CP violations in predictive neutrino mass structures

We study the CP-violation effects from two types of neutrino mass matrices with (i) \((M_\nu )_{ee}=0\), and (ii) \((M_\nu )_{ee}=(M_\nu )_{e\mu }=0\), which can be realized by the high-dimensional lepton number violating operators \(\bar{\ell }_R^c\gamma ^\mu L_L (D_\mu \Phi )\Phi ^2\) and \(\bar{\ell }_R^c l_R (D_\mu {\Phi })^2\Phi ^2\), respectively. In (i), the neutrino mass spectrum is in the normal ordering with the lightest neutrino mass within the range \(0.002\,\mathrm{eV}\lesssim m_0\lesssim 0.007\,\mathrm{eV}\). Furthermore, for a given value of \(m_0\), there are two solutions for the two Majorana phases \(\alpha _{21}\) and \(\alpha _{31}\), whereas the Dirac phase \(\delta \) is arbitrary. For (ii), the parameters of \(m_0\), \(\delta \), \(\alpha _{21}\), and \(\alpha _{31}\) can be completely determined. We calculate the CP-violating asymmetries in neutrino–antineutrino oscillations for both mass textures of (i) and (ii), which are closely related to the CP-violating Majorana phases.     

Likelihood analysis of the minimal AMSB model

We perform a likelihood analysis of the minimal anomaly-mediated supersymmetry-breaking (mAMSB) model using constraints from cosmology and accelerator experiments. We find that either a wino-like or a Higgsino-like neutralino LSP, \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\), may provide the cold dark matter (DM), both with similar likelihoods. The upper limit on the DM density from Planck and other experiments enforces \(m_{\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}} \lesssim 3 \,\, \mathrm {TeV}\) after the inclusion of Sommerfeld enhancement in its annihilations. If most of the cold DM density is provided by the \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\), the measured value of the Higgs mass favours a limited range of \(\tan \beta \sim 5\) (and also for \(\tan \beta \sim 45\) if \(\mu > 0\)) but the scalar mass \(m_0\) is poorly constrained. In the wino-LSP case, \(m_{3/2}\) is constrained to about \(900\,\, \mathrm {TeV}\) and \(m_{\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}}\) to \(2.9\pm 0.1\,\, \mathrm {TeV}\), whereas in the Higgsino-LSP case \(m_{3/2}\) has just a lower limit \(\gtrsim 650\,\, \mathrm {TeV}\) (\(\gtrsim 480\,\, \mathrm {TeV}\)) and \(m_{\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}}\) is constrained to \(1.12 ~(1.13) \pm 0.02\,\, \mathrm {TeV}\) in the \(\mu >0\) (\(\mu <0\)) scenario. In neither case can the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, \((g-2)_\mu \), be improved significantly relative to its Standard Model (SM) value, nor do flavour measurements constrain the model significantly, and there are poor prospects for discovering supersymmetric particles at the LHC, though there are some prospects for direct DM detection. On the other hand, if the \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\) contributes only a fraction of the cold DM density, future LHC Open image in new window -based searches for gluinos, squarks and heavier chargino and neutralino states as well as disappearing track searches in the wino-like LSP region will be relevant, and interference effects enable \(\mathrm{BR}(B_{s, d} \rightarrow \mu ^+\mu ^-)\) to agree with the data better than in the SM in the case of wino-like DM with \(\mu > 0\).     

Likelihood analysis of the pMSSM11 in light of LHC 13-TeV data

We use MasterCode to perform a frequentist analysis of the constraints on a phenomenological MSSM model with 11 parameters, the pMSSM11, including constraints from \(\sim 36\)/fb of LHC data at 13 TeV and PICO, XENON1T and PandaX-II searches for dark matter scattering, as well as previous accelerator and astrophysical measurements, presenting fits both with and without the \((g-2)_\mu \) constraint. The pMSSM11 is specified by the following parameters: 3 gaugino masses \(M_{1,2,3}\), a common mass for the first-and second-generation squarks \(m_{\tilde{q}}\) and a distinct third-generation squark mass \(m_{\tilde{q}_3}\), a common mass for the first-and second-generation sleptons \(m_{\tilde{\ell }}\) and a distinct third-generation slepton mass \(m_{\tilde{\tau }}\), a common trilinear mixing parameter A, the Higgs mixing parameter \(\mu \), the pseudoscalar Higgs mass \(M_A\) and \(\tan \beta \). In the fit including \((g-2)_\mu \), a Bino-like \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\) is preferred, whereas a Higgsino-like \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\) is mildly favoured when the \((g-2)_\mu \) constraint is dropped. We identify the mechanisms that operate in different regions of the pMSSM11 parameter space to bring the relic density of the lightest neutralino, \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\), into the range indicated by cosmological data. In the fit including \((g-2)_\mu \), coannihilations with \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{2}\) and the Wino-like \(\tilde{\chi }^\pm _{1}\) or with nearly-degenerate first- and second-generation sleptons are active, whereas coannihilations with the \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{2}\) and the Higgsino-like \(\tilde{\chi }^\pm _{1}\) or with first- and second-generation squarks may be important when the \((g-2)_\mu \) constraint is dropped. In the two cases, we present \(\chi ^2\) functions in two-dimensional mass planes as well as their one-dimensional profile projections and best-fit spectra. Prospects remain for discovering strongly-interacting sparticles at the LHC, in both the scenarios with and without the \((g-2)_\mu \) constraint, as well as for discovering electroweakly-interacting sparticles at a future linear \(e^+ e^-\) collider such as the ILC or CLIC.     

$$\varvec{B^0\rightarrow K^{*0}\mu ^+\mu ^-}$$ decay in the aligned two-Higgs-doublet model

In the aligned two-Higgs-doublet model, we perform a complete one-loop computation of the short-distance Wilson coefficients \(C_{7,9,10}^{(\prime )}\), which are the most relevant ones for \(b\rightarrow s\ell ^+\ell ^-\) transitions. It is found that, when the model parameter \(\left| \varsigma _{u}\right| \) is much smaller than \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| \), the charged scalar contributes mainly to chirality-flipped \(C_{9,10}^\prime \), with the corresponding effects being proportional to \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| ^2\). Numerically, the charged-scalar effects fit into two categories: (A) \(C_{7,9,10}^\mathrm {H^\pm }\) are sizable, but \(C_{9,10}^{\prime \mathrm {H^\pm }}\simeq 0\), corresponding to the (large \(\left| \varsigma _{u}\right| \), small \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| \)) region; (B) \(C_7^\mathrm {H^\pm }\) and \(C_{9,10}^{\prime \mathrm {H^\pm }}\) are sizable, but \(C_{9,10}^\mathrm {H^\pm }\simeq 0\), corresponding to the (small \(\left| \varsigma _{u}\right| \), large \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| \)) region. Taking into account phenomenological constraints from the inclusive radiative decay \(B\rightarrow X_{s}{\gamma }\), as well as the latest model-independent global analysis of \(b\rightarrow s\ell ^+\ell ^-\) data, we obtain the much restricted parameter space of the model. We then study the impact of the allowed model parameters on the angular observables \(P_2\) and \(P_5'\) of \(B^0\rightarrow K^{*0}\mu ^+\mu ^-\) decay, and we find that \(P_5'\) could be increased significantly to be consistent with the experimental data in case B.     

Scattering of kinks of the sinh-deformed $$\varphi ^4$$ model

We consider the scattering of kinks of the sinh-deformed \(\varphi ^4\) model, which is obtained from the well-known \(\varphi ^4\) model by means of the deformation procedure. Depending on the initial velocity \(v_\mathrm {in}\) of the colliding kinks, different collision scenarios are realized. There is a critical value \(v_\mathrm {cr}\) of the initial velocity, which separates the regime of reflection (at \(v_\mathrm {in}>v_\mathrm {cr}\)) and that of a complicated interaction (at \(v_\mathrm {in}<v_\mathrm {cr}\)) with kinks’ capture and escape windows. Besides that, at \(v_\mathrm {in}\) below \(v_\mathrm {cr}\) we observe the formation of a bound state of two oscillons, as well as their escape at some values of \(v_\mathrm {in}\).     

Signals of leptophilic dark matter at the ILC

Adopting a model independent approach, we constrain the various effective interactions of leptophilic DM particles with the visible world from the WMAP and Planck data. The thermally averaged indirect DM annihilation cross section and the DM–electron direct-detection cross section for such a DM candidate are observed to be consistent with the respective experimental data. We study the production of cosmologically allowed leptophilic DM in association with \(Z\, (Z\rightarrow f\bar{f})\), \(f\equiv q,\,e^-,\, \mu ^-\) at the ILC. We perform the \(\chi ^2\) analysis and compute the 99% C.L. acceptance contours in the \(m_\chi \) and \(\varLambda \) plane from the two-dimensional differential distributions of various kinematic observables obtained after employing parton showering and hadronisation to the simulated data. We observe that the dominant hadronic channel provides the best kinematic reach of 2.62 TeV (\(m_\chi \) = 25 GeV), which further improves to \(\sim \)3 TeV for polarised beams at \(\sqrt{s} = 1\) TeV and an integrated luminosity of 1 ab\(^{-1}\).     

Uncertainties of the $$B\rightarrow D$$B→ D transition form factor from the D-meson leading-twist distribution amplitude

The \(B\rightarrow D\) transition form factor (TFF) \(f^{B\rightarrow D}_+(q^2)\) is determined mainly by the D-meson leading-twist distribution amplitude (DA) , \(\phi _{2;D}\), if the proper chiral current correlation function is adopted within the light-cone QCD sum rules. It is therefore significant to make a comprehensive study of DA \(\phi _{2;D}\) and its impact on \(f^{B\rightarrow D}_+(q^2)\). In this paper, we calculate the moments of \(\phi _{2;D}\) with the QCD sum rules under the framework of the background field theory. New sum rules for the leading-twist DA moments \(\left\langle \xi ^n\right\rangle _D\) up to fourth order and up to dimension-six condensates are presented. At the scale \(\mu = 2 \,\mathrm{GeV}\), the values of the first four moments are: \(\left\langle \xi ^1\right\rangle _D = -0.418^{+0.021}_{-0.022}\), \(\left\langle \xi ^2\right\rangle _D = 0.289^{+0.023}_{-0.022}\), \(\left\langle \xi ^3\right\rangle _D = -0.178 \pm 0.010\) and \(\left\langle \xi ^4\right\rangle _D = 0.142^{+0.013}_{-0.012}\). Basing on the values of \(\left\langle \xi ^n\right\rangle _D(n=1,2,3,4)\), a better model of \(\phi _{2;D}\) is constructed. Applying this model for the TFF \(f^{B\rightarrow D}_+(q^2)\) under the light cone sum rules, we obtain \(f^{B\rightarrow D}_+(0) = 0.673^{+0.038}_{-0.041}\) and \(f^{B\rightarrow D}_+(q^2_{\mathrm{max}}) = 1.117^{+0.051}_{-0.054}\). The uncertainty of \(f^{B\rightarrow D}_+(q^2)\) from \(\phi _{2;D}\) is estimated and we find its impact should be taken into account, especially in low and central energy region. The branching ratio \(\mathcal {B}(B\rightarrow Dl\bar{\nu }_l)\) is calculated, which is consistent with experimental data.     

On quantum analogue of dynamical stabilisation of inverted harmonic oscillator by time periodical uniform field

Quantum analogue of stabilised forced oscillations around an unstable equilibrium position is explored by solving the non-stationary Schrödinger equation (NSE) of the inverted harmonic oscillator (IHO) driven periodically by spatial uniform field of frequency \(\Omega \), amplitude \(F_{0}\) and phase \(\phi \), i.e. the system with the Hamiltonian of \(\hat{{H}}=(\hat{{p}}^{2}/2m)-(m\omega ^{2}x^{2}/2)-F_0 x\sin \) \(\left( {\Omega t+\phi } \right) \). The NSE has been solved both analytically and numerically by Maple 15 in dimensionless variables \(\xi = x\sqrt{m\omega /\hbar }\hbox {, }f_0 =F_0 /\omega \sqrt{\hbar m\omega }\) and \(\tau =\omega t\). The initial condition (IC) has been specified by the wave function (w.f.) of a generalised Gaussian type which suits well the corresponding quantum IC operator. The solution obtained demonstrates the non-monotonous behaviour of the coordinate spreading \(\sigma \left( \tau \right) \hbox { =}\sqrt{\big ( {\overline{\Delta \xi ^{2}\big ( \tau \big )} } \big )}\) which decreases first from quite macroscopic values of \(\sigma _{0} =2^{12,\ldots ,25}\) to minimal one of \(\sim \!(1/\sqrt{2})\) at times \(\tau <\tau _0 =0.125\ln \!\left( {16\sigma _0^4 +1} \right) \) and then grows back unlimitedly. For certain phases \(\phi \) depending on the \(\Omega /\omega \) ratio and \(n=\log _2\!\sigma _0 \), the mass centre of the packet \(\xi _{\mathrm {av}}( \tau )= \overline{\hat{{x}}(\tau )} \cdot \sqrt{m\omega /\hbar }\) delays approximately two natural ‘periods’ \(\sim \!(4\pi /\omega )\) in the area of the stationary point and then escapes to ‘\(+\)’ or ‘?’ infinity in a bifurcating way.  For ‘resonant’ \(\Omega =\omega \), the bifurcation phases \(\phi \) fit well with the regression formula of Fermi–Dirac type of argument n with their asymptotic \(\phi ( {\Omega ,n\rightarrow \infty } )\) obeying the classical formula \(\phi _{\mathrm {cl}} ( \Omega )=-\hbox {arctg} \, \Omega \) for initial energy \(E = 0\) in the wide range of \(\Omega =2^{-4},...,2^{7}\).     

The decays of $$\bar{B}^0$$, $$\bar{B}^0_s$$B¯s0 and $$B^-$$B- into $$\eta _c$$ηc plus a scalar or vector meson

We investigate the decays of \(\bar{B}^0_s\), \(\bar{B}^0\) and \(B^-\) into \(\eta _c\) plus a scalar or vector meson in a theoretical framework by taking into account the dominant process for the weak decay of \(\bar{B}\) meson into \(\eta _c\) and a \(q\bar{q}\) pair. After hadronization of this \(q\bar{q}\) component into pairs of pseudoscalar mesons we obtain certain weights for the pseudoscalar meson-pseudoscalar meson components. In addition, the \(\bar{B}^0\) and \(\bar{B}^0_s\) decays into \(\eta _c\) and \(\rho ^0\), \(K^*\) are evaluated and compared to the \(\eta _c\) and \(\phi \) production. The calculation is based on the postulation that the scalar mesons \(f_0(500)\), \(f_0(980)\) and \(a_0(980)\) are dynamically generated states from the pseudoscalar meson-pseudoscalar meson interactions in S-wave. Up to a global normalization factor, the \(\pi \pi \), \(K \bar{K}\) and \(\pi \eta \) invariant mass distributions for the decays of \(\bar{B}^0_s \rightarrow \eta _c \pi ^+ \pi ^-\), \(\bar{B}^0_s \rightarrow \eta _c K^+ K^-\), \(\bar{B}^0 \rightarrow \eta _c \pi ^+ \pi ^-\), \(\bar{B}^0 \rightarrow \eta _c K^+ K^-\), \(\bar{B}^0 \rightarrow \eta _c \pi ^0 \eta \), \(B^- \rightarrow \eta _c K^0 K^-\) and \(B^- \rightarrow \eta _c \pi ^- \eta \) are predicted. Comparison is made with the limited experimental information available and other theoretical calcualtions. Further comparison of these results with coming LHCb measurements will be very valuable to make progress in our understanding of the nature of the low lying scalar mesons, \(f_0(500), f_0(980)\) and \(a_0(980)\).     

Search of the neutrino-less double beta decay of $$^{}$$Se into the excited states of $$^{}$$Kr with CUPID-0

The CUPID-0 experiment searches for double beta decay using cryogenic calorimeters with double (heat and light) read-out. The detector, consisting of 24 ZnSe crystals 95\(\%\) enriched in \(^{82}\)Se and two natural ZnSe crystals, started data-taking in 2017 at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. We present the search for the neutrino-less double beta decay of \(^{82}\)Se into the 0\(_1^+\), 2\(_1^+\) and 2\(_2^+\) excited states of \(^{82}\)Kr with an exposure of 5.74 kg\(\cdot \)yr (2.24\(\times \)10\(^{25}\) emitters\(\cdot \)yr). We found no evidence of the decays and set the most stringent limits on the widths of these processes: \(\varGamma \)(\(^{82}\)Se \(\rightarrow ^{82}\)Kr\(_{0_1^+}\))8.55\(\times \)10\(^{-24}\) yr\(^{-1}\), \(\varGamma \) (\(^{82}\) Se \(\rightarrow ^{82}\) Kr \(_{2_1^+}\))\(\,{<}\,6.25 \,{\times }\,10^{-24}\) yr\(^{-1}\), \(\varGamma \)(\(^{82}\)Se \(\rightarrow ^{82}\)Kr\(_{2_2^+}\))8.25\(\times \)10\(^{-24}\) yr\(^{-1}\) (90\(\%\) credible interval).     

Stochastic Averaging Principle for Spatial Birth-and-Death Evolutions in the Continuum

We study a spatial birth-and-death process on the phase space of locally finite configurations \({\varGamma }^+ \times {\varGamma }^-\) over \({\mathbb {R}}^d\). Dynamics is described by an non-equilibrium evolution of states obtained from the Fokker-Planck equation and associated with the Markov operator \(L^+(\gamma ^-) + \frac{1}{\varepsilon }L^-\), \(\varepsilon > 0\). Here \(L^-\) describes the environment process on \({\varGamma }^-\) and \(L^+(\gamma ^-)\) describes the system process on \({\varGamma }^+\), where \(\gamma ^-\) indicates that the corresponding birth-and-death rates depend on another locally finite configuration \(\gamma ^- \in {\varGamma }^-\). We prove that, for a certain class of birth-and-death rates, the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation is well-posed, i.e. there exists a unique evolution of states \(\mu _t^{\varepsilon }\) on \({\varGamma }^+ \times {\varGamma }^-\). Moreover, we give a sufficient condition such that the environment is ergodic with exponential rate. Let \(\mu _{\mathrm {inv}}\) be the invariant measure for the environment process on \({\varGamma }^-\). In the main part of this work we establish the stochastic averaging principle, i.e. we prove that the marginal of \(\mu _t^{\varepsilon }\) onto \({\varGamma }^+\) converges weakly to an evolution of states on \({\varGamma }^+\) associated with the averaged Markov birth-and-death operator \({\overline{L}} = \int _{{\varGamma }^-}L^+(\gamma ^-)d \mu _{\mathrm {inv}}(\gamma ^-)\).     

Light deflection and Gauss–Bonnet theorem: definition of total deflection angle and its applications

In this paper, we re-examine the light deflection in the Schwarzschild and the Schwarzschild–de Sitter spacetime. First, supposing a static and spherically symmetric spacetime, we propose the definition of the total deflection angle \(\alpha \) of the light ray by constructing a quadrilateral \(\varSigma ^4\) on the optical reference geometry \({\mathscr {M}}^\mathrm{opt}\) determined by the optical metric \(\bar{g}_{ij}\). On the basis of the definition of the total deflection angle \(\alpha \) and the Gauss–Bonnet theorem, we derive two formulas to calculate the total deflection angle \(\alpha \); (1) the angular formula that uses four angles determined on the optical reference geometry \({\mathscr {M}}^\mathrm{opt}\) or the curved \((r, \phi )\) subspace \({\mathscr {M}}^\mathrm{sub}\) being a slice of constant time t and (2) the integral formula on the optical reference geometry \({\mathscr {M}}^\mathrm{opt}\) which is the areal integral of the Gaussian curvature K in the area of a quadrilateral \(\varSigma ^4\) and the line integral of the geodesic curvature \(\kappa _g\) along the curve \(C_{\varGamma }\). As the curve \(C_{\varGamma }\), we introduce the unperturbed reference line that is the null geodesic \(\varGamma \) on the background spacetime such as the Minkowski or the de Sitter spacetime, and is obtained by projecting \(\varGamma \) vertically onto the curved \((r, \phi )\) subspace \({\mathscr {M}}^\mathrm{sub}\). We demonstrate that the two formulas give the same total deflection angle \(\alpha \) for the Schwarzschild and the Schwarzschild–de Sitter spacetime. In particular, in the Schwarzschild case, the result coincides with Epstein–Shapiro’s formula when the source S and the receiver R of the light ray are located at infinity. In addition, in the Schwarzschild–de Sitter case, there appear order \({\mathscr {O}}(\varLambda m)\) terms in addition to the Schwarzschild-like part, while order \({\mathscr {O}}(\varLambda )\) terms disappear.     

Induced-gravity GUT-scale Higgs inflation in supergravity

Models of induced-gravity inflation are formulated within Supergravity employing as inflaton the Higgs field which leads to a spontaneous breaking of a \(U(1)_{B-L}\) symmetry at \(M_\mathrm{GUT}=2\cdot 10^{16}~{\mathrm{GeV}}\). We use a renormalizable superpotential, fixed by a U(1) R symmetry, and Kähler potentials which exhibit a quadratic non-minimal coupling to gravity with or without an independent kinetic mixing in the inflaton sector. In both cases we find inflationary solutions of Starobinsky type whereas in the latter case, others (more marginal) which resemble those of linear inflation arise too. In all cases the inflaton mass is predicted to be of the order of \(10^{13}~{\mathrm{GeV}}\). Extending the superpotential of the model with suitable terms, we show how the MSSM \(\mu \) parameter can be generated. Also, non-thermal leptogenesis can be successfully realized, provided that the gravitino is heavier than about \(10~{\mathrm{TeV}}\).     

Fully constrained Majorana neutrino mass matrices using $$\varvec{\varSigma (72\times 3)}$$

In 2002, two neutrino mixing ansatze having trimaximally mixed middle (\(\nu _2\)) columns, namely tri-chi-maximal mixing (\(\text {T}\chi \text {M}\)) and tri-phi-maximal mixing (\(\text {T}\phi \text {M}\)), were proposed. In 2012, it was shown that \(\text {T}\chi \text {M}\) with \(\chi =\pm \,\frac{\pi }{16}\) as well as \(\text {T}\phi \text {M}\) with \(\phi = \pm \,\frac{\pi }{16}\) leads to the solution, \(\sin ^2 \theta _{13} = \frac{2}{3} \sin ^2 \frac{\pi }{16}\), consistent with the latest measurements of the reactor mixing angle, \(\theta _{13}\). To obtain \(\text {T}\chi \text {M}_{(\chi =\pm \,\frac{\pi }{16})}\) and \(\text {T}\phi \text {M}_{(\phi =\pm \,\frac{\pi }{16})}\), the type I see-saw framework with fully constrained Majorana neutrino mass matrices was utilised. These mass matrices also resulted in the neutrino mass ratios, \(m_1:m_2:m_3=\frac{\left( 2+\sqrt{2}\right) }{1+\sqrt{2(2+\sqrt{2})}}:1:\frac{\left( 2+\sqrt{2}\right) }{-1+\sqrt{2(2+\sqrt{2})}}\). In this paper we construct a flavour model based on the discrete group \(\varSigma (72\times 3)\) and obtain the aforementioned results. A Majorana neutrino mass matrix (a symmetric \(3\times 3\) matrix with six complex degrees of freedom) is conveniently mapped into a flavon field transforming as the complex six-dimensional representation of \(\varSigma (72\times 3)\). Specific vacuum alignments of the flavons are used to arrive at the desired mass matrices.     

Two Higgs doublet models and $$b\rightarrow s$$ exclusive decays

We computed the leading order Wilson coefficients relevant to all the exclusive \(b\rightarrow s\ell ^+\ell ^-\) decays in the framework of the two Higgs doublet model (2HDM) with a softly broken \(\mathbb {Z}_2\) symmetry by including the \(\mathcal {O}(m_b)\) corrections. We elucidate the issue of appropriate matching between the full and the effective theory when dealing with the (pseudo-)scalar operators for which keeping the external momenta different from zero is necessary. We then make a phenomenological analysis by using the measured \({\mathcal {B}}(B_s\rightarrow \mu ^+\mu ^-)\) and \({\mathcal {B}}(B\rightarrow K \mu ^+\mu ^-)_{\mathrm {high}-q^2}\), for which the hadronic uncertainties are well controlled, and we discuss their impact on various types of 2HDM. A brief discussion of the decays with \(\tau \)-leptons in the final state is provided too.     

Nuclear suppression of the $$\phi $$ meson yields with large $$p_T$$pT at the RHIC and the LHC

We calculate \(\phi \) meson transverse momentum spectra in \(\mathrm{p}+\mathrm{p}\) collisions as well as their nuclear suppressions in central \(\mathrm{A}+\mathrm{A}\) collisions both at the RHIC and the LHC in LO and NLO with the QCD-improved parton model. We have included the parton energy loss effect in a hot/dense QCD medium with the effectively medium-modified \(\phi \) fragmentation functions in the higher-twist approach of jet quenching. The nuclear modification factors of the \(\phi \) meson in central \(\mathrm{Au}+\mathrm{Au}\) collisions at the RHIC and central \(\mathrm{Pb}+\mathrm{Pb}\) collisions at the LHC are provided, and nice agreement of our numerical results at NLO with the ALICE measurement is observed. Predictions of the yield ratios of neutral mesons such as \(\phi /\pi ^0\), \(\phi /\eta \) and \(\phi /\rho ^0\) at large \(p_T\) in relativistic heavy-ion collisions are also presented for the first time.     

Gluino reach and mass extraction at the LHC in radiatively-driven natural SUSY

Radiatively-driven natural SUSY (RNS) models enjoy electroweak naturalness at the 10% level while respecting LHC sparticle and Higgs mass constraints. Gluino and top-squark masses can range up to several TeV (with other squarks even heavier) but a set of light Higgsinos are required with mass not too far above \(m_h\sim 125\) GeV. Within the RNS framework, gluinos dominantly decay via \(\tilde{g}\rightarrow t\tilde{t}_1^{*},\ \bar{t}\tilde{t}_1 \rightarrow t\bar{t}\widetilde{Z}_{1,2}\) or \(t\bar{b}\widetilde{W}_1^-+c.c.\), where the decay products of the higgsino-like \(\widetilde{W}_1\) and \(\widetilde{Z}_2\) are very soft. Gluino pair production is, therefore, signaled by events with up to four hard b-jets and large \(\not \!\!{E_T}\). We devise a set of cuts to isolate a relatively pure gluino sample at the (high-luminosity) LHC and show that in the RNS model with very heavy squarks, the gluino signal will be accessible for \(m_{\tilde{g}} < 2400 \ (2800)\) GeV for an integrated luminosity of 300 (3000) fb\(^{-1}\). We also show that the measurement of the rate of gluino events in the clean sample mentioned above allows for a determination of \(m_{\tilde{g}}\) with a statistical precision of 2–5% (depending on the integrated luminosity and the gluino mass) over the range of gluino masses where a 5\(\sigma \) discovery is possible at the LHC.     

Pinning down neutrino oscillation parameters in the 2–3 sector with a magnetised atmospheric neutrino detector: a new study

We determine the sensitivity to neutrino oscillation parameters from a study of atmospheric neutrinos in a magnetised detector such as the ICAL at the proposed India-based Neutrino Observatory. In such a detector, which can separately count \(\nu _\mu \) and \(\overline{\nu }_\mu \)-induced events, the relatively smaller (about 5%) uncertainties on the neutrino–antineutrino flux ratios translate to a constraint in the \(\chi ^2\) analysis that results in a significant improvement in the precision with which neutrino oscillation parameters such as \(\sin ^2\theta _{23}\) can be determined. Such an effect is unique to all magnetisable detectors and constitutes a great advantage in determining neutrino oscillation parameters using such detectors. Such a study has been performed for the first time here. Along with an increase in the kinematic range compared to earlier analyses, this results in sensitivities to oscillation parameters in the 2–3 sector that are comparable to or better than those from accelerator experiments where the fluxes are significantly higher. For example, the \(1\sigma \) precisions on \(\sin ^2\theta _{23}\) and \(|\Delta {m^2_{32(31)}}|\) achievable for 500 kton year exposure of ICAL are \({\sim }9\) and \({\sim }2.5\)%, respectively, for both normal and inverted hierarchies. The mass hierarchy sensitivity achievable with this combination when the true hierarchy is normal (inverted) for the same exposure is \(\Delta \chi ^2\approx 8.5\) (\(\Delta \chi ^2\approx 9.5\)).     

Translation Invariant Extensions of Finite Volume Measures

We investigate the following questions: Given a measure \(\mu _\Lambda \) on configurations on a subset \(\Lambda \) of a lattice \(\mathbb {L}\), where a configuration is an element of \(\Omega ^\Lambda \) for some fixed set \(\Omega \), does there exist a measure \(\mu \) on configurations on all of \(\mathbb {L}\), invariant under some specified symmetry group of \(\mathbb {L}\), such that \(\mu _\Lambda \) is its marginal on configurations on \(\Lambda \)? When the answer is yes, what are the properties, e.g., the entropies, of such measures? Our primary focus is the case in which \(\mathbb {L}=\mathbb {Z}^d\) and the symmetries are the translations. For the case in which \(\Lambda \) is an interval in \(\mathbb {Z}\) we give a simple necessary and sufficient condition, local translation invariance (LTI), for extendibility. For LTI measures we construct extensions having maximal entropy, which we show are Gibbs measures; this construction extends to the case in which \(\mathbb {L}\) is the Bethe lattice. On \(\mathbb {Z}\) we also consider extensions supported on periodic configurations, which are analyzed using de Bruijn graphs and which include the extensions with minimal entropy. When \(\Lambda \subset \mathbb {Z}\) is not an interval, or when \(\Lambda \subset \mathbb {Z}^d\) with \(d>1\), the LTI condition is necessary but not sufficient for extendibility. For \(\mathbb {Z}^d\) with \(d>1\), extendibility is in some sense undecidable.     

Study of the weak annihilation contributions in charmless $$\varvec{B_s\rightarrow VV}$$ decays

In this paper, in order to probe the spectator-scattering and weak annihilation contributions in charmless \(B_s\rightarrow VV\) (where V stands for a light vector meson) decays, we perform the \(\chi ^2\)-analyses for the endpoint parameters within the QCD factorization framework, under the constraints from the measured \(\bar{B}_{s}\rightarrow \) \(\rho ^0\phi \), \(\phi K^{*0}\), \(\phi \phi \) and \(K^{*0}\bar{K}^{*0}\) decays. The fitted results indicate that the endpoint parameters in the factorizable and nonfactorizable annihilation topologies are non-universal, which is also favored by the charmless \(B\rightarrow PP\) and PV (where P stands for a light pseudo-scalar meson) decays observed in previous work. Moreover, the abnormal polarization fractions \(f_{L,\bot }(\bar{B}_{s}\rightarrow K^{*0}\bar{K}^{*0})=(20.1\pm 7.0)\%,(58.4\pm 8.5)\%\) measured by the LHCb collaboration can be reconciled through the weak annihilation corrections. However, the branching ratio of \(\bar{B}_{s}\rightarrow \phi K^{*0}\) decay exhibits a tension between the data and theoretical result, which dominates the contributions to \(\chi _\mathrm{min}^2\) in the fits. Using the fitted endpoint parameters, we update the theoretical results for the charmless \(B_s\rightarrow VV\) decays, which will be further tested by the LHCb and Belle-II experiments in the near future.