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At least 19 records

Dark matter relics and the expansion rate in scalar-tensor theories

Here we study the impact of a modified expansion rate on the dark matter relic abundance in a class of scalar-tensor theories. The scalar-tensor theories we consider are motivated from string theory constructions, which have conformal as well as disformally coupled matter to the scalar. We investigate the effects of such a conformal coupling to the dark matter relic abundance for a wide range of initial conditions, masses and cross-sections. We find that exploiting all possible initial conditions, the annihilation cross-section required to satisfy the dark matter content can differ from the thermal average cross-section in the standard case. We also study the expansion rate in the disformal case and find that physically relevant solutions require a nontrivial relation between the conformal and disformal functions. We study the effects of the disformal coupling in an explicit example where the disformal function is quadratic.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Search for pair production of first-generation scalar leptoquarks at s =13 TeV

A search for the pair production of first-generation scalar leptoquarks is performed using proton-proton collision data recorded at 13 TeV center-of-mass energy with the CMS detector at the LHC. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb-1. The leptoquarks are assumed to decay promptly to a quark and either an electron or a neutrino, with branching fractions β and 1-β, respectively. The search targets the decay final states comprising two electrons, or one electron and large missing transverse momentum, along with two quarks that are detected as hadronic jets. First-generation scalar leptoquarks with masses below 1435 (1270) GeV are excluded for β=1.0(0.5). These are the most stringent limits on the mass of first-generation scalar leptoquarks to date. The data are also interpreted to set exclusion limits in the context of an R-parity violating supersymmetric model, predicting promptly decaying top squarks with a similar dielectron final state. © 2019 2019 CERN, for the CMS Collaboration.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Scalar Dissipation Modeling for Passive and Active Scalars: a priori Study Using Direct Numerical Simulation

Transitional databases from Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of three-dimensional mixing layers for single-phase flows and two-phase flows with evaporation are analyzed and used to examine the typical hypothesis that the scalar dissipation Probability Distribution Function (PDF) may be modeled as a Gaussian. The databases encompass a single-component fuel and four multicomponent fuels, two initial Reynolds numbers (Re), two mass loadings for two-phase flows and two free-stream gas temperatures. Using the DNS calculated moments of the scalar-dissipation PDF, it is shown, consistent with existing experimental information on single-phase flows, that the Gaussian is a modest approximation of the DNS-extracted PDF, particularly poor in the range of the high scalar-dissipation values, which are significant for turbulent reaction rate modeling in non-premixed flows using flamelet models. With the same DNS calculated moments of the scalar-dissipation PDF and making a change of variables, a model of this PDF is proposed in the form of the (beta)-PDF which is shown to approximate much better the DNS-extracted PDF, particularly in the regime of the high scalar-dissipation values. Several types of statistical measures are calculated over the ensemble of the fourteen databases. For each statistical measure, the proposed (beta)-PDF model is shown to be much superior to the Gaussian in approximating the DNS-extracted PDF. Additionally, the agreement between the DNS-extracted PDF and the (beta)-PDF even improves when the comparison is performed for higher initial Re layers, whereas the comparison with the Gaussian is independent of the initial Re values. For two-phase flows, the comparison between the DNS-extracted PDF and the (beta)-PDF also improves with increasing free-stream gas temperature and mass loading. The higher fidelity approximation of the DNS-extracted PDF by the (beta)-PDF with increasing Re, gas temperature and mass loading bodes well for turbulent reaction rate modeling.

scalar dissipation modeling↗

Constraints on mediator-based dark matter and scalar dark energy models using $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV pp collision data collected by the ATLAS detector

Constraints on selected mediator-based dark matter models and a scalar dark energy model using up to 37 fb ₋1 $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV pp collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC during 2015-2016 are summarised in this paper. The conclusions of experimental searches in a variety of final states are interpreted in terms of a set of spin-1 and spin-0 single-mediator dark matter simplified models and a second set of models involving an extended Higgs sector plus an additional vector or pseudo-scalar mediator. The searches considered in this paper constrain spin-1 leptophobic and leptophilic mediators, spin-0 colour-neutral and colour-charged mediators and vector or pseudo-scalar mediators embedded in extended Higgs sector models. In this case, also $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV pp collision data are used for the interpretation of the results. The results are also interpreted for the first time in terms of light scalar particles that could contribute to the accelerating expansion of the universe (dark energy).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Beam spin asymmetry in the electroproduction of a pseudoscalar meson or a scalar meson off the scalar target

In this paper, we discuss the electroproduction of a pseudoscalar (0⁻⁺) meson or a scalar (0⁺⁺) meson off the scalar target. The most general formulation of the differential cross section for the 0⁻⁺ or 0⁺⁺ meson process involves only one or two hadronic form factors, respectively, on a scalar target. The Rosenbluth-type separation of the differential cross section provides the explicit relation between the hadronic form factors and the different parts of the differential cross section in a completely model-independent manner. The absence of the beam spin asymmetry for the pseudoscalar meson production provides a benchmark for the experimental data analysis. The measurement of the beam spin asymmetry for the scalar meson production may also provide a unique opportunity not only to explore the imaginary part of the hadronic amplitude in the general formulation but also to examine the significance of the chiral-odd generalized parton distribution (GPD) contribution in the leading-twist GPD formulation.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Primordial Black Holes from Long-Range Scalar Forces and Scalar Radiative Cooling

We describe a new scenario for the formation of primordial black holes (PBHs). In the early Universe, the long-range forces mediated by the scalar fields can lead to formation of halos of heavy particles even during the radiation-dominated era. The same interactions result in the emission of scalar radiation from the motion and close encounters of particles in such halos. Radiative cooling due the scalar radiation allows the halos to collapse to black holes. We illustrate this scenario on a simple model with fermions interacting via the Yukawa forces. The abundance and the mass function of PBHs are suitable to account for all dark matter, or for some gravitational wave events detected by LIGO. The model relates the mass of the dark-sector particles to the masses and abundance of dark matter PBHs in a way that can explain why the dark matter and the ordinary matter have similar mass densities. The model also predicts a small contribution to the number of effective light degrees of freedom, which can help reconcile different measurements of the Hubble constant.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Search for doubly charged scalar bosons decaying into same-sign W boson pairs with the ATLAS detector

A search for doubly charged scalar bosons decaying into W boson pairs is presented. It uses a data sample from proton–proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb -1 collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. This search is guided by a model that includes an extension of the Higgs sector through a scalar triplet, leading to a rich phenomenology that includes doubly charged scalar bosons H &#x00B1;<!-- ± --> &#x00B1;<!-- ± --> . Those bosons are produced in pairs in proton–proton collisions and decay predominantly into electroweak gauge bosons H &#x00B1;<!-- ± --> &#x00B1;<!-- ± --> &#x2192;<!-- → --> W &#x00B1;<!-- ± --> W &#x00B1;<!-- ± --> . Experimental signatures with several leptons, missing transverse energy and jets are explored. No significant deviations from the Standard Model predictions are found. The parameter space of the benchmark model is excluded at 95% confidence level for H &#x00B1;<!-- ± --> &#x00B1;<!-- ± --> bosons with masses between 200 and 220 GeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for a massive scalar resonance decaying to a light scalar and a Higgs boson in the four b quarks final state with boosted topology

We search for new massive scalar particles X and Y through the resonant process X→YH→$b\bar{b}b\bar{b}$, where H is the standard model Higgs boson. Data from CERN LHC proton-proton collisions are used, collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV in 2016–2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb -1 . The search is performed in mass ranges of 0.9–4 TeV for X and 60–600 GeV for Y, where both Y and H are reconstructed as Lorentz-boosted single large-area jets. The results are interpreted in the context of the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model and also in an extension of the standard model with two additional singlet scalar fields. The 95% confidence level upper limits for the production cross section vary between 0.1 and 150 fb depending on the X and Y masses, and represent a significant improvement over results from previous searches.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Scalar Field Comparison with Topological Descriptors: Properties and Applications for Scientific Visualization

In topological data analysis and visualization, topological descriptors such as persistence diagrams, merge trees, contour trees, Reeb graphs, and Morse–Smale complexes play an essential role in capturing the shape of scalar field data. Herein we present a state–of–the–art report on scalar field comparison using topological descriptors. We provide a taxonomy of existing approaches based on visualization tasks associated with three categories of data: single fields, time–varying fields, and ensembles. These tasks include symmetry detection, periodicity detection, key event/feature detection, feature tracking, clustering, and structure statistics. Our main contributions include the formulation of a set of desirable mathematical and computational properties of comparative measures, and the classification of visualization tasks and applications that are enabled by these measures.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Search for a new heavy scalar particle decaying into a Higgs boson and a new scalar singlet in final states with one or two light leptons and a pair of τ -leptons with the ATLAS detector

A search for a new heavy scalar particle X decaying into a Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson and a new singlet scalar particle S is presented. The search uses a proton-proton (pp) collision data sample with an integrated luminosity of 140 fb -1 recorded at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The most sensitive mass parameter space is explored in X mass ranging from 500 to 1500 GeV, with the corresponding S mass in the range 200–500 GeV. The search selects events with two hadronically decaying τ-lepton candidates from H → τ + τ - decays and one or two light leptons (ℓ = e, μ) from S → VV (V = W, Z) decays while the remaining V boson decays hadronically or to neutrinos. A multivariate discriminant based on event kinematics is used to separate the signal from the background. No excess is observed beyond the expected SM background and 95% confidence level upper limits between 72 fb and 542 fb are derived on the cross-section σ(pp → X → SH) assuming the same SM-Higgs boson-like decay branching ratios for the S → VV decay. Upper limits on the visible cross-sections σ(pp → X → SH → WWττ) and σ(pp → X → SH → ZZττ) are also set in the ranges 3–26 fb and 6–33 fb, respectively.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for a new scalar resonance decaying to a Higgs boson and another new scalar particle in the final state with two bottom quarks and two photons in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV

A search is presented for a new scalar resonance, X, decaying to a standard model Higgs boson and another new scalar particle, Y, in the final state where the Higgs boson decays to a $\text{b}\overline{\text{b} }$ pair, while the Y particle decays to a pair of photons. The search is performed in the mass range 240–1000 GeV for the resonance X, and in the mass range 70–800 GeV for the particle Y, using proton-proton collision data collected by the CMS experiment at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 132 fb −1 . In general, the data are found to be compatible with the standard model expectation. Observed (expected) upper limits at 95% confidence level on the product of the production cross section and the relevant branching fraction are extracted for the X → YH process, and are found to be within the range of 0.05–2.69 (0.08–1.94) fb, depending on m X and m Y . The most significant deviation from the background-only hypothesis is observed for X and Y masses of 300 and 77 GeV, respectively, with a local (global) significance of 3.33 (0.65) standard deviations.

Beyond Standard Model↗

Reconciling tensor and scalar observables in G-inflation

The simple m 2Φ2 potential as an inflationary model is coming under increasing tension with limits on the tensor-to-scalar ratio r and measurements of the scalar spectral index n s . Cubic Galileon interactions in the context of the Horndeski action can potentially reconcile the observables. However, we show that this cannot be achieved with only a constant Galileon mass scale because the interactions turn off too slowly, leading also to gradient instabilities after inflation ends. Furthermore, allowing for a more rapid transition can reconcile the observables but moderately breaks the slow-roll approximation leading to a relatively large and negative running of the tilt αs that can be of order n s -1. We show that the observables on CMB and large scale structure scales can be predicted accurately using the optimized slow-roll approach instead of the traditional slow-roll expansion. Upper limits on |αs| place a lower bound of r ≳ 0.005 and, conversely, a given r places a lower bound on |α s |, both of which are potentially observable with next generation CMB and large scale structure surveys.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Scalar bispectrum beyond slow-roll in the unified EFT of inflation

We introduce a complete formulation of the scalar bispectrum in the unified effective field theory(EFT) of inflation, which includes the Horndeski and beyond-Horndeski Gleyzes-Langlois-Piazza-Vernizzi classes, in terms of a set of simple one-dimensional integrals. These generalized slow-rollexpressions remain valid even when slow-roll is transiently violated and encompass all configurationsof the bispectrum. We demonstrate analytically that our expressions explicitly preserve the squeezed-limitconsistency relation beyond slow-roll. As an example application of our results, we compute thescalar bispectrum in a model in which potential-driven G-inflation at early times transitions tochaotic inflation at late times, showing that our expressions accurately track the bispectrum whenslow-roll is violated and conventional slow-roll approximations fail

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Searches for scalar leptoquarks and differential cross-section measurements in dilepton–dijet events in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS experiment

Searches for scalar leptoquarks pair-produced in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ =13 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider are performed by the ATLAS experiment. A data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb -1 is used. Final states containing two electrons or two muons and two or more jets are studied, as are states with one electron or muon, missing transverse momentum and two or more jets. No statistically significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed. The observed and expected lower limits on the leptoquark mass at 95% confidence level extend up to 1.29 TeV and 1.23 TeV for first- and second-generation leptoquarks, respectively, as postulated in the minimal Buchmüller–Rückl–Wyler model, assuming a branching ratio into a charged lepton and a quark of 50%. In addition, measurements of particle-level fiducial and differential cross sections are presented for the Z→ ee, Z→ μμ and $ t\bar{t} $ processes in several regions related to the search control regions. Predictions from a range of generators are compared with the measurements, and good agreement is seen for many of the observables. However, the predictions for the Z→ ℓℓ measurements in observables sensitive to jet energies disagree with the data.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗