Abstract: The metric-affine bumblebee model in the presence of fermionic matter minimally coupled to the connection is studied. We show that the model admits an Einstein frame representation in which the matter sector is described by a non-minimal Dirac action without any analogy in the literature. Such non-minimal terms involve unconventional couplings between the bumblebee and the fermion field. We then rewrite the quadratic fermion action in the Einstein frame in the basis of 16 Dirac matrices in order to identify the coefficients for Lorentz/CPT violation in all orders of the non-minimal coupling xi. The exact result for the fermionic determinant in the Einstein frame, including all orders in xi, is also provided. We demonstrate that the axial contributions are at least of second order in the perturbative expansion of xi. Furthermore, we compute the one-loop effective potential within the weak field approximation.

Abstract: The Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC) is the Spanish national hub for low radioactivity techniques and the associated scientific and technological applications. The concentration of the airborne radon is a major component of the radioactive budget in the neighborhood of the detectors. The LSC hosts a Radon Abatement System, which delivers a radon suppressed air with 1.1 & PLUSMN;0.2 mBq/m(3) of Rn-222. The radon content in the air is continuously monitored with an Electrostatic Radon Monitor. Measurements with the double beta decay demonstrators NEXT-NEW and CROSS and the gamma HPGe detectors show the important reduction of the radioactive background due to the purified air in the vicinity of the detectors. We also discuss the use of this facility in the LSC current program which includes NEXT-100, low background biology experiments and radiopure copper electroformation equipment placed in the radon-free clean room.

Abstract: The primary scientific goal of neutrino telescopes is the detection and study of cosmic neutrino signals. However, the range of physics topics that these instruments can tackle is exceedingly wide and diverse. Neutrinos coming from outside the Earth, in association with other messengers, can contribute to clarify the question of the mechanisms that power the astrophysical accelerators which are known to exist from the observation of high-energy cosmic and gamma rays. Cosmic neutrinos can also be used to bring relevant information about the nature of dark matter, to study the intrinsic properties of neutrinos and to look for physics beyond the Standard Model. Likewise, atmospheric neutrinos can be used to study an ample variety of particle physics issues, such as neutrino oscillation phenomena, the determination of the neutrino mass ordering, non-standard neutrino interactions, neutrino decays and a diversity of other physics topics. In this article, we review a selected number of these topics, chosen on the basis of their scientific relevance and the involvement in their study of the Spanish physics community working in the KM3NeT and ANTARES neutrino telescopes.

Abstract: It is well-known that at tree-level the d = 5 Weinberg operator can be generated in exactly three different ways, the famous seesaw models. In this paper we study the related question of how many phenomenologically consistent 1-loop models one can construct at d=5. First, we discuss that there are two possible classes of 1-loop neutrino mass models, that allow avoiding stable charged relics: (i) models with dark matter candidates and (ii) models with “exits”. Here, we define “exits” as particles that can decay into standard model fields. Considering 1-loop models with new scalars and fermions, we find in the dark matter class a total of (115+203) models, while in the exit class we find (38+368) models. Here, 115 is the number of DM models, which require a stabilizing symmetry, while 203 is the number of models which contain a dark matter candidate, which maybe accidentally stable. In the exit class the 38 refers to models, for which one (or two) of the internal particles in the loop is a SM field, while the 368 models contain only fields beyond the SM (BSM) in the neutrino mass diagram. We then study the RGE evolution of the gauge couplings in all our 1-loop models. Many of the models in our list lead to Landau poles in some gauge coupling at rather low energies and there is exactly one model which unifies the gauge couplings at energies above 10(15) GeV in a numerically acceptable way.

Abstract: We consider the phenomenological signatures of Simplified Models of Flavourful Leptoquarks, whose Beyond-the-Standard Model (SM) couplings to fermion generations occur via textures that are well motivated from a broad class of ultraviolet flavour models (which we briefly review). We place particular emphasis on the study of the vector leptoquark Delta(mu) with assignments (3, 1, 2/3) under the SM's gauge symmetry, SU(3)(C) x SU(2)(L) x U(1)(Y), which has the tantalising possibility of explaining both R-K(*) and R-D(*) anomalies. Upon performing global likelihood scans of the leptoquark's coupling parameter space, focusing in particular on models with tree-level couplings to a single charged lepton species, we then provide confidence intervals and benchmark points preferred by low(er)-energy flavour data. Finally, we use these constraints to further evaluate the (promising) Large Hadron Collider (LHC) detection prospects of pairs of tau-flavoured Delta(mu), through their distinct (a)symmetric decay channels. Namely, we consider direct third-generation leptoquark and jets plus missing-energy searches at the LHC, which we find to be complementary. Depending on the simplified model under consideration, the direct searches constrain the Delta(mu), mass up to 1500-1770 GeV when the branching fraction of Delta(mu), is entirely to third-generation quarks (but are significantly reduced with decreased branching ratios to the third generation), whereas the missing-energy searches constrain the mass up to 1150-1700 GeV while being largely insensitive to the third-generation branching fraction.