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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Search for long-lived heavy neutrinos in the decays of B mesons produced in proton-proton collisions at $ \sqrt{s} $ = 13 TeV

A search for long-lived heavy neutrinos (N) in the decays of B mesons produced in proton-proton collisions at $ \sqrt{s} $ = 13 TeV is presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 41.6 fb$^{−1}$ collected in 2018 by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC, using a dedicated data stream that enhances the number of recorded events containing B mesons. The search probes heavy neutrinos with masses in the range 1 < m$_{N}$ < 3 GeV and decay lengths in the range 10$^{−2}$ < cτ$_{N}$ < 10$^{4}$ mm, where τ$_{N}$ is the N proper mean lifetime. Signal events are defined by the signature B → ℓ$_{B}$NX; N → ℓ$^{±}$π$^{∓}$, where the leptons ℓ$_{B}$ and ℓ can be either a muon or an electron, provided that at least one of them is a muon. The hadronic recoil system, X, is treated inclusively and is not reconstructed. No significant excess of events over the standard model background is observed in any of the ℓ$^{±}$π$^{∓}$ invariant mass distributions. Limits at 95% confidence level on the sum of the squares of the mixing amplitudes between heavy and light neutrinos, |V$_{N}$|$^{2}$, and on cτ$_{N}$ are obtained in different mixing scenarios for both Majorana and Dirac-like N particles. The most stringent upper limit |V$_{N}$|$^{2}$ < 2.0 × 10$^{−5}$ is obtained at m$_{N}$ = 1.95 GeV for the Majorana case where N mixes exclusively with muon neutrinos. The limits on |V$_{N}$|$^{2}$ for masses 1 < m$_{N}$ < 1.7 GeV are the most stringent from a collider experiment to date.[graphic not available: see fulltext]

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Probing Heavy Majorana Neutrinos and the Weinberg Operator through Vector Boson Fusion Processes in Proton-Proton Collisions at s = 13 TeV

The first search exploiting the vector boson fusion process to probe heavy Majorana neutrinos and the Weinberg operator at the LHC is presented. The search is performed in the same-sign dimuon final state using a proton-proton collision dataset recorded at s = 13 TeV , collected with the CMS detector and corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138 fb -1 . The results are found to agree with the predictions of the standard model. For heavy Majorana neutrinos, constraints on the squared mixing element between the muon and the heavy neutrino are derived in the heavy neutrino mass range 50 GeV–25 TeV; for masses above 650 GeV these are the most stringent constraints from searches at the LHC to date. A first test of the Weinberg operator at colliders provides an observed upper limit at 95% confidence level on the effective $μμ$ Majorana neutrino mass of 10.8 GeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Neutrino Dipole Moments and Radiative Signatures from Partial Compositeness

We investigate composite neutrino models where heavy neutrinos emerge as bound states from a near-conformal strongly coupled sector. Standard Model neutrinos mix with these composite singlets via an inverse seesaw mechanism, where the anomalous scaling dimensions of the composite-sector operators naturally suppress light neutrino masses to sub-eV scales. Matching the conformal dynamics onto low-energy theory yields enhanced electromagnetic transition dipole operators with couplings $d_{μN} \sim 10^{-6}$-$10^{-8}\,\mathrm{GeV}^{-1}$, parametrically larger than the loop-level predictions of minimal Dirac or Majorana models. We carry out a dedicated event-level simulation of the production-and-decay chain $νX \to \mathcal{U} X \to νγX$ and compute the resulting event rates at MiniBooNE and MINERvA within the model, accounting for the composite production cross section and decay kinematics in detail. We further present predictions for the photon energy, angular, and multiplicity distributions. For the benchmark scenarios accessible at these experiments the radiative signal is predominantly single-photon; the composite structure additionally permits fragmentation of the up-scattered state into multiple heavy neutrinos, each decaying as $N\toνγ$, with multi-photon final states emerging for lighter compositeness scales or higher beam energies as a qualitatively new probe of the composite dynamics.

Assi, Benoît [Cincinnati U.; Fermilab] (ORCID:0000↗
DOE OSTI2024

Search for heavy Majorana neutrinos in e ± e ± and e ± μ ± final states via WW scattering in pp collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for heavy Majorana neutrinos in scattering of same-sign W boson pairs in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV at the LHC is reported. The dataset used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb -1 , collected with the ATLAS detector during 2015–2018. The search is performed in final states including a same-sign ee or eμ pair and at least two jets with large invariant mass and a large rapidity difference. No significant excess of events with respect to the Standard Model background predictions is observed. The results are interpreted in a benchmark scenario of the Phenomenological Type-I Seesaw model. New constraints are set on the values of the |V eN | 2 and |V eN V$^{*}_{μN}$| parameters for heavy Majorana neutrino masses between 50 GeV and 20 TeV, where V ℓN is the matrix element describing the mixing of the heavy Majorana neutrino mass eigenstate with the Standard Model neutrino of flavour ℓ = e,μ. The sensitivity to the Weinberg operator is investigated and constraints on the effective ee and eμ Majorana neutrino masses are reported. The statistical combination of the ee and eμ channels with the previously published μμ channel is performed.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Search for Z' bosons decaying to pairs of heavy Majorana neutrinos in proton-proton collisions at $ \sqrt{s} $ = 13 TeV

A search for the production of pairs of heavy Majorana neutrinos (N ℓ ) from the decays of Z' bosons is performed using the CMS detector at the LHC. The data were collected in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt s$ = 13 TeV, with an integrated luminosity of 138 fb –1 . The signature for the search is an excess in the invariant mass distribution of the final-state objects, two same-flavor leptons (e or μ) and at least two jets. No significant excess of events beyond the expected background is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on the product of the Z' production cross section and its branching fraction to a pair of N ℓ , as functions of N ℓ and Z' boson masses (m N ℓ and m Z' , respectively) for m Z' from 0.4 to 4.6 TeV and m N ℓ from 0.1 TeV to m Z' /2. In the theoretical framework of a left-right symmetric model, exclusion bounds in the m N ℓ -m Z' plane are presented in both the electron and muon channels. The observed upper limit on m Z' reaches up to 4.42 TeV. These are the most restrictive limits to date on the mass of N ℓ as a function of the Z' boson mass.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

New limits on WR from meson decays

In this work we show that pseudoscalar meson leptonic data can be used to set stringetn limits on the mass of a right handed gauge boson, such as the one that appears in left-right symmetric models. We have shown that for a heavy neutrino with mass in the range 50 to 1900 MeV one can constrain the right hand gauge boson mass to be bigger than 4-19 TeV at 90% confidence level depending on the heavy neutrino mass.

Alves, Gustavo↗
DOE OSTI2024

Limits on W R from Meson Decays

In this Letter we show that pseudoscalar meson leptonic decay data can be used to set stringent limits on the mass $m$ W$_{R}$ of a right-handed vector boson, such as the one that appears in left-right symmetric models. We have shown that for a heavy neutrino with a mass $m_N$ in the range 50 < $m_N$/MeV < 1900 one can constraint $m$ W$_{R}$ ≳ (4–19) TeV at 90% CL. This provides the most stringent experimental limits on the $W_R$ mass to date for this heavy neutrino mass range.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Solar neutrinos and ν 2 visible decays to ν 1

Experimental bounds on the neutrino lifetime depend on the nature of the neutrinos and the details of the potentially new physics responsible for neutrino decay. In the case where the decays involve active neutrinos in the final state, the neutrino masses also qualitatively impact how these manifest themselves experimentally. In order to further understand the impact of nonzero neutrino masses, we explore how observations of solar neutrinos constrain a very simple toy model. We assume that neutrinos are Dirac fermions and there is a new massless scalar that couples to neutrinos such that a heavy neutrino— ν 2 with mass m 2 —can decay into a lighter neutrino— ν 1 with mass m 1 —and a massless scalar. We find that the constraints on the new physics coupling depend, sometimes significantly, on the ratio of the daughter-to-parent neutrino masses and that, for large-enough values of the new physics coupling, the “dark side” of the solar neutrino parameter space— sin 2 θ 12 ∼ 0.7 —provides a reasonable fit to solar neutrino data, if only B 8 or Be 7 neutrino data alone are considered, but no allowed region is found in the combined analysis. Our results generalize to other neutrino-decay scenarios, including those that mediate ν 2 → ν 1 ν ¯ 3 ν 3 when the neutrino mass ordering is inverted mass and m 2 > m 1 ≫ m 3 , the mass of ν 3 . Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2023

Right-handed Dirac and Majorana neutrinos at Belle II

We assess the ability of the Belle II experiment to probe the Dirac or Majorana nature of a massive right-handed neutrino (RHN) N in the MeV to GeV mass range. We consider the production and decay of RHNs to proceed via new interactions described by the standard model effective field theory (SMEFT) extended with right-handed neutrino fields (SMNEFT), and not via mass mixing with active neutrinos. We find that Belle II has the potential to discover N if kinematically accessible. We perform detailed simulations of the angular distributions of lepton pairs from the decay of N produced in two-body and three-body decays of B mesons. We show that for m N above 100 MeV, Belle II can distinguish between Dirac and Majorana neutrinos at more than the 5σ CL for most operators, and the combination of the production and decay operators can be identified from the subsequent decay of the heavy neutrino. Also, the production operators can be identified using three-body B meson decay for any m N if the B → DℓN and B → D * ℓN events can be well separated.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

“Unification” of BSM searches and SM measurements: the case of lepton+E T and m W

We develop the idea that the unprecedented precision in Standard Model (SM) measurements, with further improvement at the HL-LHC, enables new searches for physics Beyond the Standard Model (BSM). As an illustration, we demonstrate that the measured kinematic distributions of the ℓ + E T final state not only determine the mass of the W boson, but are also sensitive to light new physics. Such a search for new physics thus requires a simultaneous fit to the BSM and SM parameters, “unifying” searches and measurements at the LHC and Tevatron. In this paper, we complete the program initiated in our earlier work [1]. In particular, we analyze (i) novel decay modes of the W boson with a neutrinophilic invisible scalar or with a heavy neutrino; (ii) modified production of W bosons, namely, associated with a hadrophilic invisible Z′ gauge boson; and (iii) scenarios without an on-shell W boson, such as slepton-sneutrino production in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). Here, we complement our previous MSSM analysis in [1] by considering a different kinematic region. Our results highlight that new physics can still be directly discovered at the LHC, including light new physics, via SM precision measurements. Furthermore, we illustrate that such BSM signals are subtle, yet potentially large enough to affect the precision measurements of SM parameters themselves, such as the W boson mass.

Electroweak Precision Physics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Heavy Neutral Leptons via Axionlike Particles at Neutrino Facilities

Heavy neutral leptons (HNLs) are often among the hypothetical ingredients behind nonzero neutrino masses. If sufficiently light, they can be produced and detected in fixed-target-like experiments. We show that if the HNLs belong to a richer—but rather generic—dark sector, their production mechanism can deviate dramatically from expectations associated with the standard-model weak interactions. In more detail, we postulate that the dark sector contains an axionlike particle (ALP) that naturally decays into HNLs. Since ALPs mix with the pseudoscalar hadrons, the HNL flux might be predominantly associated with the production of neutral mesons (e.g., π 0 , η ) as opposed to charge hadrons (e.g., π ± , K ± ). In this case, the physics responsible for HNL production and decay are not directly related and experiments like DUNE might be sensitive to HNLs that are too weakly coupled to the standard model to be produced via weak interactions, as is generically the case of HNLs that play a direct role in the type-I seesaw mechanism. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Neutrinos and Dark Matter Across Energies and Epochs (Final Technical Report)

The opportunities afforded by upcoming next-generation neutrino experiments offer new physics potential that is complementary to high-energy collider searches. Although much lower in energy, the combination of large detectors and high intensity proton beams yields novel sensitivity to new physics. The types of new physics signals include both those which are terrestrially sourced as well as astrophysically produced. Within this project specific focuses include: (1) BSM searches at neutrino and dark matter experiments to look for axion-like particles, heavy neutrinos, and new force carriers; and (2) BSM signals from astrophysics.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1980

Have massive cosmological neutrinos already been detected

The possibility is investigated that the decay of massive cosmological neutrinos may have produced a spectral signature which has already been detected in observations of the ultraviolet background radiation. Various implications are discussed including a possible implied neutrino mass of 13.8-14.8 eV. A lower limit is also placed on the lifetime of heavy neutrinos with respect to decay into light neutrinos and gamma rays based on the cosmic UV observations.

Stecker, F. W.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Lower bound on e+e- decay of massive neutrinos

Astronomical observations of SN1987A, such as the light curve, spectral intensities of lines, the X-ray emissions, etc., constrain the lifetime for the decay of a heavy neutrino 1 MeV less than or equivalent to m sub nu H less than or equal to 50 MeV through nu sub H yields nu sub 1+e(+)+e(-) exceeds 4 x 10 to the 15th exp(-m sub nuH/5MeV) seconds. Otherwise. resulting ionization energy deposits and stronger X-ray emission would have been observed. This coupled with traditional cosmological considerations argues that the lifetime of tau-neutrinos probably exceeds the age of the universe. This in turn would imply the standard cosmological mass bound does apply to nu sub tau, namely m sub nu sub tau less than or equivalent to 100 h squared eV (where h is the Hubble constant in units of 100 km/sec/mpc). The only significant loophole for these latter arguments would be if nu sub tau primarily decays rapidly into particles having very weak interactions.

Cowsik, R.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Search for a heavy composite Majorana neutrino in events with dilepton signatures from proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV

Results are presented of a search for a heavy Majorana neutrino Image 1 decaying into two same-flavor leptons ℓ (electrons or muons) and a quark-pair jet. A model is considered in which the Image 1 is an excited neutrino in a compositeness scenario. The analysis is performed using a sample of proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb − 1 . The data are found to be in agreement with the standard model prediction. For the process in which the Image 1 is produced in association with a lepton, followed by the decay of the Image 1 to a same-flavor lepton and a quark pair, an upper limit at 95% confidence level on the product of the cross section and branching fraction is obtained as a function of the Image 1 mass Image 2 and the compositeness scale Λ. For this model the data exclude the existence of Image 3 (Image 4) for Image 2 below 6.0 (6.1) TeV, at the limit where Image 2 is equal to Λ. For Image 5, values of Λ less than 20 (23) TeV are excluded. These results represent a considerable improvement in sensitivity, covering a larger parameter space than previous searches in Image 6 collisions at 13 TeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗