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Altmannshofer W, Dror JA, Gori S. New Opportunities for Detecting Axion-Lepton Interactions. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 130:241801. [PMID: 37390414 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.130.241801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
We revisit the theory and constraints on axionlike particles (ALPs) interacting with leptons. We clarify some subtleties in the constraints on ALP parameter space and find several new opportunities for ALP detection. We identify a qualitative difference between weak-violating and weak-preserving ALPs, which dramatically change the current constraints due to possible "energy enhancements" in various processes. This new understanding leads to additional opportunities for ALP detection through charged meson decays (e.g., π^{+}→e^{+}νa, K^{+}→e^{+}νa) and W boson decays. The new bounds impact both weak-preserving and weak-violating ALPs and have implications for the QCD axion and addressing experimental anomalies using ALPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Altmannshofer
- Department of Physics, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA and Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
| | - Jeff A Dror
- Department of Physics, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA and Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
| | - Stefania Gori
- Department of Physics, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA and Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
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Dutta B, Kim D, Thompson A, Thornton RT, Van de Water RG. Solutions to the MiniBooNE Anomaly from New Physics in Charged Meson Decays. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 129:111803. [PMID: 36154399 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.129.111803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We point out that production of new bosons by charged meson decays can greatly enhance the sensitivity of beam-focused accelerator-based experiments to new physics signals. This enhancement arises since the charged mesons are focused and their three-body decays do not suffer from helicity suppression in the same way as their usual two-body decays. As a realistic application, we attempt to explain the MiniBooNE low energy excess utilizing this overlooked mechanism, uniquely realizing dark-sector interpretations as plausible solutions to the excess. As proof of the principle, we consider two well-motivated classes of dark-sector models, models of vector-portal dark matter and models of long-lived (pseudo)scalar. We argue that the model parameter values to accommodate the excess are consistent with existing limits and that they can be tested at current and future accelerator-based neutrino experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhaskar Dutta
- Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77845, USA
| | - Doojin Kim
- Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77845, USA
| | - Adrian Thompson
- Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77845, USA
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Hoferichter M, Hoid BL, Kubis B, Lüdtke J. Improved Standard-Model Prediction for π^{0}→e^{+}e^{-}. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 128:172004. [PMID: 35570465 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.128.172004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We present an improved standard-model (SM) prediction for the dilepton decay of the neutral pion. The loop amplitude is determined by the pion transition form factor for π^{0}→γ^{*}γ^{*}, for which we employ a dispersive representation that incorporates both spacelike and timelike data as well as short-distance constraints. The resulting SM branching fraction, Br[π^{0}→e^{+}e^{-}]=6.25(3)×10^{-8}, sharpens constraints on physics beyond the SM, including pseudoscalar and axial-vector mediators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Hoferichter
- Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Bai-Long Hoid
- Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Bastian Kubis
- Helmholtz-Institut für Strahlen- und Kernphysik and Bethe Center for Theoretical Physics, Universität Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan Lüdtke
- Helmholtz-Institut für Strahlen- und Kernphysik and Bethe Center for Theoretical Physics, Universität Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Aguilar-Arevalo A, Aoki M, Blecher M, Britton D, vom Bruch D, Bryman D, Chen S, Comfort J, Cuen-Rochin S, Doria L, Gumplinger P, Hussein A, Igarashi Y, Ito S, Kettell S, Kurchaninov L, Littenberg L, Malbrunot C, Mischke R, Numao T, Protopopescu D, Sher A, Sullivan T, Vavilov D. Search for three body pion decays
π+→l+νX. Int J Clin Exp Med 2021. [DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.103.052006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Hook A, Kumar S, Liu Z, Sundrum R. High Quality QCD Axion and the LHC. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2020; 124:221801. [PMID: 32567887 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.124.221801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The QCD axion provides an elegant solution to the strong CP problem. While the minimal realization is vulnerable to the so-called "axion quality problem," we will consider a more robust realization in the presence of a mirror sector related to the standard model by a (softly broken) Z_{2} symmetry. We point out that the resulting "heavy" axion, while satisfying all theoretical and observational constraints, has a large and uncharted parameter space, which allows it to be probed at the LHC as a long-lived particle (LLP). The small defining axionic coupling to gluons results in a challenging hadronic decay signal which we argue can be distinguished against the background in such a long-lived regime, and yet, the same coupling allows for sufficient production at the hadron colliders thanks to the large gluon-parton luminosity. Our study opens up a new window towards accelerator observable axions and, more generally, singly produced LLPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anson Hook
- Maryland Center for Fundamental Physics, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Soubhik Kumar
- Maryland Center for Fundamental Physics, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Zhen Liu
- Maryland Center for Fundamental Physics, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Raman Sundrum
- Maryland Center for Fundamental Physics, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
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