experiment DUNE in testing bi-large ansatze and discriminating amongst them.
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