Neutrino mass from laboratory: contribution of double beta decay to the neutrino mass matrix

Double beta decay is indispensable to solve the question of the neutrino mass matrix together with ν oscillation experiments. The most sensitive experiment - since eight years the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment in Gran-Sasso - already now, with the experimental limit of m_ν < 0.26 eV practically excludes degenerate ν mass scenarios allowing neutrinos as hot dark matter in the universe for the smallangle MSW solution of the solar neutrino problem. It probes cosmological models including hot dark matter already now on the level of future satellite experiments MAP and PLANCK. It further probes many topics of beyond SM physics at the TeV scale. Future experiments should give access to the multi-TeV range and complement on many ways the search for new physics at future colliders like LHC and NLC. For neutrino physics some of them (GENIUS) will allow to test almost all neutrino mass scenarios allowed by the present neutrino oscillation experiments.     

Measurement of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> → <Emphasis Type="Italic">ττ</Emphasis> → <Emphasis Type="Italic">e</Emphasis>µ inclusive process at Large Hadron Collider

In several scenarios of beyond Standard Model physics a new heavy resonance is invoked which may decay preferentially, to a pair of taus. Identification of the decay of Standard Model Z resonance to tau pairs at LHC via subsequent decays of the taus to leptons as well as hadrons is the first step towards the discovery. A method has been suggested to discriminate Z to tau pair to electron+muon final state against various backgrounds, for early phase of 14 TeV LHC.     

μ → <Emphasis Type="Italic">e</Emphasis>γ decay versus the μ → <Emphasis Type="Italic">eee</Emphasis> bound and lepton flavor violating processes in supernova

Even tiny lepton flavor violation (LFV) due to some New Physics is able to alter the conditions inside a collapsing supernova core and probably to facilitate the explosion. LFV emerges naturally in a see-saw type-II model of neutrino mass generation. Experimentally, the LFV beyond the Standard Model is constrained by rare lepton decay searches. In particular, strong bounds are imposed on the μ → eee branching ratio and on the μ-e conversion in muonic gold. Currently, the μ→eγ is under investigation in the MEG experiment that aims at a dramatic increase in sensitivity in the next three years. We seek a see-saw type-II LFV pattern that fits all the experimental constraints, leads to Br(μ →eγ) ≳ Br(μμ →eee), and ensures a rate of LFV processes in supernova high enough to modify the supernova physics. These requirements are sufficient to eliminate almost all freedom in the model. In particular, they lead to the prediction 0.4 × 10⁻¹² ≲ Br(μ → eγ) ≲ 6 × 10⁻¹², which will be testable by MEG in the nearest future. The considered scenario also constrains the neutrino mass-mixing pattern and provides lower and upper bounds on τ-lepton LFV decays. We also briefly discuss a model with a single bilepton in which the μ → eee decay is absent at the tree level.     

Hadrons and broken symmetries with WASA-at-COSY

The WASA Detector Facility is an internal experiment at the cooler synchrotron (COSY) in Jülich, Germany. The COSY accelerator provides proton and deuteron beams with momenta up to 3.7 GeV/c giving access to hadron physics including the strange quark sector. The physics program with the WASA detector involves hadron dynamics and hadron structure. Key experiments address fundamental symmetries and symmetry violations via the study of rare and not-so-rare meson decays. From the very first production run, results on the Dalitz plot slope parameter in the isospin violating η → 3π ⁰ decay have been obtained. The 3π ⁰ final state is also used to study meson production mechanisms. Investigations of other decay modes of the η-meson address C, P, and T symmetries and combinations. Higher orders in chiral perturbation theory are probed with the η → π ⁰ decay. The status and plans for studying hadron structure with Dalitz decays of mesons are presented.     

Prospects for discovering supersymmetry at the LHC

Supersymmetry is one of the best-motivated candidates for physics beyond the standard model that might be discovered at the LHC. There are many reasons to expect that it may appear at the TeV scale, in particular because it provides a natural cold dark-matter candidate. The apparent discrepancy between the experimental measurement of g _μ −2 and the standard-model value calculated using low-energy e ⁺ e ⁻ data favours relatively light sparticles, accessible to the LHC. A global likelihood analysis including this, other electroweak precision observables and B decay observables suggests that the LHC might be able to discover supersymmetry with 1/fb or less of integrated luminosity. The LHC should be able to discover supersymmetry via the classic missing-energy signature, or in alternative phenomenological scenarios. The prospects for discovering supersymmetry at the LHC look very good. CERN-PH-TH/2008-208.     

Charm changing weak decays 1/2+ → 3/2+ + 0−/γ in SU(4) and SU(8) w

Weak decay modes (1/2⁺ → 3/2⁺ + 0⁻/γ) of charmed baryons are studied. Relations among the various decay amplitudes are derived in isospin, SU(3), SU(4) and SU(8) _w symmetries. Sextet dominance in SU(3) forbidsB(3) →D(10) +P(3*) decays. 20″ dominance in SU(4) specifies all the decays in terms of Θ⁻ decays. Weak decays of Θ* ₃ ⁺⁺ and Θ⁻ are also discussed. SU(8) _w symmetry predictsα , which is consistent with the experimental value.     

Charmless decays B \to{\mathrm{PP}}, {\mathrm{PV}}, and the effects of new strong and electroweak penguins in topcolor-assisted technicolor model

Based on the low energy effective Hamiltonian with generalized factorization, we calculate the new physics contributions to the branching ratios and CP-violating asymmetries of the two-body charmless hadronic decays from the new strong and electroweak penguin diagrams in the topcolor-assisted technicolor (TC2) model. The top-pion penguins dominate the new physics corrections, and both new gluonic and electroweak penguins contribute effectively to most decay modes. For tree-dominated decay modes , etc. the new physics corrections are less than 10%. For decays , etc. the new physics enhancements can be rather large (from to ) and are insensitive to the variations of and within reasonable ranges. For the decays and is strongly dependent: varying from to in the range of –. The new physics corrections to the CP-violating asymmetries vary greatly for different B decay channels. For five measured CP asymmetries of the decays, is only about 20% and will be masked by large theoretical uncertainties. The new physics enhancements to interesting decays are significant in size (), insensitive to the variations of the input parameters and hence lead to a plausible interpretation for the unexpectedly large decay rates. The TC2 model predictions for branching ratios and CP-violating asymmteries of all fifty-seven decay modes are consistent with the available data within one or two standard deviations. Received: 18 August 2000 / Revised version: 22 October 2000 / Published online: 5 February 2001     

Gravity induced particle production in earth’s gravitational field in TeV region

We discuss the production of particles via interaction with the earth’s gravitational field. Explicit calculations are done for high energy scalars passing through earth’s gravitational field. We show for example, that the width for the scalar processφ→3φ can become comparable with a typical weak decay width at an energy scale of a few TeV. (Similar conclusions can be drawn about particles that ultimately couple to some scalar field.) We speculate that similar processes may be responsible for many of the anomalies in the 10–10⁴ TeV experimental data.     

New physics with beauty

We review the effects of new physics on CP asymmetries and decays of B mesons. Possible sources and corresponding signals for new physics are studied briefly. We discuss how the decay mode b → s ℓℓ (and B → K*ℓℓ) will enable us to understand the nature of new physics. We also examine the possibility of truly clean signature of new physics — a signature based on observables alone and without hadronic uncertainties.     

Drell–Yan process at Large Hadron Collider

Drell–Yan process at LHC, q[`(q)]? Z/g^* ? l⁺l^-q\bar {q}\to Z/\gamma ^\ast \to \ell ^+\ell ^-, is one of the benchmarks for confirmation of Standard Model at TeV energy scale. Since the theoretical prediction for the rate is precise and the final state is clean as well as relatively easy to measure, the process can be studied at the LHC even at relatively low luminosity. Importantly, the Drell–Yan process is an irreducible background to several searches of beyond Standard Model physics and hence the rates at LHC energies need to be measured accurately. In the present study, the methods for measurement of the Drell–Yan mass spectrum and the estimation of the cross-section have been developed for LHC operation at the centre-of-mass energy of 10 TeV and an integrated luminosity of 100 pb^− 1 in the context of CMS experiment.     

Mesonic decays of τ− lepton: Effects of neutrino mass and mass mixing

Experimentally established mesonic decays ofτ ⁻ lepton have been reexamined with the inclusion of the effects of finite neutrino mass and the associated mass mixing in the form of Kobayashi-Maskawa mixing matrix. A comparison with the experimentally predicted decay probabilities provides limits for thev _τ mass which are finite in all decays except for the lower limit in mass mixing case of the decayτ ⁻→K*⁻ (892)+v _τ for which MeV. The large error in this value is because of (i) large errors in the experimental values of life time and branching ratio for this decay and (ii) thekm mixing used in the calculations. The ratio of parity-violating to parity-conserving terms in the differential decay probabilities of various decays differs slightly from their values corresponding to those with varishingv _τ mass.     

Study of dimuon rare beauty decays with ATLAS and CMS

The LHC experiments will perform sensitive tests of physics beyond the standard model (BSM). The investigation of decays of beauty hadrons represents an alternative approach in addition to direct BSM searches. The ATLAS and CMS efforts concentrate on those B-decays that can be efficiently selected already at the first and second level trigger. The most favorable trigger signature will be for B-hadron decays with muons in the final state. Using this trigger, ATLAS and CMS will be able to accommodate very high statistics in the rare decay sector. These are purely dimuon decays, and families of semimuonic exclusive channels. Already with data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1 fb^-1, the sensitivity in the dimuon channels will be comparable to present measurements (world average). The strategy is to carry on the dimuon channel program up to nominal LHC luminosity. In particular the B_s→μμ signal with ∼5 sigma significance can be measured combining low luminosity 10³³ cm^-2 s^-1 samples with those of one year of LHC operation at a luminosity of 10³⁴ cm^-2 s^-1. PACS 13.30.Ce; 13.20.He     

B ?→ K 1*? (1270)(→ ρ 0 K ?) ? + ? ? in LEET

Flavor changing neutral current (FCNC) decays of the B-meson are a very useful tool for studying possible physics scenarios beyond the standard model (SM), where of the many FCNC modes radiative, purely leptonic and semi-leptonic decays of the B-meson are relatively clean tests. Within this context, the BELLE collaboration has measured the process B→K ^* γ and also searched for the B→K ₁(1270)γ process. Theoretical analyses of these processes are yielding similar values of the relevant form factors. In this work we have used this upper bound in studying the angular correlations for the related semi-leptonic decay mode B ⁻→K ₁⁻(1270)(→ρ ⁰ K ⁻)ℓ ⁺ ℓ ⁻, where we have used the form factors that have already been estimated for the B→K ₁(1270)γ mode. Note that the additional form factors that are required were calculated using large energy effective theory (LEET).     

Some aspects of positronium physics

Some aspects of both theoretical and experimental study of the positronium system to probe physics beyond the Standard Model are reviewed. In particular, new experiments to search for the invisible decay of orthopositronium (o-Ps) with the sensitivity in the branching ratio Br(o-Ps → invisible) ≃ 10⁻⁸–10⁻⁷ are discussed. The experimental technique involves a specially designed high-efficiency pulsed slow positron beam, which is also applicable for other experiments with o-Ps in vacuum. Details of the beam design, as well as the first measurements results are presented. Possible applications of the slow-pulsed positron beam for materials research are discussed. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Helicity analysis of semileptonic hyperon decays including lepton-mass effects

Using the helicity method we derive complete formulas for the joint angular decay distributions occurring in semileptonic hyperon decays including lepton-mass and polarization effects. Compared to the traditional covariant calculation, the helicity method allows one to organize the calculation of the angular decay distributions in a very compact and efficient way. In the helicity method the angular analysis is of cascade type, i.e. each decay in the decay chain is analyzed in the respective rest system of that particle. Such an approach is ideally suited as input for a Monte Carlo event generation program. As a specific example we take the decay  (l ⁻=e ⁻,μ ⁻) followed by the nonleptonic decay Σ ⁺→p+π ⁰ for which we show a few examples of decay distributions which are generated from a Monte Carlo program based on the formulas presented in this paper. All the results of this paper are also applicable to the semileptonic and nonleptonic decays of ground-state charm and bottom baryons, and to the decays of the top quark.     

The BES f<Subscript>0</Subscript>(1810): a new glueball candidate

We analyze the f₀(1810) state recently observed by the BES collaboration via radiative J/ψ decay to a resonant φω spectrum and confront it with DM2 data and glueball theory. The DM2 group only measured ωω decays and reported a pseudoscalar but no scalar resonance in this mass region. A rescattering mechanism from the open flavored KK̄ decay channel is considered to explain why the resonance is only seen in the flavor asymmetric ωφ branch along with a discussion of positive C-parity charmonia decays to strengthen the case for preferred open flavor glueball decays. We also calculate the total decay width of a glueball with this mass to be roughly 100 MeV, in agreement with the narrow, newly found f₀, and smaller than the expected estimate of 200–400 MeV. We conclude that this discovered scalar hadron deserves further experimental investigation, especially in the KK̄ channel, and if shown to be different from the f₀(1710), will become a solid glueball candidate. Finally we comment on other, but less likely, possible assignments for this state.     

Search for <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis></Subscript> → <Emphasis Type="Italic">ϕ</Emphasis>µµ decay at the Large Hadron Collider

As B _s -mesons will be produced abundantly at the LHC, the observability of the flavour-changing-neutral-current decay mode B _s → ϕμ⁺μ⁻ has been studied in CMS at the LHC centre-of-mass energy of 10 TeV. With an integrated luminosity of 100 pb⁻¹, an upper limit of 6.7 × 10⁻⁶ on the branching ratio is expected to be obtained. The potential at 7 TeV with a luminosity of 1 fb⁻¹ is expected to be better.     

Cluster radioactivity leading to doubly magic <Superscript>100</Superscript>Sn and <Superscript>132</Superscript>Sn daughters

Decay of neutron-deficient ^{128 − 137}Gd parents emitting ⁴He to ³²S clusters are studied within the Coulomb and proximity potential model. The predicted half-lives are compared with other models and most of the values are well within the present experimental limit for measurements (T _1/2 < 10³⁰ s). The lowest T _1/2 value for ²⁸Si emission from ¹²⁸Gd indicates the role of doubly magic ¹⁰⁰Sn daughter in cluster decay process. It is also found that neutron excess in the parent nuclei slows down the cluster decay process. Geiger–Nuttal plots for all clusters are found to be linear with different slopes and intercepts. The α-decay half-lives of ^{148 − 152}Gd parents are computed and are in agreement with experimental data. The role of doubly magic ¹³²Sn daughter in cluster decay process is also examined for various neutron-rich Ba, Ce, Nd, Sm and Gd parents emitting clusters ranging from ⁴He to ³²Si. Alpha-like structures are most probable in the decays leading to ¹⁰⁰Sn, while non-α-like structures are probable in the decays leading to ¹³²Sn. The neutron–proton asymmetry in parent and daughter nuclei is responsible for the reduced decay rate in the decay leading to ¹³²Sn.     

Overview of the CKM physics opportunities beyond K^ + \to \pi ^ + \nu \bar \nu

A new experiment CKM is accepted by Fermilab for a very sensitive study of rare kaon decay $K^ + \to \pi ^ + \nu \bar \nu $ on an intense separated kaon beam. The high quality of the beam and CKM setup make it possible to perform an important set of other kaon-decay measurements in parallel with the main research program: (1) the search for new physics effects beyond the Standard Model (search for new P, S, T interactions and lepton flavor violation in kaon decays); (2) further search for direct CP violation in charged kaon decays; (3) study of low-energy hadron physics in pure conditions of decay processes (K ⁺ → π ⁺ l ⁺ l ^?; ππlν _l; π ⁰ γγ, etc.). The expected results of these studies are compared with other experimental programs.     

Final-state polarization in <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Stack><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis></Subscript><Superscript>0</Superscript></Stack> decays

Certain B _s ⁰→V ₁ V ₂ decays (V _i is a vector meson) can be related by flavor SU(3) symmetry to corresponding B _d ⁰→V ₃ V ₄ decays. In this paper, we show that the final-state polarization can be predicted in the B _s ⁰ decay, assuming polarization measurements of the B _d ⁰ decay. This can be done within the scenario of penguin annihilation (PA), which has been suggested as an explanation of the unexpectedly large transverse polarization in B→φ K ^*. PA is used to estimate the breaking of flavor SU(3) symmetry in pairs of decays. Two of these for which PA makes a reasonably precise prediction of the size of SU(3) breaking are (B _s ⁰→φ φ,B _d ⁰→φ K ^0*) and ( ). The polarization measurement in the B _d ⁰ decay can be used to predict the transverse polarization in the B _s ⁰ decay and will allow for testing of PA as well as the other assumptions in the analysis.