Abstract: The focus of this paper lies on the possible experimental tests of leptogenesis scenarios. We consider both leptogenesis generated from oscillations, as well as leptogenesis from out-of-equilibrium decays. As the Akhmedov-Rubakov-Smirnov (ARS) mechanism allows for heavy neutrinos in the GeV range, this opens up a plethora of possible experimental tests, e.g. at neutrino oscillation experiments, neutrinoless double beta decay, and direct searches for neutral heavy leptons at future facilities. In contrast, testing leptogenesis from out-of-equilibrium decays is a quite difficult task. We comment on the necessary conditions for having successful leptogenesis at the TeV-scale. We further discuss possible realizations and their model specific testability in extended seesaw models, models with extended gauge sectors, and supersymmetric leptogenesis. Not being able to test high-scale leptogenesis directly, we present a way to falsify such scenarios by focusing on their washout processes. This is discussed specifically for the left-right symmetric model and the observation of a heavy W-R, as well as model independently when measuring Delta L = 2 washout processes at the LHC or neutrinoless double beta decay.

Abstract: We perform calculations for the (B) over bar (0)(s)-> J/psi pi(0)f(0)(980) and (B) over bar (0)(s)-> J/psi pi(0)a(0)(980) reactions, showing that the first is isospin-suppressed while the second is isospin-allowed. The reaction proceeds via a triangle mechanism, with (B) over bar (0)(s)-> J/psi K*(K) over bar +c.c., followed by the decay K*-> K pi and a further fusion of K (K) over bar into the f(0)(980) or a(0)(980). We show that the mechanism develops a singularity around the pi(0)f(0)(980) or pi(0)a(0)(980) invariant mass of 1420 MeV, where the pi(0)f(0) and pi(0)a(0) decay modes are magnified and also the ratio of pi(0)f(0) to pi(0)a(0) production. Using experimental information for the (B) over bar (0)(s)-> J/psi K*(K) over bar +c.c. decay, we are able to obtain absolute values for the reactions studied which fall into the experimentally accessible range. The reactions proposed and the observables evaluated, when contrasted with actual experiments, should be very valuable to obtain information on the nature of the low lying scalar mesons.

Abstract: Dark matter and neutrinos provide the two most compelling pieces of evidence for new physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics, but they are often treated as two different sectors. The aim of this paper is to determine whether there are viable particle physics frameworks in which dark matter can be coupled to active neutrinos. We use a simplified model approach to determine all possible scenarios where there is such a coupling and study their astrophysical and cosmological signatures. We find that dark matter-neutrino interactions have an impact on structure formation and lead to indirect detection signatures when the coupling between dark matter and neutrinos is sufficiently large. This can be used to exclude a large fraction of the parameter space. In most cases, dark matter masses up to a few MeV and mediator masses up to a few GcV are ruled out. The exclusion region can be further extended when dark matter is coupled to a spin-1 mediator or when the dark matter particle and the mediator are degenerate in mass if the mediator is a spin-0 or spin-1/2 particle.

Abstract: A measurement is reported of the ratio of branching fractions R(J/psi) = B(B-c(+) -> J/psi tau(+)nu(tau))/B(B-c(+) -> J/psi mu(+)nu(mu)), where the tau(+) lepton is identified in the decay mode tthorn tau(+) -> mu(+)nu(mu)(nu) over bar (tau). This analysis uses a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to 3.0 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity recorded with the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. A signal is found for the decay B-c(+) -> J/psi tau(+)nu(tau) at a significance of 3 standard deviations corrected for systematic uncertainty, and the ratio of the branching fractions is measured to be R(J/psi) = 0.71 +/- 0.17(stat) +/- 0.18(syst). This result lies within 2 standard deviations above the range of central values currently predicted by the standard model.

Abstract: According to the “Black Box” theorem the experimental confirmation of neutrinoless double beta decay (0 nu 2 beta) would imply that at least one of the neutrinos is a Majorana particle. However, a null 0 nu 2 beta signal cannot decide the nature of neutrinos, as it can be suppressed even for Majorana neutrinos. In this letter we argue that if the null 0 nu 2 beta decay signal is accompanied by a 0 nu 2 beta quadruple beta decay signal, then at least one neutrino should be a Dirac particle. This argument holds irrespective of the underlying processes leading to such decays.