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At least 217 records · Page 12

Averages of b-hadron, c-hadron, and $$\tau $$-lepton properties as of 2018: Heavy Flavor Averaging Group (HFLAV)

Abstract This paper reports world averages of measurements of b -hadron, c -hadron, and $$\tau $$ τ -lepton properties obtained by the Heavy Flavour Averaging Group using results available through September 2018. In rare cases, significant results obtained several months later are also used. For the averaging, common input parameters used in the various analyses are adjusted (rescaled) to common values, and known correlations are taken into account. The averages include branching fractions, lifetimes, neutral meson mixing parameters, $$C\!P$$ C P violation parameters, parameters of semileptonic decays, and Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa matrix elements.

Amhis, Y. (ORCID:0000000342821512)↗

Spin polarization and correlation of quarks from the glasma

We investigate the interaction of strong color fields in the glasma stage of high-energy nuclear collisions with the spins of quarks and antiquarks. We employ the perturbative solution of the quantum kinetic theory for the spin transport of (massive) quarks in a background color field governed by the linearized Yang-Mills equation and derive expressions for the quark-spin polarization and quark-antiquark spin correlation at small momentum in terms of field correlators. For the Golec-Biernat–Wusthoff dipole distribution the quark-spin polarization vanishes, but the out-of-plane spin correlation of quarks and antiquarks is nonzero. Our order-of-magnitude estimate of the correlation far exceeds that caused by vorticity effects, but does not fully explain the data for vector meson alignment. We identify possible mechanisms that could further increase the predicted spin correlation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Investigating the role of strangeness in baryon–antibaryon annihilation at the LHC

Annihilation dynamics plays a fundamental role in the baryon–antibaryon interaction ($B–\bar{B}$) at low-energy and its strength and range are crucial in the assessment of possible baryonic bound states. Experimental data on annihilation cross sections are available for the $p–\bar{p}$ system but not in the low relative momentum region. Data regarding the $B–\bar{B}$ interaction with strange degrees of freedom are extremely scarce, hence the modeling of the annihilation contributions is mainly based on nucleon–antinucleon ($N–\bar{N}$) results, when available. In this letter we present a measurement of the $p–\bar{p}$, $p–\bar{Λ}$⊕$p–{Λ}$ and $Λ–\bar{Λ}$ interaction using correlation functions in the relative momentum space in high-multiplicity triggered pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=13 TeV recorded by ALICE at the LHC. In the $p–\bar{p}$ system the couplings to the mesonic channels in different partial waves are extracted by adopting a coupled-channel approach with recent χEFT potentials. The inclusion of these inelastic channels provides good agreement with the data, showing a significant presence of the annihilation term down to zero momentum. Predictions obtained using the Lednický–Lyuboshits formula and scattering parameters obtained from heavy-ion collisions, hence mainly sensitive to elastic processes, are compared with the experimental $p–\bar{Λ}$⊕$p–{Λ}$ and $Λ–\bar{Λ}$ correlations. The model describes the $Λ–\bar{Λ}$ data and underestimates the $p–\bar{Λ}$⊕$p–{Λ}$ data in the region of momenta below 200 MeV/c. The observed deviation indicates a different contribution of annihilation channels to the two systems containing strange hadrons.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Monopoles, exotic states and muon $$g-2$$ in TeV scale trinification

Abstract We study the low energy implications of a trinification model based on the gauge symmetry $$G= SU(3)_c \times SU(3)_L \times SU(3)_R$$ G = S U ( 3 ) c × S U ( 3 ) L × S U ( 3 ) R , without imposing gauge coupling unification. A minimal model requires two Higgs multiplets that reside in the bi-fundamental representation of G , and this is shown to be adequate for accommodating the Standard Model (SM) fermion masses and generate, via loop corrections and seesaw mechanism, suitable masses for the heavy neutral leptons as well as the observed SM neutrinos. We estimate a lower bound of around 15 TeV for the masses of the new down- type quarks that are required by the $$SU(3)_L \times SU(3)_R$$ S U ( 3 ) L × S U ( 3 ) R symmetry. We examine the resonant production at the LHC of the new gauge bosons, which leads to a lower bound of 16 TeV for the symmetry breaking scale of G . We also show how the muon $$g-2$$ g - 2 anomaly can be resolved in the presence of these new gauge bosons and the heavy charged leptons present in the model. Finally, the model predicts the presence of a topologically stable monopole carrying three quanta $$(6 \pi /e)$$ ( 6 π / e ) of Dirac magnetic charge and mass $$\gtrsim 160$$ ≳ 160 TeV. If new matter fields lying in the fundamental representations of G are included, the model predicts the presence of exotic leptons, mesons and baryons carrying fractional electric charges such as $$\pm e/3$$ ± e / 3 and $$\pm 2e/3$$ ± 2 e / 3 , fully compatible with the Dirac quantization condition.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Bottom quark energy loss and hadronization with B + and ${\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0$ nuclear modification factors using pp and PbPb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The production cross sections of $ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $ and B$^{+}$ mesons are reported in proton-proton (pp) collisions recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC with a center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 302 pb$^{−1}$. The cross sections are based on measurements of the $ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $→ J/ψ(μ$^{+}$μ$^{−}$)ϕ(1020)(K$^{+}$K$^{−}$) and B$^{+}$→ J/ψ(μ$^{+}$μ$^{−}$)K$^{+}$ decay channels. Results are presented in the transverse momentum (p$_{T}$) range 7–50 GeV/c and the rapidity interval |y| < 2.4 for the B mesons. The measured p$_{T}$-differential cross sections of B$^{+}$ and $ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $ in pp collisions are well described by fixed-order plus next-to-leading logarithm perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculations. Using previous PbPb collision measurements at the same nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy, the nuclear modification factors, R$_{AA}$, of the B mesons are determined. For p$_{T}$> 10 GeV/c, both mesons are found to be suppressed in PbPb collisions (with R$_{AA}$ values significantly below unity), with less suppression observed for the $ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $ mesons. In this p$_{T}$ range, the R$_{AA}$ values for the B$^{+}$ mesons are consistent with those for inclusive charged hadrons and D$^{0}$ mesons. Below 10 GeV/c, both B$^{+}$ and $ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $ are found to be less suppressed than either inclusive charged hadrons or D$^{0}$ mesons, with the $ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $R$_{AA}$ value consistent with unity. The R$_{AA}$ values found for the B$^{+}$ and $ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $ are compared to theoretical calculations, providing constraints on the mechanism of bottom quark energy loss and hadronization in the quark-gluon plasma, the hot and dense matter created in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Polarization of the 𝜙 meson in the hadronic phase with nucleon scatterings and a viscous hydrodynamic background

We extend our previous work on the spin alignment of the ϕ vector meson in the hadronic phase of the quark gluon plasma, by including effects of nucleon scatterings. The emission rates are calculated in a realistic hydrodynamic background simulated with the code FLUIDuM , for different beam energies. We find that all the effects taken into account cannot explain the out-of-plane spin alignment of the ϕ meson observed experimentally.

Polarization phenomena↗

Anomalous spin polarization from turbulent color fields

Here we study the important, yet widely overlooked, role of gluons for spin transport with a connection to local parity violation in quark gluon plasmas. We employ the formalism of quantum kinetic theory to quarks in weakly coupled quantum chromodynamics to derive the source terms for quark spin polarization. These source terms involve parity-odd correlators of dynamically generated color fields in near-equilibrium quark gluon plasmas and give rise to locally fluctuating axial charge currents. Our results provide a possible explanation for the spin alignment of vector mesons measured in high-energy nuclear collisions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Tetraquarks from intrinsic heavy quarks

A number of new tetraquark candidate states containing from one to four charm or anticharm quarks have been observed recently. Many of these new states have been discovered at the LHC. The production of these states via intrinsic charm in the proton is investigated. The tetraquark masses obtained in this approach, while dependent on the internal transverse momenta of the partons in the state, are shown to agree well with the measured masses. These calculations can provide some insight into the nature of the tetraquark candidates, whether as a bound meson pair or as a looser configuration of four individual partons. The kinematic distributions of these states as a function of rapidity and transverse momentum are also studied. The possible cross sections for these states are finally considered, with a comparison to the 𝑋⁡(3872) 𝑝 𝑇 distributions from 𝑝 +𝑝 collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ =13 TeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

System-size scan of D meson R AA and v n using PbPb, XeXe, ArAr, and OO collisions at energies available at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

Here, experimental measurements indicate no suppression (e.g. R pPb ~ 1) but a surprisingly large D meson v 2 was measured in pPb collisions. In order to understand these results we use Trento+v-USPhydro+DAB-MOD to make predictions and propose a system size scan at the LHC involving 208 PbPb, 129 XeXe, 40 ArAr, and 16OO collisions. We find that the nuclear modification factor approaches unity as the system size is decreased, but nonetheless, in the 0–10% most central collisions v 2 {2} is roughly equivalent regardless of system size. These results arise from a rather non-trivial interplay between the shrinking path length and the enhancement of eccentricities in small systems at high multiplicity. Finally, we also find a surprising sensitivity of D mesons v 2 {2} in 0–10% at p T = 2–10 GeV to the slight deformation of 129 Xe recently found at LHC.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Confinement and String Breaking in the Compact Abelian Higgs Model

While real-time simulation of Quantum Chromodynamics remains technologically out of reach, simplified models for studying elements of QCD phenomenology abound. This work presents a simple model, a spin-1 truncation of the Compact Abelian Higgs Model simulated on qutrit sites, in which confinement and string breaking is accessible to current simulation methods. In the low-energy regime of 1+1D scalar electrodynamics, the heavy modes are integrated out, producing a spin chain effective Hamiltonian in which Gauss' law is implicitly satisfied. We study the spectrum of string-like excitations using DMRG methods on the order of 100 sites. We demonstrate that an added, local chemical potential, playing a role analogous to external charges, permits parameter-dependent measurements of physical features of interest like the string tension and effective meson mass. Varying the chemical potential also permits a characterization of string stability not assessed in prior studies of confining lattice models.

Senseman, Blake [Iowa U.]↗

First Measurement of Λ c Baryon Production in Au + Au Collisions at s N N = 200 GeV

Herein we report on the first measurement of the charmed baryon Λ c ± production at midrapidity ( | y | < 1 ) in Au + Au collisions at s NN = 200 GeV collected by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The Λ c / D 0 [denoting ( Λ c + + Λ c - ) / ( D 0 + D ¯ 0 ) ] yield ratio is measured to be 1.08 ± 0.16 ( stat ) ± 0.26 ( sys ) in the 0%–20% most central Au + Au collisions for the transverse momentum ( p T ) range 3 < p T < 6 GeV / c . This is significantly larger than the pythia model calculations for p + p collisions. The measured Λ c / D 0 ratio, as a function of p T and collision centrality, is comparable to the baryon-to-meson ratios for light and strange hadrons in Au + Au collisions. Model calculations including coalescence hadronization for charmed baryon and meson formation reproduce the features of our measured Λ c / D 0 ratio.

13000 GeV-cms/nucleon↗

$K^{*0}$ production in $\text{Au} \times \text{Au}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 7.7$, 11.5, 14.5, 19.6, 27, and 39 GeV from the RHIC beam energy scan

We report the measurement of K *0 meson at midrapidity (|y|< 1.0) in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 7.7, 11.5, 14.5, 19.6, 27 and 39 GeV collected by the STAR experiment during the RHIC beam energy scan (BES) program. The transverse momentum spectra, yield, and average transverse momentum of K *0 are presented as functions of collision centrality and beam energy. The K *0 /K yield ratios are presented for different collision centrality intervals and beam energies. The K *0 /K ratio in heavy-ion collisions are observed to be smaller than that in small system collisions (e+e and p+p). The K *0 /K ratio follows a similar centrality dependence to that observed in previous RHIC and LHC measurements. The data favor the scenario of the dominance of hadronic re-scattering over regeneration for K *0 production in the hadronic phase of the medium.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Physics Division Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2020-2024

The vision of the Physics Division (PHY) at Argonne National Laboratory is to continue enhancing its role as a world-leading institution in basic nuclear physics research and its applications. Key to this vision is for PHY to continue to safely and effectively operate and evolve the capabilities of the Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System (ATLAS) facility to best serve its users. ATLAS is the Department of Energy (DOE) accelerator facility for low-energy nuclear physics research. The research carried out by PHY covers many themes in contemporary science but can be distilled into five areas of focus. These themes are interconnected, with continuously evolving synergies between the various groups and facilities in PHY and the broader Laboratory. This five-year strategic plan serves to illustrate our current capabilities and new directions related to these five areas of focus (ATLAS also develops an independent strategic plan): Accelerator research and design. The goal of this theme is to design, fabricate, test, and implement novel accelerator systems, with a focus on high-intensity ion and electron systems. These R&D activities have led to enhancements in the ATLAS accelerator system. Among others, the division’s accelerator systems are in use or planned for use at Fermilab, the Advanced Photon Source, and in a broad variety of applications at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Atom trapping and fundamental symmetries. The goal of this theme is to explore and exploit the uses of advanced laser cooling and trapping techniques to manipulate atoms. There are three main areas of focus. First is in the application of the atom trap trace analysis (ATTA) technique for age determination of groundwater and ice by using radio-krypton dating. The next two trapping-based programs involve tests of fundamental symmetries in nature: the cooling and trapping of radium-225 with the aim of determining limits on an observation of its electric dipole moment and precision measurements of the beta decay properties of helium-6 to set limits on the tensor coupling constant. This is complemented by measurements of similar properties in lithium-8 and boron-8. Nuclear astrophysics. The goal of this theme is to enhance our understanding of how elements are created in the universe via explosive nucleosynthesis and how stars evolve. To meet the challenges of this theme, many of the capabilities of ATLAS are being enhanced, including the development of new beams through a new in-flight separator (RAISOR) and the anticipated neutron-generator upgrade of the Californium Rare Isotope Breeder Upgrade facility (nuCARIBU). These are coupled to state-of-the-art instruments such as the Canadian Penning Trap, Helical Orbit Spectrometer, Gammasphere, GRETINA, Multi-Sampling Ionization Chamber, the Fragment Mass Analyzer, and Argonne Gas-filled Fragment Analyzer, and a new low-background experimental area for decay studies. Nuclear structure. The goal of this theme is to understand the structure of nuclei, both stable and radioactive, in terms of single-particle properties, their shapes, and the dynamics governing reactions between them. These include questions such as what are the limits of nuclear stability and what are the properties of super heavy nuclei. As with the nuclear astrophysics theme, the capabilities of ATLAS, guided by the ATLAS user community, are continuously being enhanced to this end. The Division has strategic initiatives to play a leading role in the development of instrumentation and research programs at the FRIB. Quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and hadron physics. The goal of this theme is to lead major research programs focused on revealing the quark and gluon structure of protons, neutrons, nuclei, and short-lived mesons and baryons. These involve major programs at Jefferson Lab, Fermilab, and smaller facilities. They are complemented by theoretical endeavors centered on the question of how hadrons and their properties emerge from QCD. Out of these activities arise strategic initiatives to play a major role in the forthcoming Electron-Ion Collider (EIC).

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

On the decaying-sterile-neutrino solution to the electron (anti)neutrino appearance anomalies

We explore the hypothesis that the unexplained data from LSND and MiniBooNE are evidence for a new, heavy neutrino mass-eigenstate that mixes with the muon-type neutrino and decays into an electron-type neutrino and a new, very light scalar particle. We consider two different decay scenarios, one with Majorana neutrinos, one with Dirac neutrinos; both fit the data equally well. We find a reasonable, albeit not excellent, fit to the data of MiniBooNE and LSND. The decaying-sterile-neutrino hypothesis, however, cleanly evades constraints from disappearance searches and precision measurements of leptonic meson decays, as long as $1~{\rm MeV}\gtrsim m_4\gtrsim 10$~keV. The SBN program at Fermilab should be able to definitively test the decaying-sterile-neutrino hypothesis.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Muon neutrino charged current single pion production on various targets in the MINERvA detector

Measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters at accelerator-based experiments require precise knowledge of neutrino interaction cross sections. A significant fraction of neutrino interactions observed in these experiments produce single charged pions. While single charged pion production has been measured on hydrocarbon and water, few precise measurements exist for heavier targets, and there are no high statistics measurements that directly compare pion production on different targets. This thesis measures differential cross sections of muon neutrino charged current single charged pion production with no other mesons in the final state in a neutrinobeam with a mean energy of ≈ 6 GeV. The pion production is studied on targets of scintillator, carbon, water, iron, and lead at MINERvA, a neutrino cross section experiment located in the NuMI beamline at Fermilab. These measured cross sections are differential in μ - and π + kinematics. A strong suppression of low Q 2 and an enhancement of low π are observed relative to commonly used neutrino interaction models in both the light and heavy nuclear targets. Incorporation of these observed effects in future neutrino oscillation experiments will improve their ability to measure energy of neutrino interactions, and therefore measure the parameters governing neutrino oscillations.

Bercellie, Aaron↗

Searching for Strongly-Interacting Dark Matter with the Heavy Photon Search Experiment

The Heavy Photon Search Experiment (HPS) is a fixed-target experiment at Jefferson Lab’s Hall B, designed to explore a hidden sector (HS) of particles containing dark matter and a new force mediator known as the “heavy photon” (A'). The A' is a massive spin-1 gauge boson associated with a new U (1)D symmetry in the HS that kinetically mixes with the Standard Model () photon with a weak coupling strength parameterized by ¿, with ¿2 ~ 10-2 -10-10. HPS utilizes a high-intensity electron beam on a thin tungsten target to produce heavy photons in the MeV-GeV mass range via “dark bremsstrahlung,” a process analogous to SM bremsstrahlung but suppressed by ¿2. The A' can decay resonantly to SM leptons, allowing HPS to conduct both mass resonance searches for prompt decays (large ¿) and displaced vertex searches for long-lived particles (small ¿). In addition to the minimal A' model, HPS probes more complex extensions such as the QCD-like strongly-interacting massive particles (SIMPs) HS containing “dark” pions (pD) and vector mesons (VD), with pD as dark matter candidates. These particles introduce new thermal dark matter freeze- out scenarios and visible signals through long-lived VD decays to SM leptons, which are accessible to HPS. This analysis conducted a displaced vertex search for VD ¿ e-e+ in the mass range 30 MeV to 124 MeV and ¿ between 10-6 < ¿ < 10-2 using data from the 2016 Engineering Run (10.753 nb-1) at 2.3 GeV. Unlike the minimal A' search, SIMP signal kinematics required new approaches to signal normalization and SM background rejection. The strongest signal evidence was a local p-value of 0.01317 for mVD = 119 MeV, corresponding to a global significance of 0.9s. Although no signal was found, this search excluded a region of the SIMP parameter space at 90 % confidence. This work demonstrates HPS’s competitive capability to probe SIMP sectors within cosmologically significant parameters and introduces a new method for HPS displaced vertex searches using track vertical impact parameter cuts

Spellman, Alic [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, C↗

Muon Neutrino Charged Current Single Pion Production on Various Targets in the MINERvA Detector

Measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters at accelerator-based experiments require precise knowledge of neutrino interaction cross sections. A significant fraction of neutrino interactions observed in these experiments produce single charged pions. While single charged pion production has been measured on hydrocarbon and water, few precise measurements exist for heavier targets, and there are no high statistics measurements that directly compare pion production on different targets. This thesis measures differential cross sections of muon neutrino charged current single charged pion production with no other mesons in the final state in a neutrino beam with a mean energy of $\approx 6$ GeV. The pion production is studied on targets of scintillator, carbon, water, iron, and lead at MINERvA, a neutrino cross section experiment located in the NuMI beamline at Fermilab. These measured cross sections are differential in $\mu^-$ and $\pi^+$ kinematics. A strong suppression of low $Q^2 $ and an enhancement of low $T_\pi$ are observed relative to commonly used neutrino interaction models in both the light and heavy nuclear targets. Incorporation of these observed effects in future neutrino oscillation experiments will improve their ability to measure energy of neutrino interactions, and therefore measure the parameters governing neutrino oscillations.

Bercellie, Aaron↗