High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)

Abstract: A brief review of the current state of observed deviations of theoretical predictions from experimental data in semileptonic decays of $B$ and $B_c$ mesons is given. A theoretical analysis of these decays is carried out, taking into account the effects of new physics, which appear due to the introduction of new four-fermion operators, which are absent in the basis of the Standard Model (SM) operators. The necessary form factors are calculated within the framework of the covariant quark model developed in our papers.

Abstract: Motivated by the recent experimental progress in the $ \Lambda_c $ decay that contains a neutron in the final state, we analyze the semileptonic decay $ \Lambda_c \rightarrow n \ell \nu_\ell $ in the framework of QCD sum rules. The transition form factors are analytically computed using three-point correlation functions and the Cutkosky cutting rules, which can be extrapolated into the physical region by employing the dipole parametrization. The branching fractions of $ \Lambda_c \rightarrow n e^+ \nu_e $ and $ \Lambda_c \rightarrow n \mu^+ \nu_{\mu} $ are estimated to be $ (0.280\pm 0.031)\%$ and $ (0.274\pm 0.030)\% $, respectively. Furthermore, we calculate as well the relevant decay asymmetry observables sensitive to new physics beyond the standard model. The numerical results of semileptonic decays $ \Lambda_c \rightarrow \Lambda \ell \nu_\ell $ are also given and confronted to the latest experimental data.

Abstract: In this work we tried to predict the parameters of $B^{*}_c$ meson. Simple assumptions gave us following parametres $m_{B_{c}^{*}}=6329\pm 10$ MeV and $f_{B_{c}^{*}}= 535.5\pm57.8$ MeV (for $\Lambda_{B_{c}^{*}}=2.26\pm 0.14$ GeV in covariant confined quark model). We calculated widths of radiative decays of $B^*_{q}$ mesons, where $q=u/d,s,c$ and compared them with other theoretical works. It was shown that the width of the $B_{c}^{*}$ meson very sensitive to the mass $m_{B_{c}^{*}}$ as expected and less to the size parameter $\Lambda_{B_{c}^{*}}$.

Abstract: The magnetic and quadrupole moments of the $Z_{c}(4020)^+$, $Z_{c}(4050)^+$ and $Z_{c}(4600)^{+}$ states are calculated within the QCD light-cone sum rules. To extract the magnetic and quadrupole moments of these states the compact diquark-antidiquark interpolating currents and distribution amplitudes of the on-shell photon are employed. The magnetic moments are acquired as $\mu_{Z_{c}} = 0.55 ^{+0.23}_{-0.22}~\mu_N$, $\mu_{Z^{1}_{c}}=1.11 ^{+0.27}_{-0.29}~\mu_N$, $\mu_{Z^2_{c}}=2.44 ^{+0.53}_{-0.48}~\mu_N$ for the $Z_{c}(4020)^+$, $Z_{c}(4050)^+$ and $Z_{c}(4600)^{+}$ states, respectively. We see that the magnetic moment results evaluated for the $Z_{c}4020)^+$, $Z_{c}(4050)^+$ and $Z_{c}(4600)^{+}$ states are large enough to be measured experimentally. We get a nonzero however small value for the quadrupole moments of $Z_c$ states indicating a nonspherical charge distribution. The comparison of any future experimental data on the magnetic and quadrupole moments of the $Z_{c}(4020)^+$, $Z_{c}(4050)^+$ and $Z_{c}(4600)^{+}$ states together with the results of the present study can shed light on the nature and inner structure of these states.

Abstract: In this article, the strong coupling constants of vertices $BB\Upsilon$, $BB^{*}\Upsilon$, $B^{*}B^{*}\Upsilon$, $BB^{*}\eta_{b}$ and $B^{*}B^{*}\eta_{b}$ are analyzed in the framework of QCD sum rules. In this work, all possible off-shell cases and the contributions of vacuum condensate terms including $\langle\overline{q}q\rangle$, $\langle\overline{q}g_{s}\sigma Gq\rangle$, $\langle g_{s}^{2}G^{2}\rangle$, $\langle f^{3}G^{3}\rangle$ and $\langle\overline{q}q\rangle\langle g_{s}^{2}G^{2}\rangle$ are considered. The momentum dependent strong coupling constants are first calculated and then are fitted into analytical functions $g(Q^{2})$ which are used to extrapolate into time-like regions to obtain the final values of strong coupling constants. The final results are $g_{BB\Upsilon}=40.67^{+7.55}_{-4.20}$, $g_{BB^{*}\Upsilon}=11.58^{+2.19}_{-1.09}$ GeV$^{-1}$, $g_{B^{*}B^{*}\Upsilon}=57.02^{+5.32}_{-5.31}$, $g_{BB^{*}\eta_{b}}=23.39^{+4.74}_{-2.30}$ and $g_{B^{*}B^{*}\eta_{b}}=12.49^{+2.12}_{-1.35}$ GeV$^{-1}$. These strong coupling constants are important input parameters which reflect the dynamic properties of the interactions among the mesons and quarkonia.

Abstract: We explore the complementarity of direct detection (DD) and spallation source (SS) experiments for the study of sterile neutrino physics. We focus on the sterile baryonic neutrino model: an extension of the Standard Model that introduces a massive sterile neutrino with couplings to the quark sector via a new gauge boson. In this scenario, the inelastic scattering of an active neutrino with the target material in both DD and SS experiments gives rise to a characteristic nuclear recoil energy spectrum that can allow for the reconstruction of the neutrino mass in the event of a positive detection. We first derive new bounds on this model based on the data from the COHERENT collaboration on CsI and LAr targets, which we find do not yet probe new areas of the parameter space. We then assess how well future SS experiments will be able to measure the sterile neutrino mass and mixings, showing that masses in the range 15-50 MeV can be reconstructed. We show that there is a degeneracy in the measurement of the sterile neutrino mixing that substantially affects the reconstruction of parameters for masses of the order of 40 MeV. Thanks to their lower energy threshold and sensitivity to the solar tau neutrino flux, DD experiments allow us to partially lift the degeneracy in the sterile neutrino mixings and considerably improve its mass reconstruction down to 9 MeV. Our results demonstrate the excellent complementarity between DD and SS experiments in measuring the sterile neutrino mass and highlight the power of DD experiments in searching for new physics in the neutrino sector.

Abstract: Being able to decorrelate a feature space from protected attributes is an area of active research and study in ethics, fairness, and also natural sciences. We introduce a novel decorrelation method using Convex Neural Optimal Transport Solvers (Cnots), that is able to decorrelate continuous feature space against protected attributes with optimal transport. We demonstrate how well it performs in the context of jet classification in high energy physics, where classifier scores are desired to be decorrelated from the mass of a jet. The decorrelation achieved in binary classification approaches the levels achieved by the state-of-the-art using conditional normalising flows. When moving to multiclass outputs the optimal transport approach performs significantly better than the state-of-the-art, suggesting substantial gains at decorrelating multidimensional feature spaces.

Abstract: The interaction of neutrinos with ultralight scalar and vector dark matter backgrounds induce a modification of the neutrino dispersion relation. The effects of this modification are reviewed in the framework of asymmetric emission of neutrinos from the supernova core, and, in turn, of pulsar kicks. We consider the neutrino oscillations, focusing in particular to active-sterile conversion. The ultralight dark matter induced neutrino dispersion relation contains a term of the form $\delta {\bf \Omega}\cdot \hat{{\bf{p}}}$, where $\delta {\bf \Omega}$ is related to the ultralight dark matter field and $\hat{{\bf p}}$ is the unit vector along the direction of neutrino momentum. The relative orientation of ${\bf p}$ with respect to $\delta {\bf \Omega}$ affects the mechanism for the generation of the observed pulsar velocities. We obtain the resonance condition for the active-sterile neutrino oscillation in ultralight dark matter background and calculate the star parameters in the resonance surface so that both ultralight scalar and vector dark matter backgrounds can explain the observed pulsar kicks. The asymmetric emission of neutrinos in presence of ultralight dark matter background results gravitational memory signal which can be probed from the gravitational wave detectors. We also establish a connection between the ultralight dark matter parameters and the standard model extension parameter.

Abstract: Electroweak dipole operators in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) are important indirect probes of quantum effects of new physics beyond the Standard Model (SM), yet they remain poorly constrained by current experimental analyses for lack of interference with the SM amplitudes in constructing cross section observables. In this Letter, we point out that dipole operators flip fermion helicities so are ideally studied through single transverse spin asymmetries. We illustrate this at a future electron-positron collider with transversely polarized beams, where such effect exhibits as azimuthal $\cos\phi$ and $\sin\phi$ distributions which originate from the interference of the electron dipole operators with the SM and are linearly dependent on their Wilson coefficients. This new method can improve the current constraints on the electron dipole couplings by one to two orders of magnitude, without depending on other new physics operators, and can also simultaneously constrain both their real and imaginary parts, offering a new opportunity for probing potential $CP$-violating effects.

Abstract: The interest in studying heavy-flavor hadronization in high-energy nuclear collisions is twofold. On one hand hadronization represents a source of systematic uncertainties in phenomenological attempts of extracting heavy-flavor transport coefficients in the Quark Gluon Plasma which one assumes to be produced in the collision. Hence, developing the most possible reliable model for this process is important to get a precise and accurate estimate of a fundamental property of hot QCD. On the other hand studying how hadronization changes in the presence of a dense medium of colored partons can be considered an issue of interest by itself. In particular, the observation of modifications of heavy-flavor hadronization in proton-proton collisions strongly suggests that also in this case a small droplet of Quark-Gluon Plasma can be formed. Here we try to provide a general overview on heavy-flavor hadronization, from pp to AA collisions, stressing the aspects and challenges common to all mechanisms proposed in the literature. Then, focusing on a particular model, we show how a consistent description of several observables involving heavy-flavor hadrons can be obtained

Abstract: Motivated by the latest CDF $W$-mass measurement as well as the muon $g-2$ anomaly and the discrepancies observed in $b \to s \ell^+ \ell^-$ transitions, we propose an extension of the Standard Model (SM) with the $SU(2)_L$-singlet vector-like fermion partners that are featured by additional $U(1)^\prime$ gauge symmetry. The fermion partners have the same SM quantum numbers as of the right-handed SM fermions, and can therefore mix with the latter after the electroweak and the $U(1)^\prime$ symmetry breaking. As a result, desirable loop-level corrections to the $(g-2)_\mu$, the $W$-boson mass $m_W$ and the Wilson coefficient $C_9$ in $b \to s \mu^+ \mu^-$ transitions can be obtained. The final allowed parameter space is also consistent with the constraints from the $Z \to \mu^+ \mu^-$ decay, the neutrino trident production and the LHC direct searches for the vector-like quarks and leptons.

Abstract: The Precision Proton Spectrometer (PPS) is a new subdetector of CMS that provides a powerful tool for the advancement of beyond standard model searches. We present recent results obtained with the PPS subdetector illustrating the unique sensitivity achieved using proton tagging.

Abstract: We compare the recent measurements of gap between jets at the Tevatron and the LHC with the Balitski Fadin Kuraev Lipatov framework. While a good agreement is obtained with Tevatron data, some discrepancies especially for the rapidity separation between jets are found that can be explained by an excess of initial state radiation in PYTHIA.

Abstract: In the standard interaction scenario, a direct measurement of absolute neutrino masses via neutrino oscillations is not feasible, as the oscillations depend only on the mass-squared differences. However, the presence of scalar non-standard interactions can introduce sub-dominant terms in the oscillation Hamiltonian that can directly affect the neutrino mass matrix and thereby making scalar NSI a unique tool for neutrino mass measurements. In this work, for the first time, we constrain the absolute masses of neutrinos by probing scalar NSI. We show that a bound on the lightest neutrino mass can be induced in the presence of scalar NSI at DUNE. We find that the lightest neutrino mass can be best constrained with $\eta_{\tau\tau}$ and $\eta_{\mu\mu}$ at $2\sigma$ C.L. for normal and inverted hierarchy respectively. This study suggests that scalar NSI can serve as an interesting avenue to constrain the absolute neutrino masses in long-baseline neutrino experiments via neutrino oscillations.

Abstract: We search for a $B$ decay mode where one can find a peak for a $D \bar{D}$ bound state predicted in effective theories and in Lattice QCD calculations, which has also been claimed from some reactions that show an accumulated strength in $D \bar{D}$ production at threshold. We find a good candidate in the $B^+\to K^+ \eta\eta$ reaction, by looking at the $\eta\eta$ mass distribution. The reaction proceeds via a first step in which one has the $B^+\to D_s^{*+} \bar{D}^0$ reaction followed by $D_s^{*+}$ decay to $D^0 K^+$ and a posterior fusion of $D^0 \bar{D}^0$ to $\eta \eta$, implemented trough a triangle diagram that allows the $D^0 \bar{D}^0$ to be virtual and produce the bound state. The choice of $\eta\eta$ to see the peak is based on results of calculations that find the $\eta\eta$ among the light pseudoscalar channels with stronger coupling to the $D \bar{D}$ bound state. We find a neat peak around the predicted mass of that state in the $\eta\eta$ mass distribution, with an integrated branching ratio for $B^+\to K^+$ ($D\bar{D}$, bound) ; ($D\bar{D}$, bound) $\to \eta \eta$ of the order of $1.5 \times 10^{-4}$, a large number for hadronic $B$ decays, which should motivate its experimental search.

Abstract: In the standard model QCD Lagrangian, a term of CP violating gluon density is theoretically expected to have a physical coefficient $\bar{\theta}$ of the order of unity. However, the upper bound on the electric dipole moment of neutron enforces the value of $\bar{\theta}$ to be extremely small. Such a huge gap between theoretical expectation and experimental result is commonly known as the strong CP problem. To solve this puzzle in an appealing context of two Higgs doublets, we propose an economical $\bar{\theta}$-characterized mirror symmetry between two Higgs singlets with respective discrete symmetries. In our scenario, the parameter $\bar{\theta}$ can completely disappear from the full Lagrangian after the standard model fermions take a proper phase rotation as well as the Higgs doublets and singlets. Moreover, all of new physics for solving the strong CP problem can be allowed near the TeV scale.

Abstract: We argue that if axions are the dark matter, their coupling to electromagnetism results in exponential growth of a helical magnetic field when the axion field first rolls down its potential. After an inverse cascade, the relevant length scales to day are of order 10-100 kpc, of astrophysical interest. Our mechanism for allowing the field to grow relies on a nuance of MHD. Faraday's Law says that an electric field is needed to create a magnetic field. Previous authors relied on conventional Ohm's law to calculate E, but the resistivity is negligible and therefore they assume E is as well. We use a modified Ohm's Law that includes the effects of self-induction in limiting the current driven by a given E, which allows a magnetic field to grow.

Abstract: We derive the equations of motion for the bulk-to-boundary propagators of the AdS boson and fermion fields with arbitrary spin J in a soft-wall AdS/QCD model and solve it analytically. It provides the opportunity to study transition form factors induced by these bulk-to-boundary propagators, both for on-shell and off-shell hadrons. This is a continuation of our study of hadron form factors induced by the bulk-to-boundary propagator with spin J=1 (e.g., electromagnetic form factors of mesons, nucleons, and nucleon resonances).