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At least 757 records · Page 42

The running coupling of the minimal sextet composite Higgs model

We compute the renormalized running coupling of SU(3) gauge theory coupled to N f = 2 flavors of massless Dirac fermions in the 2-index-symmetric (sextet) representation. This model is of particular interest as a minimal realization of the strongly interacting composite Higgs scenario. A recently proposed finite volume gradient flow scheme is used. The calculations are performed at several lattice spacings with two different implementations of the gradient flow allowing for a controlled continuum extrapolation and particular attention is paid to estimating the systematic uncertainties. For small values of the renormalized coupling our results for the β-function agree with perturbation theory. For moderate couplings we observe a downward deviation relative to the 2-loop β-function but in the coupling range where the continuum extrapolation is fully under control we do not observe an infrared fixed point. The explored range includes the locations of the zero of the 3-loop and the 4-loop β-functions in the $\overline{MS}$ scheme. The absence of a non-trivial zero in the β-function in the explored range of the coupling is consistent with our earlier findings based on hadronic observables, the chiral condensate and the GMOR relation. The present work is the first to report continuum non-perturbative results for the sextet model.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

A magnetically induced quantum critical point in holography

Here, we investigate quantum critical points in a 2+1 dimensional gauge theory at finite chemical potential χ and magnetic field B. The gravity dual is based on 4D N = 2 Fayet-Iliopoulos gauged supergravity and the solutions we consider — that are constructed analytically — are extremal, dyonic, asymptotically AdS 4 black-branes with a nontrivial radial profile for the scalar field. We discover a line of second order fixed points at B = B c (χ) between the dyonic black brane and an extremal “thermal gas” solution with a singularity of good-type, according to the acceptability criteria of Gubser. The dual field theory is a strongly coupled nonconformal field theory at finite charge and magnetic field, related to the ABJM theory deformed by a triple trace operator Φ 3 . This line of fixed points might be useful in studying the various strongly interacting quantum critical phenomena such as the ones proposed to underlie the cuprate superconductors. We also find curious similarities between the behaviour of the VeV <Φ> under B and that of the quark condensate in 2+1 dimensional NJL models.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

New vector-like fermions and flavor physics

We study renormalizable extensions of the standard model that contain vector-like fermions in a (single) complex representation of the standard model gauge group. There are 11 models where the vector-like fermions Yukawa couple to the standard model fermions via the Higgs field. These models do not introduce additional fine-tunings. They can lead to, and are constrained by, a number of different flavor-changing processes involving leptons and quarks, as well as direct searches. An interesting feature of the models with strongly interacting vector-like fermions is that constraints from neutral meson mixings (apart from CP violation in $ {K}^0-{\overline{K}}^0 $ mixing) are not sensitive to higher scales than other flavor-changing neutral-current processes. We identify order 1/(4πM) 2 (where M is the vector-like fermion mass) one-loop contributions to the coefficients of the four-quark operators for meson mixing, that are not suppressed by standard model quark masses and/or mixing angles.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Vacuum stability and perturbativity of SU(3) scalars

We calculate the vacuum stability conditions and renormalisation group equations for the extensions of standard model with a higher colour multiplet scalar up to the representation 15' that leaves the strong interaction asymptotically free. In order to find the vacuum stability conditions, we calculate the orbit spaces for the self-couplings of the higher multiplets, which for the representations 15 and 15' of SU(3) c are highly complicated. However, if the scalar potential is linear in orbit space variables, it is sufficient to know the convex hull of the orbit space. Knowledge of the orbit spaces also facilitates the minimisation of the potentials. In contrast to the self-couplings of other multiplets, we find that the scalar quartic couplings of the representations 3 and 8 walk rather than run, remaining nearly constant and perturbative over a vast energy range. We describe the conditions for walking couplings using a schematic model. With these technical results at hand we revise earlier results of generation of new scales with large SU(3) c scalar multiplets. Our results are easily extendable to models of new physics with additional SU(3) or SU(N) gauge symmetries.

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Vector SIMP dark matter

Strongly Interacting Massive Particles (SIMPs) have recently been proposed as light thermal dark matter relics. Here we consider an explicit realization of the SIMP mechanism in the form of vector SIMPs arising from an SU(2) X hidden gauge theory, where the accidental custodial symmetry protects the stability of the dark matter. We propose several ways of equilibrating the dark and visible sectors in this setup. In particular, we show that a light dark Higgs portal can maintain thermal equilibrium between the two sectors, as can a massive dark vector portal with its generalized Chern-Simons couplings to the vector SIMPs, all while remaining consistent with experimental constraints.

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First measurements of N -subjettiness in central Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s{NN}}$= 2.76 TeV

The ALICE Collaboration reports the first fully-corrected measurements of the N-subjettiness observable for track-based jets in heavy-ion collisions. This study is performed using data recorded in pp and Pb-Pb collisions at centre-of-mass energies of $\sqrt{s}$= 7 TeV and $\sqrt{s{NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV, respectively. In particular the ratio of 2-subjettiness to 1-subjettiness, τ 2 /τ 1 , which is sensitive to the rate of two-pronged jet substructure, is presented. Energy loss of jets traversing the strongly interacting medium in heavy-ion collisions is expected to change the rate of two-pronged substructure relative to vacuum. The results are presented for jets with a resolution parameter of R = 0.4 and charged jet transverse momentum of 40 ≤ pτ, jet ≤ 60 GeV/c, which constitute a larger jet resolution and lower jet transverse momentum interval than previous measurements in heavy-ion collisions. This has been achieved by utilising a semi-inclusive hadron-jet coincidence technique to suppress the larger jet combinatorial background in this kinematic region. No significant modification of the τ 2 /τ 1 observable for track-based jets in Pb-Pb collisions is observed relative to vacuum PYTHIA6 and PYTHIA8 references at the same collision energy. The measurements of τ 2 /τ 1 , together with the splitting aperture angle ΔR, are also performed in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV for inclusive jets. These results are compared with PYTHIA calculations at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV, in order to validate the model as a vacuum reference for the Pb-Pb centre-of-mass energy. The PYTHIA references for τ 2 /τ 1 are shifted to larger values compared to the measurement in pp collisions. This hints at a reduction in the rate of two-pronged jets in Pb-Pb collisions compared to pp collisions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Flavor SU(3) in Cabibbo-favored D -meson decays

Model-independent description of nonleptonic decays of charmed mesons is a challenging task due to large nonperturbative effects of strong interactions on the transition amplitudes. We discuss the equivalence of two different flavor-SU(3)-based descriptions of Cabibbo-favored non-leptonic decays of charmed mesons to two-pseudoscalars final states including the η and η' mesons.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

A complete basis of helicity operators for subleading factorization

Factorization theorems underly our ability to make predictions for many processes involving the strong interaction. Although typically formulated at leading power, the study of factorization at subleading power is of interest both for improving the precision of calculations, as well as for understanding the all orders structure of QCD. We use the SCET helicity operator formalism to construct a complete power suppressed basis of hard scattering operators for e + e - → dijets, e - p → e - jet, and constrained Drell-Yan, including the first two subleading orders in the amplitude level power expansion. We analyze the field content of the jet and soft function contributions to the power suppressed cross section for e + e - → dijet event shapes, and give results for the lowest order matching to the contributing operators. These results will be useful for studies of power corrections both in fixed order and resummed perturbation theory.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Efficient use of quantum computers for collider physics

Most observables at particle colliders involve physics at a wide variety of distance scales. Due to asymptotic freedom of the strong interaction, the physics at short distances can be calculated reliably using perturbative techniques, while long distance physics is non-perturbative in nature. Factorization theorems separate the contributions from different scales, allowing to identify the pieces that can be determined perturbatively from those that require non-perturbative information, and if the non-perturbative pieces can be reliably determined, one can use experimental measurements to extract the short distance effects, sensitive to possible new physics. Without the ability to compute the non-perturbative ingredients from first principles one typically identifies observables for which the non-perturbative information is universal in the sense that it can be extracted from some experimental observables and then used to predict other observables. In this paper we argue that the future ability to use quantum computers to calculate non-perturbative matrix elements from first principles will allow to make predictions for observables with non-universal non-perturbative long-distance physics.

Algorithms and Theoretical Developments↗

OPE convergence in non-relativistic conformal field theories

Motivated by applications to the study of ultracold atomic gases near the unitarity limit, we investigate the structure of the operator product expansion (OPE) in non-relativistic conformal field theories (NRCFTs). The main tool used in our analysis is the representation theory of charged (i.e. non-zero particle number) operators in the NR-CFT, in particular the mapping between operators and states in a non-relativistic “radial quantization” Hilbert space. Our results include: a determination of the OPE coefficients of descendant operators in terms of those of the underlying primary state, a demonstration of convergence of the (imaginary time) OPE in certain kinematic limits, and an estimate of the decay rate of the OPE tail inside matrix elements which, as in relativistic CFTs, depends exponentially on operator dimensions. To illustrate our results we consider several examples, including a strongly interacting field theory of bosons tuned to the unitarity limit, as well as a class of holographic models. Given the similarity with known statements about the OPE in SO(2, d) invariant field theories, our results suggest the existence of a bootstrap approach to constraining NRCFTs, with applications to bound state spectra and interactions. We briefly comment on a possible implementation of this non-relativistic conformal bootstrap program.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Partially acoustic dark matter, interacting dark radiation, and large scale structure

The standard paradigm of collisionless cold dark matter is in tension with measurements on large scales. In particular, the best fit values of the Hubble rate H 0 and the matter density perturbation σ 8 inferred from the cosmic microwave background seem inconsistent with the results from direct measurements. We show that both problems can be solved in a framework in which dark matter consists of two distinct components, a dominant component and a subdominant component. The primary component is cold and collisionless. The secondary component is also cold, but interacts strongly with dark radiation, which itself forms a tightly coupled fluid. The growth of density perturbations in the subdominant component is inhibited by dark acoustic oscillations due to its coupling to the dark radiation, solving the σ 8 problem, while the presence of tightly coupled dark radiation ameliorates the H 0 problem. The subdominant component of dark matter and dark radiation continue to remain in thermal equilibrium until late times, inhibiting the formation of a dark disk. We present an example of a simple model that naturally realizes this scenario in which both constituents of dark matter are thermal WIMPs. Our scenario can be tested by future stage-IV experiments designed to probe the CMB and large scale structure.

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Forecasting dark showers at Belle II

Dark showers from strongly interacting dark sectors that confine at the GeV scale can give rise to novel signatures at e + e - colliders. In this work, we study the sensitivity of B factory experiments to dark showers produced through an effective interaction arising from a heavy off-shell mediator. We show that a prospective search for displaced vertices from GeV-scale long-lived particles at Belle II can improve the sensitivity to dark showers substantially compared to an existing search at BaBar. We compare the sensitivity of searches for displaced signals to searches for promptly produced resonances at BaBar and KLOE and calculate sensitivity projections for a single-photon search at Belle II to invisible dark showers produced through an effective interaction. The underlying structure of the effective interaction can be resolved at higher-energy experiments, where the mediator can be produced on-shell. To study the resulting constraints, we update electroweak precision bounds on kinetically mixed Z' bosons and reinterpret a search for low-mass di-muon resonances at LHCb in terms of dark showers. We find that LHCb and Belle II are most sensitive to different particle decay lengths, underscoring the complementarity of LHC and intensity frontier experiments.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Probing the chiral magnetic wave with charge-dependent flow measurements in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC

The Chiral Magnetic Wave (CMW) phenomenon is essential to provide insights into the strong interaction in QCD, the properties of the quark-gluon plasma, and the topological characteristics of the early universe, offering a deeper understanding of fundamental physics in high-energy collisions. Measurements of the charge-dependent anisotropic flow coefficients are studied in Pb-Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision $\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV to probe the CMW. In particular, the slope of the normalized difference in elliptic (v 2 ) and triangular (v 3 ) flow coefficients of positively and negatively charged particles as a function of their event-wise normalized number difference, is reported for inclusive and identified particles. The slope ${r}_3^{\textrm{Norm}}$ is found to be larger than zero and to have a magnitude similar to ${r}_2^{\textrm{Norm}}$, thus pointing to a large background contribution for these measurements. Furthermore, ${r}_2^{\textrm{Norm}}$ can be described by a blast wave model calculation that incorporates local charge conservation. In addition, using the event shape engineering technique yields a fraction of CMW (f CMW ) contribution to this measurement which is compatible with zero. This measurement provides the very first upper limit for f CMW , and in the 10–60% centrality interval it is found to be 26% (38%) at 95% (99.7%) confidence level.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Nucleon resonance structure studies via exclusive KY electroproduction

Studying the structure of excited nucleon states employing the electroproduction of exclusive reactions is an important avenue for exploring the nature of the non-perturbative strong interaction. The electrocouplings of $N^*$ states in the mass range below 1.8~GeV have been determined from analyses of CLAS $\pi N$, $\eta N$, and $\pi \pi N$ data. This work has made it clear that consistent results from independent analyses of several exclusive channels with different couplings and non-resonant backgrounds but the same $N^*$ electro excitation amplitudes, is essential to have confidence in the extracted results. In terms of hadronic coupling, many high-lying $N^*$ states preferentially decay through the $\pi \pi N$ channel instead of $\pi N$. Data from the $KY$ channels will therefore be critical to provide an independent analysis to compare the extracted electrocouplings for the high-lying $N^*$ states against those determined from the $\pi N$ and $\pi \pi N$ channels. Lastly, a program to study excited $N^*$ state structure in both non-strange and strange exclusive electroproduction channels using CLAS12 will measure differential cross sections and polarization observables to be used as input to extract the $\gamma_vNN^*$ electrocoupling amplitudes for the most prominent $N^*$ states in the range of invariant energy $W$ up 3~GeV in the virtually unexplored domain of momentum transfers $Q^2$ up to 12~GeV$^2$.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Study of the Few Nucleon Systems at $\mathrm{CLAS}$

The study of few nucleon systems with electromagnetic probes is an essential component of the scientific program carried out at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). Here we present measurements of exclusive reactions on light nuclei using real photon beams with energies up to 3 GeV and the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS), a nearly 4π magnetic spectrometer, in order to study the properties of strongly interacting matter and the transition from hadronic (i.e in terms of nucleons and mesons) to partonic (in terms of quark and gluons) degrees of freedom in nuclear interactions. We discuss the progress made in understanding the relevant degrees of freedom using polarisation observables and cross sections of deuteron and 3 He photodisintegration in the few-GeV photon-energy region. In addition, recent high-statistics experiments with the CLAS detector have provided us with sufficient counting rates to study the effects of initial- and final-state interactions in reactions off the deuteron. Such data allow us to extract a large set of polarisation observables for final-state interactions in hyperon photoproduction and to study the properties of the hyperon–nucleon interaction. Initial-state effects are studied by mapping the dependence of experimental observables on the spectator-nucleon momentum. We also present recent results for polarisation observables for quasi-free K + Λ off the bound proton in a deuteron as well as for final-state interactions in the reaction γd→K + Λn , and will discuss their impact on hyperon–nucleon studies.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Production of Charmonium at Threshold in Hall A and C at Jefferson Lab

Here, we describe in this paper two approved experiments in Hall A and Hall C at Jefferson Lab that will investigate the pure gluonic component of the strong interaction of Quantum ChromoDynamics by measuring the elastic J/ψ electro and photo-production cross section in the threshold region as well as explore the nature of the recently discovered LHCb charmed pentaquarks.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

CLAS N* Excitation Results from Pion and Kaon Electroproduction

The study of the structure of excited nucleon $N^*$ states employing the electroproduction of exclusive reactions is an important avenue for exploring the nature of the non-perturbative strong interaction. The electrocouplings of $N^*$ states in the mass range below $W$=1.8~GeV have been determined from analyses of CLAS $\pi N$, $\eta N$, and $\pi \pi N$ data at four-momentum transfers $Q^2$ up to 5~GeV$^2$. The work has made it clear that consistent results from independent analyses of several exclusive channels with different couplings and non-resonant backgrounds but the same $N^*$ electroexcitation amplitudes, is essential to have confidence in the extracted results. In terms of hadronic couplings, many high-lying $N^*$ states preferentially decay through the $\pi \pi N$ channel, while couplings to $\pi N$ final states become rather small. The resonance parameters determined from $\pi N$ and $\pi \pi N$ electroproduction can be checked in independent studies of the $KY$ ($Y = \Lambda, \Sigma^0$) channels. Therefore, data from the $KY$ channels already measured with CLAS will play an important role in $N^*$ structure studies. These comparisons await the development of suitable reaction models. Starting in 2018, a program to study the structure of $N^*$ states in various exclusive electroproduction channels using the new CLAS12 spectrometer will get underway. These studies will probe the structure of $N^*$ states in the mass range up to $W$=3~GeV and $Q^2$ up to 12~GeV$^2$, thus providing a means to access $N^*$ structure information spanning a broad regime encompassing both low- and high-energy degrees of freedom.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Spectrum of Light- and Heavy-Baryons

A symmetry-preserving truncation of the strong-interaction bound-state equations is used to calculate the spectrum of ground-state J=1/2 + , 3/2 + (qq'q")-baryons, where q,q',q"ϵ{u,d,s,c,b}, their first positive-parity excitations and parity partners. Using two parameters, a description of the known spectrum of 39 such states is obtained, with a mean-absolute-relative-difference between calculation and experiment of 3.6(2.7)%. From this foundation, the framework is subsequently used to predict the masses of 90 states not yet seen empirically.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗