Nacher, E., Briz, J. A., Nerio, A. N., Perea, A., Tavora, V. G., Tengblad, O., et al. (2024). Characterization of a novel proton-CT scanner based on Silicon and LaBr3(Ce) detectors. Eur. Phys. J. Plus, 139(5), 404–9pp.
Abstract: Treatment planning systems at proton-therapy centres entirely use X-ray computed tomography (CT) as primary imaging technique to infer the proton treatment doses to tumour and healthy tissues. However, proton stopping powers in the body, as derived from X-ray images, suffer from important proton-range uncertainties. In order to reduce this uncertainty in range, one could use proton-CT images instead. The main goal of this work is to test the capabilities of a newly-developed proton-CT scanner, based on the use of a set of tracking detectors and a high energy resolution scintillator for the residual energy of the protons. Different custom-made phantoms were positioned at the field of view of the scanner and were irradiated with protons at the CCB proton-therapy center in Krakow. We measured with the phantoms at different angles and produced sinograms that were used to obtain reconstructed images by Filtered Back-Projection. The obtained images were used to determine the capabilities of our scanner in terms of spatial resolution and proton Relative Stopping Power (RSP) mapping and validate its use as proton-CT scanner. The results show that the scanner can produce medium-high quality images, with spatial resolution better than 2 mm in radiography, below 3 mm in tomography and resolving power in the RSP comparable to other state-of-the-art pCT scanners.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Aikot, A., Amos, K. R., Aparisi Pozo, J. A., Bailey, A. J., Bouchhar, N., et al. (2023). Search for lepton-flavour violation in high-mass dilepton final states using 139 fb-1 of pp collisions at √s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector. J. High Energy Phys., 10(10), 082–50pp.
Abstract: A search is performed for a heavy particle decaying into different-flavour, dilepton final states, using 139 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s = 13TeV collected in 2015-2018 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Final states with electrons, muons and hadronically decaying tau leptons are considered (e mu, e tau or μtau). No significant excess over the Standard Model predictions is observed. Upper limits on the production cross-section are set as a function of the mass of a Z' boson, a supersymmetric tau-sneutrino, and a quantum black-hole. The observed 95% CL lower mass limits obtained on a typical benchmark model Z' boson are 5.0TeV (e mu), 4.0TeV (e tau), and 3.9TeV (mu tau), respectively.
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Hajjar, R., Palomares-Ruiz, S., & Mena, O. (2024). Shedding light on the Δm21^2 tension with supernova neutrinos. Phys. Lett. B, 854, 138719–8pp.
Abstract: One long-standing tension in the determination of neutrino parameters is the mismatched value of the solar mass square difference, Delta m(21)(2), measured by different experiments: the reactor antineutrino experiment KamLAND finds a best fit larger than the one obtained with solar neutrino data. Even if the current tension is mild (similar to 1.5 sigma.), it is timely to explore if independent measurements could help in either closing or reassessing this issue. In this regard, we explore how a future supernova burst in our galaxy could be used to determine Delta m(21)(2) at the future Hyper-Kamiokande detector, and how this could contribute to the current situation. We study Earth matter effects for different models of supernova neutrino spectra and supernova orientations. We find that, if supernova neutrino data prefers the KamLAND best fit for Delta m(21)(2), an uncertainty similar to the current KamLAND one could be achieved. On the contrary, if it prefers the solar neutrino data best fit, the current tension with KamLAND results could grow to a significance larger than 5 sigma. Furthermore, supernova neutrinos could significantly contribute to reducing the uncertainty on sin (2)theta(12).
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Amarilo, K. M., Ferreira Filho, M. B., Araujo Filho, A. A., & Reis, J. A. A. S. (2024). Gravitational waves effects in a Lorentz-violating scenario. Phys. Lett. B, 855, 138785–7pp.
Abstract: This paper focuses on how the production and polarization of gravitational waves are affected by spontaneous Lorentz symmetry breaking, which is driven by a self-interacting vector field. Specifically, we examine the impact of a smooth quadratic potential and a non-minimal coupling, discussing the constraints and causality features of the linearized Einstein equation. To analyze the polarization states of a plane wave, we consider a fixed vacuum expectation value (VEV) of the vector field. Remarkably, we verify that a space-like background vector field modifies the polarization plane and introduces a longitudinal degree of freedom. In order to investigate the Lorentz violation effect on the quadrupole formula, we use the modified Green function. Finally, we show that the space-like component of the background field leads to a third-order time derivative of the quadrupole moment, and the bounds for the Lorentz-breaking coefficients are estimated as well.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Jaimes Elles, S. J., Jashal, B. K., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Rebollo De Miguel, M., et al. (2024). Improved Measurement of CP Violation Parameters in B0s → J/ψ K+ K- Decays in the Vicinity of the φ(1020) Resonance. Phys. Rev. Lett., 132(5), 051802–12pp.
Abstract: The decay-time-dependent CP asymmetry in B0s -> J=psi(-> mu+mu-)K+K- decays is measured using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6 fb-1, collected with the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Using a sample of approximately 349 000 B0s signal decays with an invariant K+K- mass in the vicinity of the phi(1020) resonance, the CP-violating phase phi s is measured, along with the difference in decay widths of the light and heavy mass eigenstates of the B0s-B over bar 0s system, Delta Gamma s, and the difference of the average B0s and B0 meson decay widths, Gamma s – Gamma d. The values obtained are phi s = -0.039 +/- 0.022 +/- 0.006 rad, Delta Gamma s = 0.0845 +/- 0.0044 +/- 0.0024 ps-1, and -0.0015 +/- 0.0014 ps-1, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. These are the most precise single measurements to date and are consistent with expectations based on the Standard Model and with the previous LHCb analyses of this decay. These results are combined with previous independent LHCb measurements. The phase phi s is also measured independently for each polarization state of the K+K- system and shows no evidence for polarization dependence.
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Heidari, N., Hassanabadi, H., Araujo, A. A., & Kriz, J. (2024). Exploring non-commutativity as a perturbation in the Schwarzschild black hole: quasinormal modes, scattering, and shadows. Eur. Phys. J. C, 84(6), 566–11pp.
Abstract: In this work, by a novel approach to studying the scattering of a Schwarzschild black hole, the non-commutativity is introduced as perturbation. We begin by reformulating the Klein-Gordon equation for the scalar field in a new form that takes into account the deformed non-commutative spacetime. Using this formulation, an effective potential for the scattering process is derived. To calculate the quasinormal modes, we employ the WKB method and also utilize fitting techniques to investigate the impact of non-commutativity on the scalar quasinormal modes. We thoroughly analyze the results obtained from these different methods. Moreover, the greybody factor and absorption cross section are investigated. Additionally, we explore the behavior of null geodesics in the presence of non-commutativity. Specifically, we examine the photonic, and shadow radius as well as the light trajectories for different non-commutative parameters. Therefore, by addressing these various aspects, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the influence of non-commutativity on the scattering of a Schwarzschild-like black hole and its implications for the behavior of scalar fields and light trajectories.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Akiot, A., Amos, K. R., Aparisi Pozo, J. A., Bailey, A. J., Bouchhar, N., et al. (2023). Search for magnetic monopoles and stable particles with high electric charges in √s=13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector. J. High Energy Phys., 11(11), 112–45pp.
Abstract: We present a search for magnetic monopoles and high-electric-charge objects using LHC Run 2 root s = 13TeV proton-proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector. A total integrated luminosity of 138 fb(-1) was collected by a specialized trigger. No highly ionizing particle candidate was observed. Considering the Drell-Yan and photon-fusion pair production mechanisms as benchmark models, cross-section upper limits are presented for spin-0 and spin-1/2 magnetic monopoles of magnetic charge 1g(D) and 2g(D) and for high-electric-charge objects of electric charge 20 <= vertical bar z vertical bar <= 100, for masses between 200 GeV and 4000 GeV. The search improves by approximately a factor of three the previous cross-section limits on the Drell-Yan production of magnetic monopoles and high-electric charge objects. Also, the first ATLAS limits on the photon-fusion pair production mechanism of magnetic monopoles and high-electric-charge objects are obtained.
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Contreras, T., Martins, A., Stanford, C., Escobar, C. O., Guenette, R., Stancari, M., et al. (2023). A method to characterize metalenses for light collection applications. J. Instrum., 18(9), T09004–11pp.
Abstract: Metalenses and metasurfaces are promising emerging technologies that could improve light collection in light collection detectors, concentrating light on small area photodetectors such as silicon photomultipliers. Here we present a detailed method to characterize metalenses to assess their efficiency at concentrating monochromatic light coming from a wide range of incidence angles, not taking into account their imaging quality.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Aikot, A., Amos, K. R., Aparisi Pozo, J. A., Bailey, A. J., Bouchhar, N., et al. (2023). Measurement of the Higgs boson mass with H→γγ decays in 140 fb−1 of √s=13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector. Phys. Lett. B, 847, 138315–23pp.
Abstract: The mass of the Higgs boson is measured in the H→γγ decay channel, exploiting the high resolution of the invariant mass of photon pairs reconstructed from the decays of Higgs bosons produced in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy s√=13 TeV. The dataset was collected between 2015 and 2018 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1. The measured value of the Higgs boson mass is 125.17±0.11(stat.)±0.09(syst.) GeV and is based on an improved energy scale calibration for photons, whose impact on the measurement is about four times smaller than in the previous publication. A combination with the corresponding measurement using 7 and 8 TeV pp collision ATLAS data results in a Higgs boson mass measurement of 125.22±0.11(stat.)±0.09(syst.) GeV. With an uncertainty of 1.1 per mille, this is currently the most precise measurement of the mass of the Higgs boson from a single decay channel.
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Escrihuela, F. J., Flores, L. J., Miranda, O. G., Rendon, J., & Sanchez-Velez, R. (2024). Examining the sensitivity of FASERν to generalized neutrino interactions. J. High Energy Phys., 04(4), 102–25pp.
Abstract: We investigate the sensitivity of the FASER nu detector, a novel experimental setup at the LHC, to probe and constrain generalized neutrino interactions (GNI). Employing a comprehensive theoretical framework, we model the effects of generalized neutrino interactions on neutrino-nucleon deep inelastic scattering processes within the FASER nu detector. By considering all the neutrino channels produced at the LHC, we perform a statistical analysis to determine the sensitivity of FASER nu to constrain these interactions. Our results demonstrate that FASER nu can place stringent constraints on the GNI effective couplings. Additionally, we study the relation between GNI and a minimal Leptoquark model where the SM is augmented by a singlet Leptoquark with hypercharge 1/3. We have found that the sensitivities for various combinations of the Leptoquark Yukawa couplings are approximately O(1), particularly when considering a Leptoquark mass in the TeV range.
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