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Figueroa, D. G., Lizarraga, J., Urio, A., & Urrestilla, J. (2023). Strong Backreaction Regime in Axion Inflation. Phys. Rev. Lett., 131(15), 151003–7pp.
Abstract: We study the nonlinear dynamics of axion inflation, capturing for the first time the inhomogeneity and full dynamical range during strong backreaction, till the end of inflation. Accounting for inhomogeneous effects leads to a number of new relevant results, compared to spatially homogeneous studies: (i) the number of extra efoldings beyond slow-roll inflation increases very rapidly with the coupling, (ii) oscillations of the inflaton velocity are attenuated, (iii) the tachyonic gauge field helicity spectrum is smoothed out (i.e., the spectral oscillatory features disappear), broadened, and shifted to smaller scales, and (iv) the nontachyonic helicity is excited, reducing the chiral asymmetry, now scale dependent. Our results are expected to impact strongly on the phenomenology and observability of axion inflation, including gravitational wave generation and primordial black hole production.
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NA64 Collaboration(Andreev, Y. M. et al), Molina Bueno, L., & Tuzi, M. (2023). Search for Light Dark Matter with NA64 at CERN. Phys. Rev. Lett., 131(16), 161801–7pp.
Abstract: Thermal dark matter models with particle chi masses below the electroweak scale can provide an explanation for the observed relic dark matter density. This would imply the existence of a new feeble interaction between the dark and ordinary matter. We report on a new search for the sub-GeV chi production through the interaction mediated by a new vector boson, called the dark photon A ' , in collisions of 100 GeV electrons with the active target of the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS. With 9.37 x 10(11) electrons on target collected during 2016-2022 runs NA64 probes for the first time the well-motivated region of parameter space of benchmark thermal scalar and fermionic dark matter models. No evidence for dark matter production has been found. This allows us to set the most sensitive limits on the A ' couplings to photons for masses m(A ') less than or similar to 0.35 GeV, and to exclude scalar and Majorana dark matter with the chi – A ' coupling alpha(D) <= 0.1 for masses 0.001 less than or similar to m(chi) less than or similar to 0.1 GeV and 3m(chi) <= m(A ').
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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. (2023). Measurement of the Branching Fractions B(B0 → p(p)over-bar p(p)over-bar) and B(Bs0→ p(p)over-barp(p)over-bar). Phys. Rev. Lett., 131(9), 091901–11pp.
Abstract: Searches for the rare hadronic decays B-0 -> p (p) over barp (p) over bar and B-s(0) -> p (p) over barp (p) over bar are performed using proton-proton collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb-1. Significances of 9.3 sigma and 4.0 sigma, including statistical and systematic uncertainties, are obtained for the B-0 -> p (p) over barp (p) over bar and B-s(0) -> p (p) over barp (p) over bar signals, respectively. The branching fractions are measured relative to the topologically similar normalization decays B-0 -> J/psi(-> p (p) over bar )K*(0)(-> K+ pi(-) ) and B-s(0) -> J/psi(-> p (p) over bar )X phi(-> K+ K- ). The branching fractions are measured to be B(B-0 -> p (p) over barp (p) over bar) = (2.2 +/- 0.4 +/- 0.1 +/- 0.1) x 10(-8) and B(B-s(0) -> p (p) over barp (p) over bar) = (2.3 +/- 1.0 +/- 0.2 +/- 0.1) x 10(-8). In these measurements, the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third one is due to the external branching fraction of the normalization channel.
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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. (2023). Measurement of the Time-Integrated CP Asymmetry in D0 → K- K+ Decays. Phys. Rev. Lett., 131(9), 091802–13pp.
Abstract: The time-integrated CP asymmetry in the Cabibbo suppressed decay PKK is measured using proton proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.7 th collected at a center of mass energy of 13 TeV with the LHCb detector. The D mesons are required to originate from promptly produced DD's decays, and the charge of the companion pion is used to determine the flavor of the charm meson at production. The time integrated CP asymmetry is measured to be Acr(KK) 6,815.41.6 x 10 where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The direct CP asymmetries in D-K-K and D -> decays, and are derived by combining Ace(KK) with the time integrated CP asymmetry differ ence, AAcr-Acr(KK)-A(x), and other inputs, giving a (7.715.7) x 10, (23.2 16.1) x 10, with a correlation coefficient corresponding to p=0.88. The compatibility of these results with CP symmetry is 1.4 and 3.8 standard deviations for DKK and D degrees-xx decays, respectively. This is the first evidence for direct CP violation in a specific Do decay.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Jashal, B. K., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., Ruiz Vidal, J., et al. (2023). Nuclear Modification Factor of Neutral Pions in the Forward and Backward Regions in p-Pb Collisions. Phys. Rev. Lett., 131(4), 042302–12pp.
Abstract: The nuclear modification factor of neutral pions is measured in proton-lead collisions collected at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon of 8.16 TeV with the LHCb detector. The p(0) production cross section is measured differentially in transverse momentum (p(T)) for 1.5 < p(T) < 10.0 GeV and in center-of-mass pseudorapidity (?(c.m.)) regions 2.5 < ?(c.m.) < 3.5 (forward) and -4.0 < ?(c.m.) < -3.0 (backward) defined relative to the proton beam direction. The forward measurement shows a sizable suppression of p(0) production, while the backward measurement shows the first evidence of p(0) enhancement in proton-lead collisions at the LHC. Together, these measurements provide precise constraints on models of nuclear structure and particle production in high-energy nuclear collisions.
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