New articles on High Energy Physics - Experiment


[1] 2508.20180

Inclusive $B$-meson flavour-tagging algorithm at LHCb

A new algorithm is developed to identify the flavour of neutral $B$ mesons at production in $pp$ collisions by utilising all tracks from the hadronisation process. The algorithm is calibrated separately for $B^0$ and $B^{0}_{s}$ mesons using $B^{0}\to J/\psi K^{+}\pi^-$ and $B^{0}_{s}\to D_{s}^{-}\pi^+$ decays from $pp$ collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 13\,TeV. This new algorithm improves the tagging power by 35\% for $B^{0}$ mesons and 20\% for $B^{0}_{s}$ mesons when compared to the combined performance of the existing LHCb flavour-tagging algorithms.


[2] 2508.20198

Two-particle number and transverse momentum balance function with event-topology in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV

The first study of charge-dependent two-particle differential number ($B$) and momentum balance functions ($P_{2}^{CD}$) with respect to an event shape variable, transverse spherocity, is reported. Results are presented from PYTHIA8 and EPOS-LHC model calculations in proton-proton (pp) collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV. To distinguish between back-to-back jet-like topologies and isotropic events, low and high transverse spherocity values are chosen. The correlation functions are measured as a function of averaged charged-particle multiplicity ($\langle N_{ch}\rangle$) in relative pseudorapidity ($\Delta\eta$) and relative azimuthal angle ($\Delta\phi$) with $|\eta| < 2.4$ and $0.2 < p_{T} < 2.0$ GeV. A narrowing of the balance function width is observed in $\Delta\eta$ and $\Delta\phi$ from low- to high-multiplicity collisions. Wider balance functions are found in isotropic events as compared to jet-like events. However, for the momentum correlations, a nearly flat dependence is observed with $\langle N_{ch}\rangle$. This study investigates charge conservation mechanisms and their correlations for events classified with jet-like and isotropic topologies. To isolate medium-driven effects, we compare EPOS-LHC with its hydrodynamic core enabled and disabled and observed narrowing patterns in $B$ and $P_{2}^{CD}$ as a quantitative handle on radial-flow-induced localization of charge-balancing pairs.


[3] 2508.20239

SBND-PRISM: Sampling Off-Axis Neutrino Fluxes with the Short-Baseline Near Detector

The Short-Baseline Near Detector (SBND), the near detector in the Short-Baseline Neutrino Program at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, is located just 110 m from the Booster Neutrino Beam target. Thanks to this close proximity, relative to its 4 m $\times$ 4 m front face, neutrinos enter SBND over a range of angles from $0^{\circ}$ to approximately $1.6^{\circ}$, enabling the detector to sample variations in the neutrino flux as a function of angle-a technique known as PRISM, referred to here as SBND-PRISM. In this paper, we show how muon- and electron-neutrino fluxes vary as a function of the neutrino beam axis angle and how this can be exploited to expand the physics potential of SBND. We make use of a model that predicts an angle-dependent electron-neutrino excess signal to illustrate this effect, such as $\nu_\mu \to \nu_e$ oscillations. We present how SBND-PRISM provides a method to add robustness against uncertainties in cross-section modeling and, more generally, uncertainties that do not depend on the spatial position of neutrino interaction inside the detector. The fluxes, along with their associated covariance matrices, are made publicly available with this publication.


[4] 2508.20541

Machine-learning based particle-flow algorithm in CMS

The particle-flow (PF) algorithm provides a global event description by reconstructing final-state particles and is central to event reconstruction in CMS. Recently, end-to-end machine learning (ML) approaches have been proposed to directly optimize physical quantities of interest and to leverage heterogeneous computing architectures. One such approach, machine-learned particle flow (MLPF), uses a transformer model to infer particles directly from tracks and clusters in a single pass. We present recent CMS developments in MLPF, including training datasets, model architecture, reconstruction metrics, and integration with offline reconstruction software.


[5] 2508.20667

Heavy quarkonia and new hadrons with two heavy quarks

We give a pedagogical introduction to heavy quarkonia -- bound states of a heavy quark and its antiquark (e.g., charmonium $c\bar{c}$, bottomonium $b\bar{b}$) -- as well as to the exotic hadrons containing two heavy quarks that have been discovered since 2003. The review covers the foundational discoveries ($J/\psi$ and $\Upsilon$), basic properties, spectroscopy interpreted via potential models, production mechanisms at colliders, and decay modes. A significant focus is placed on the so-called ``$XYZ$" states -- particles like the $X(3872)$, $Y(4260/4230)$, $Z_c(3900)$, and $P_c$ -- whose properties defy conventional quark model expectations. These states, considered candidates for hybrids, multi-quark states, hadronic molecules, or hadroquarkonia, provide unprecedented probes of non-perturbative QCD and challenge our understanding of quark confinement and hadron formation. The chapter summarizes the current experimental landscape and highlights key open questions driving future research in hadron spectroscopy.


[6] 2508.20929

Search for heavy neutral leptons in decays of W bosons produced in 13 TeV pp collisions using prompt signatures in the ATLAS detector

The existence of right-handed neutrinos with Majorana masses below the electroweak scale could help address the origins of neutrino masses, the matter-antimatter asymmetry, and dark matter. In this paper, leptonic decays of W bosons from 140 fb$^{-1}$ of 13 TeV proton-proton collisions at the LHC, reconstructed in the ATLAS experiment, are used to search for heavy neutral leptons produced through their mixing with muon or electron neutrinos in a scenario with lepton number violation. The search is conducted using prompt leptonic decay signatures. The considered final states require two same-charge leptons or three leptons, while vetoing three-lepton same-flavour topologies. No significant excess over the expected Standard Model backgrounds is found, leading to constraints on the heavy neutral lepton's mixing with muon and electron neutrinos for heavy-neutral-lepton masses. The analysis excludes $|U_{e}|^2$ values above $8\times 10^{-5}$ and $|U_{\mu}|^2$ values above $5.0 \times 10^{-5}$ in the full mass range of 8-65 GeV. The strongest constraints are placed on heavy-neutral-lepton masses in the range 15--30 GeV of $|U_{e}|^2 < 1.1 \times 10^{-5}$ and $|U_{\mu}|^2 < 5 \times 10^{-6}$.


[7] 2508.21030

System size and event shape dependence of particle-identified balance functions in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV

We investigate charge balance functions for identified hadron pairs (pions, kaons, and protons) in proton-proton (pp) collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$~TeV, using transverse spherocity to classify event topology and charged particle multiplicity to select system size. Simulations with PYTHIA8 and EPOS-LHC reveal that balance function widths in rapidity and azimuthal angle depend on multiplicity and event shape. In PYTHIA8, widths decrease monotonically with multiplicity, consistent with local charge conservation in a fragmentation-dominated scenario. In contrast, the EPOS-LHC model, especially when using the core corona implementation, exhibits a more intricate response, where the combined effects of hydrodynamic radial flow and longitudinal diffusion result in narrower azimuthal correlations and broader rapidity correlations. These features are characteristic signatures of collective dynamics, similar to those observed in heavy-ion collisions. Events with low spherocity, which are jet-like in nature, exhibit significantly narrower balance function widths compared to isotropic events with high spherocity, illustrating that event shape selection provides clear sensitivity to the underlying dynamics of particle production in pp collisions. The species dependence and event-shape sensitivity of the widths provide differential probes of hadronization dynamics and collectivity in small systems. These results demonstrate that multidimensional, particle-identified balance function measurements can disentangle the underlying mechanisms of charge correlations and medium-like behavior in high-multiplicity pp collisions.


[8] 2508.17204

Pinpointing Physical Solutions in Y(4230) Decays

To resolve ambiguities from multiple solutions in experimental measurements, we construct a $\chi^2$ function incorporating constraints such as isospin conservation and amplitude relations. By minimizing the global $\chi^2$, we identify physical solutions for seven hidden-charm decay channels of $Y(4230)$, revealing a small strange quark component. Crucially, the physical solution for $Y(4230) \to \pi^{+}\pi^{-} J/\psi$ corresponds to the smallest among four experimental solutions, potentially significantly modifying inputs for theoretical calculations. Additionally, we predict $\Gamma_{ee}{\mathcal B}(Y(4230) \to \pi^+\pi^- \psi')$ based on our results, acknowledging substantial uncertainties in current measurements.


[9] 2508.18438

Evaluating the ratio of the exclusive vector meson photoproduction to inclusive hadron/jet production cross section in ultraperipheral heavy ion collisions

Using the QCD color dipole picture to exclusive vector meson and inclusive jet/open meson photoproduction, we calculate the ratio of the elastic meson production and inclusive hadron production cross sections for ultraperipheral heavy ion collisions. Predictions are evaluated for run 4 of the Large Hadron Collider in proton-nucleus ($pA$) and nucleus-nucleus ($AA$) collisions. The dependencies of the ratio on jet/hadron transverse momentum and atomic number are investigated. The double ratio $R_{\mathrm{UPC}}$ for $AA$ over $pA$ collisions is also computed, which has been previously proposed as a new observable probing parton saturation physics.


[10] 2508.20389

Unitarity test of lepton mixing via energy dependence of neutrino oscillation

We study the method to test the unitarity of the lepton mixing matrix by using only the long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments, such as the combination of the T2HK experiment and the one with the $\nu_e$ beam from a future neutrino factory at J-PARC. Without a specific parametrization, one can directly extract the elements of the lepton mixing matrix by observing the energy dependence of the oscillation probabilities. A non-trivial test of the unitarity under the three-generation assumption can thus be made possible by examining the orthogonality in a similar manner to the unitarity triangle in the quark sector. As the first trial, we perform the analysis based on the simplified situation where the matter effects in the neutrino oscillation can be neglected. Under this simplified analysis, we demonstrate the observation of the unitarity violation in the $3\times3$ part of the lepton mixing matrix for a parameter set in the four-generation model. The statistically most significant measurement can be provided by the energy dependences of the combination of the CP conjugate modes, $\nu_\mu \to \nu_e$ and $\bar \nu_\mu \to \bar \nu_e$, at T2HK and, independently, by the T conjugate modes, $\nu_\mu \to \nu_e$ and $\nu_e \to \nu_\mu$, with the latter measured at the neutrino factory experiments.


[11] 2508.20482

Mineral Detection of Neutrinos and Dark Matter 2025 Proceedings

The third ``Mineral Detection of Neutrinos and Dark Matter'' (MD$\nu$DM'25) meeting was held May 20-23, 2025 in Yokohama, Japan, hosted by the Yokohama Institute for Earth Sciences, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). These proceedings compile contributions from the workshop and update the progress of mineral detector research. MD$\nu$DM'25 was the third such meeting, following the first in October of 2022 held at the IFPU in Trieste, Italy and the second in January of 2024 hosted by the Center for Neutrino Physics at Virginia Tech in Arlington, USA. Mineral detectors record and retain damage induced by nuclear recoils in synthetic or natural mineral samples. The damage features can then be read out by a variety of nano- and micro-scale imaging techniques. Applications of mineral detectors on timescales relevant for laboratory experiments include reactor neutrino monitoring and dark matter detection, with the potential to measure the directions as well as the energies of the induced nuclear recoils. For natural mineral detectors which record nuclear recoils over geological timescales, reading out even small mineral samples could be sensitive to rare interactions induced by astrophysical neutrinos, cosmic rays, dark matter and heavy exotic particles. A series of mineral detectors of different ages could measure the time evolution of these fluxes, offering a unique window into the history of our solar system and the Milky Way. Mineral detector research is highly multidisciplinary, incorporating aspects of high energy physics, condensed matter physics, materials science, geoscience, and AI/ML for data analysis. Although realizing the scientific potential of mineral detectors poses many challenges, the MD$\nu$DM community looks forward to the continued development of mineral detector experiments and the possible discoveries that mineral detectors could reveal.


[12] 2508.20581

Exploring Strangeness Enhancement and Particle Production in Small Collision Systems with EPOS4 at $\sqrt{s_\rm{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The observation of collectivity and strangeness enhancement in small collision systems, such as proton-proton (pp) and proton-lead (p-Pb) collisions, challenges traditional assumptions regarding thermalization and particle production mechanisms. In this study, we investigate particle yields and transverse momentum distributions in pp and p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\rm{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV using the EPOS4 event generator, which employs a core-corona framework to model particle production across a variety of system sizes. EPOS4 successfully reproduces many qualitative trends observed in experimental data, including the hardening of $p_{\rm{T}}$-spectra with multiplicity, the hierarchical strangeness enhancement in strange-to-pion ratios, and characteristic modifications of particle yield ratios as a function of $p_{\rm{T}}$ and multiplicity. The microcanonical approach to core hadronization used in EPOS4 seems to provide a more realistic description of small systems compared to grand-canonical treatments. Nonetheless, quantitative discrepancies still persist in describing several physical observables. Future model refinements, including improved core-corona balancing, differential freeze-out conditions for multi-strange hadrons, and incorporation of finite strangeness correlation volumes, may be taken into account for enhancing EPOS4's predictive power and deepening our understanding of the complex dynamics governing the particle production in high-energy collisions.


[13] 2508.20676

Threshold improved $Z H$ production at the LHC

We present precise theoretical results for the $ZH$ production cross section and invariant mass distribution at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) taking into account the effects of soft gluons. We improve both quark-initiated and gluon-initiated subprocesses through threshold resummation within the QCD framework and present combined results relevant for $13.6$ TeV LHC.


[14] 2508.20694

Single- and double-heavy Hadronic Molecules

In this presentation the notion of hadronic molecules is reviewed and it is argued that some of the enigmatic single and double heavy mesons, namely the lowest lying positive parity open charm states, the $T_{cc}(3875)^+$ and the $\chi_{c1}(3872)$ aka $X(3872)$, that do not fit into the conventional quark--anti-quark scheme in fact qualify as hadronic molecules. For the single heavy states we show that an alternative explanation as diquark--anti-diquark structure is at odds with either phenomenology or lattice data. For the $X(3872)$ we discuss also the claimed isovector partner state, whose properties would provide additional strong support for a molecular structure of the $J^{PC}=1^{++}$ states near the $D\bar D^{*}$ thresholds. Its existence could be confirmed by, e.g., a high statistics measurement of the $J/\psi\pi^+\pi^-$ lineshape from $B^0\to K^0 J/\psi\pi^+\pi^-$.


[15] 2508.20728

Photon identification using the Hough transform in imaging calorimeters

Photon identification in calorimeters represents a crucial challenge in particle physics experiments, especially in high-density environments where shower overlap probabilities become significant. We present an energy-core-based photon identification method that exploits the distinct compact energy core feature of electromagnetic showers through Hough transform pattern recognition in imaging calorimeters. The method, validated through simulations of the CEPC crystal electromagnetic calorimeter, demonstrates outstanding performance. It achieves a high identification efficiency of nearly 100% for photons with energies exceeding 2 GeV and a separation efficiency approaching 100% for two 5 GeV photons when the distance between them reaches the granularity limit of the calorimeter. This advanced energy-core-based photon identification method integrated with an energy splitting technique enhances the performance of photon measurement and provides a promising tool for imaging calorimeters, particularly those requiring high precision in photon detection in complex event topologies with high multiplicity.


[16] 2508.20808

$Σ^{+}$ production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV

The measurement of $\Sigma^{+}$ production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV is presented. The measurement is performed at midrapidity in both minimum-bias and high-multiplicity pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV. The $\Sigma^{+}$ is reconstructed via its weak-decay topology in the decay channel $\Sigma^{+} \rightarrow {\rm p} + \pi^{0}$ with $\pi^{0} \rightarrow \gamma + \gamma$. In a novel approach, the neutral pion is reconstructed by combining photons that convert in the detector material with photons measured in the calorimeters. The transverse-momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) distributions of the $\Sigma^{+}$ and its rapidity densities ${\rm d}N$/${\rm d}y$ in both event classes are reported. The $p_{\rm T}$ spectrum in minimum-bias collisions is compared to QCD-inspired event generators. The ratio of $\Sigma^{+}$ to previously measured $\Lambda$ baryons is in good agreement with calculations from the Statistical Hadronization Model. The high efficiency and purity of the novel reconstruction method for $\Sigma^{+}$ presented here will enable future studies of the interaction of $\Sigma^{+}$ with protons in the context of femtoscopic measurements, which could be crucial for understanding the equation of state of neutron stars.


[17] 2508.20844

First Observation of Solar Neutrino Interactions on $^{13}$C

The SNO+ Collaboration reports the first evidence of $^{8}\text{B}$ solar neutrinos interacting on $^{13}\text{C}$ nuclei. The charged current interaction proceeds through $^{13}\text{C} + \nu_e \rightarrow {}^{13}\text{N} + e^-$ which is followed, with a 10 minute half-life, by ${}^{13}\text{N} \rightarrow {}^{13}\text{C} + e^+ +\nu_e .$ The detection strategy is based on the delayed coincidence between the electron and the positron. Evidence for the charged current signal is presented with a significance of 4.2$\sigma$. Using the natural abundance of $^{13}\text{C}$ present in the scintillator, 5.7 tonnes of $^{13}\text{C}$ over 231 days of data were used in this analysis. The 5.6$^{+3.0}_{-2.3}$ detected events in the data set are consistent with the expectation of 4.7$^{+0.6}_{-1.3}$ events. This result is the second real-time measurement of CC interactions of $^{8}\text{B}$ neutrinos with nuclei and constitutes the lowest energy observation of neutrino interactions on $^{13}\text{C}$ generally. This enables the first direct measurement of the CC $\nu_e$ reaction to the ground state of ${}^{13}\text{N}$, yielding an average cross section of $(16.1 ^{+8.5}_{-6.7} (\text{stat.}) ^{+1.6}_{-2.7} (\text{syst.}) )\times 10^{-43}$ cm$^{2}$ over the relevant $^{8}\text{B}$ solar neutrino energies.


[18] 2508.20846

Probing Scalar-Mediator Quark Couplings via CLFV Lepton-Nucleon Scattering

We investigate charged lepton flavor violating (CLFV) deep-inelastic scattering, focusing on the gluon-initiated subprocess $\ell_i g \to \ell_j g$ via the gluon effective operator $\phi\, G_{\mu \nu}^a G_a^{\mu \nu}$, and demonstrate how to probe the nature of the CLFV mediator $\phi$, specifically its mass and interaction with quarks. We consider two benchmark scenarios for the mediator-quark coupling: (i) $h$-like scenario, in which the mediator couples to heavy quarks in proportion to their masses, and (i\hspace{-1pt}i) $b$-only scenario, where the coupling is restricted to bottom quark only. We demonstrate that these scenarios can be discriminated by examining the dependence of the differential cross section on the momentum transfer. Furthermore, we show that the peak position of the differential cross section exhibits a pronounced sensitivity to both the mass of the mediator and the coupling strengths with quarks.


[19] 2508.20856

Deep learning for jet modification in the presence of the QGP background

Jet interactions with the color-deconfined QCD medium in relativistic heavy-ion collisions are conventionally assessed by measuring the modification of the distributions of jet observables with respect to their baselines in proton-proton collisions. Deep learning methods enable per-jet evaluation of these modifications, enhancing the use of jets as precision probes of the nuclear medium. In this work, we predict the jet-by-jet fractional energy loss $\chi$ for jets evolving through a quark-gluon plasma (QGP) medium using a Linear Boltzmann Transport (LBT) model. To approximate realistic experimental conditions, we embed medium-modified jets in a thermal background and apply Constituent Subtraction for background removal. Two network architectures are studied: convolutional neural networks (CNNs) using jet images, and dynamic graph convolutional neural networks (DGCNNs) using particle clouds. We find that CNNs achieve accurate predictions for background-free jets but degrade in the presence of the QGP background and remain below the background-free baseline even after background subtraction. In contrast, DGCNNs applied to background-subtracted particle clouds maintain high accuracy across the entire $\chi$ range, demonstrating the advantage of point-cloud-based graph neural networks that exploit full jet structure under realistic conditions.


[20] 2508.21028

Response of AC-coupled Low Gain Avalanche Detectors to Ionizing and Non-ionizing Radiation Damage

Low gain avalanche diodes with DC- and AC-coupled readout were exposed to ionizing and non-ionizing radiation at levels relevant to future experiments in particle, nuclear, and medical physics and to astrophysics. Damage-related change in their acceptor removal constants and in the resistivity of the region between the guard ring and the active area are reported, as is change in the leakage current and depletion voltages of the active volumes.


[21] 2508.21064

A Baryon and Lepton Number Violation Model Testable at the LHC

Proton decay experiments typically constrain baryon number violation to the scale of grand unified theories. From a phenomenological point of view, this makes direct probing of the associated new resonances, such as the X and Y bosons, out of reach for even the most optimistic future experiments. It has, however, been known that certain specific patterns of baryon and lepton number violation can suppress proton decay by multiple powers of the masses of the heavy resonances involved, opening the possibility that the observed limits on the proton lifetime are consistent with baryon number violating physics at energy scales much lower than that of grand unification. We construct an explicit example of such a model which violates baryon number by one unit, $\Delta \text{B} = -1$, and lepton number by three units, $\Delta \text{L} = -3$, and show that despite stringent limits on the predicted $p \rightarrow e^{+}/\mu^{+} \overline{\nu}\overline{\nu}$ mode from the Super-Kamiokande experiment, the masses of the newly introduced elementary particles can be $\mathcal{O}$(TeV). We identify interesting unique signatures of baryon number violation of this model that can be probed both with currently available LHC data and with the upcoming High-Luminosity LHC. We also present a scenario for low-scale baryogenesis within the framework of this model.


[22] 2504.11220

Test of lepton flavor universality with measurements of $R(D^{+})$ and $R(D^{*+})$ using semileptonic $B$ tagging at the Belle II experiment

We report measurements of the ratios of branching fractions ${\cal R}(D^{(*)+}) = \frac{{\cal B}(\overline{B}{}^0 \to D^{(*)+} \,\tau^- \, \overline{\nu}_\tau)}{{\cal B}(\overline{B}{}^0 \to D^{(*)+} \, \ell^- \, \overline{\nu}_\ell)}$, where $\ell$ denotes either an electron or a muon. These ratios test the universality of the charged-current weak interaction. The results are based on a $365\, \mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ data sample collected with the Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB $e^+e^-$ collider, which operates at a center-of-mass energy corresponding to the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance, just above the threshold for $B\overline{B}{}$ production. Signal candidates are reconstructed by selecting events in which the companion $B$ meson from the $\Upsilon(4S) \to B\overline{B}{}$ decay is identified in semileptonic modes. The $\tau$ lepton is reconstructed via its leptonic decays. We obtain ${\cal R}(D^+) = 0.418 \pm 0.074 ~({\mathrm{stat}}) \pm 0.051 ~({\mathrm{syst}})$ and ${\cal R}(D^{*+}) = 0.306 \pm 0.034 ~({\mathrm{stat}}) \pm 0.018 ~({\mathrm{syst}})$, which are consistent with world average values. Accounting for the correlation between them, these values differ from the Standard Model expectation by a collective significance of $1.7$ standard deviations.


[23] 2505.01634

Search for new physics in final states with semi-visible jets or anomalous signatures using the ATLAS detector

A search is presented for hadronic signatures of beyond the Standard Model (BSM) physics, with an emphasis on signatures of a strongly-coupled hidden dark sector accessed via resonant production of a $Z'$ mediator. The ATLAS experiment dataset collected at the Large Hadron Collider from 2015 to 2018 is used, consisting of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. The $Z'$ mediator is considered to decay to two dark quarks, which each hadronize and decay to showers containing both dark and Standard Model particles, producing a topology of interacting and non-interacting particles within a jet known as ``semi-visible". Machine learning methods are used to select these dark showers and reject the dominant background of mismeasured multijet events, including an anomaly detection approach to preserve broad sensitivity to a variety of BSM topologies. A resonance search is performed by fitting the transverse mass spectrum based on a functional form background estimation. No significant excess over the expected background is observed. Results are presented as limits on the production cross section of semi-visible jet signals, parameterized by the fraction of invisible particles in the decay and the $Z'$ mass, and by quantifying the significance of any generic Gaussian-shaped mass peak in the anomaly region.


[24] 2506.10551

Impact of angle-dependent recombination on neutrino energy reconstruction in LArTPCs

The technology of Liquid Argon Time-Projection Chambers (LArTPC) plays a very important role in modern neutrino physics. It allows precise tracking and calorimetry in detectors with very large volume and mass. One important component of LArTPC calorimetric energy reconstruction is the electron-ion recombination effect. Existing experiments have provided constraints to its empirical description, including an explicit dependence on the particle's angle with respect to the TPC's electric field. In this paper we analyze the impact of angle-dependent recombination models on the reconstruction of neutrino energy in LArTPCs. We examine in detail the predictions of the existing models, showing that there is still considerable uncertainty for the angular dependence prediction at the low values of $dE/dx$ typical of minimum ionizing particles. We apply a simple correction to overcome unphysical predictions in the non-constrained energy loss regions and evaluate the consequences of that in the bias and linearity of electron neutrino energy responses, using generator-level and electron shower simulations for neutrino energies in the range of 0.5-5 GeV. Comparing prediction with and without angular-dependence, we observe an average energy bias between -0.9\% at 0.5 GeV and -0.6\% at 5 GeV. While small, these values are close to the typical requirement of 2\% for the energy scale uncertainty of future experiments, and indicate the need to obtain actual experimental constraints at low $dE/dx$ and take the effect into account in order to achieve the best precision in future LAr TPC electron neutrino calorimetry.


[25] 2507.10713

First observation of the $\mathitΛ_b^{0}\!\rightarrow\mathitΛ_{c}^{+}D_{s}^{-}K^{+}K^{-}$ decay and search for pentaquarks in the $\mathitΛ_{c}^{+}D_{s}^{-}$ system

The $\mathit{\Lambda}_b^{0}\!\rightarrow\mathit{\Lambda}_{c}^{+}D_{s}^{-}K^{+}K^{-}$ decay is observed for the first time using the data sample from proton-proton collisions recorded at a center-of-mass energy of $13\,\text{TeV}$ with the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $6\,\text{fb}^{-1}$. The ratio of branching fraction to that of $\mathit{\Lambda}_b^{0} \!\rightarrow\mathit{\Lambda}_{c}^{+}D_{s}^{-}$ decays is measured as $0.0141 \pm 0.0019 \pm 0.0012$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. A search for hidden-charm pentaquarks with strangeness is performed in the $\mathit{\Lambda}_{c}^{+}D_{s}^{-}$ system. No evidence is found, and upper limits on the production ratio of $P_{c\bar{c}s}(4338)^0$ and $P_{c\bar{c}s}(4459)^0$ pentaquarks relative to the $\mathit{\Lambda}_{c}^{+}D_{s}^{-}$ final state are set at the $95\%$ confidence level as $0.12$ and $0.20$, respectively.


[26] 2412.02178

96 GeV Scalar Boson in the 2HDM with U(1)_H Gauge Symmetry

In this paper, we study two Higgs doublet models with gauged U(1)_H symmetry, motivated by the excesses around 96 GeV reported by the CMS collaboration in the searches for light resonances decaying to two photons and two \tau's. In this model, one Higgs doublet field is charged under the U(1)_H symmetry to avoid tree-level flavor changing neutral currents. The extra gauge symmetry requires extra chiral fermions, to satisfy the anomaly-free conditions. We analyze the signals of the light resonances, taking into account the contribution of the extra fermions, and discuss the consistency with the experimental results in this model.


[27] 2412.02607

Anatomy of singlet-doublet dark matter relic: annihilation, co-annihilation, co-scattering, and freeze-in

The singlet-doublet vector-like fermion dark matter model has been extensively studied in the literature over the past decade. An important parameter in this model is the singlet-doublet mixing angle ($\sin\theta$). All the previous studies have primarily focused on annihilation and co-annihilation processes for obtaining the correct dark matter relic density, assuming that the singlet and doublet components decouple at the same epoch. In this work, we demonstrate that this assumption holds only for larger mixing angles with a dependency on the mass of the dark matter. However, it badly fails for the mixing angle $\sin\theta<0.05$. We present a systematic study of the parameter space of the singlet-doublet dark matter relic, incorporating annihilation, co-annihilation, and, for the first time, co-scattering processes. Additionally, non-thermal productions via the freeze-in and SuperWIMP mechanism are also explored. We found that due to the inclusion of co-scattering processes, the correct relic density parameter space is shifted towards the detection sensitivity range of the LHC and MATHUSLA via displaced vertex signatures.


[28] 2503.21461

ParaFlow: fast calorimeter simulations parameterized in upstream material configurations

We study whether machine-learning models for fast calorimeter simulations can learn meaningful representations of calorimeter signatures that account for variations in the full particle detector's configuration. This may open new opportunities in high-energy physics measurements, for example in the assessment of systematic uncertainties that are related to the detector geometry, in the inference of properties of the detector configuration, or in the automated design of experiments. As a concrete example, we parameterize normalizing-flow-based simulations in configurations of the material upstream of a toy calorimeter. We call this model ParaFlow, which is trained to interpolate between different material budgets and positions, as simulated with Geant4. We study ParaFlow's performance in terms of photon shower shapes that are directly influenced by the properties of the upstream material, in which photons can convert to an electron-positron pair. In general, we find that ParaFlow is able to reproduce the dependence of the shower shapes on the material properties at the few-percent level with larger differences only in the tails of the distributions.


[29] 2504.21734

Thermoelectric Thomson coefficient of quark-gluon plasma in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field

Heavy-ion collision experiments such as the Large Hadron Collider and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider offer a unique platform to study several key properties of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP), a deconfined state of strongly interacting matter. Quarks, being the electrically charged particles, can induce an electric current in the medium in response to the temperature gradients. Hence, the QGP medium can behave like a thermoelectric medium. The thermoelectric coefficients, such as the Seebeck and Thomson coefficients, can help us to understand the intricate transport phenomenon of the medium. In peripheral collisions, the intense, transient, and time-dependent magnetic field created due to spectator protons significantly influences the thermoelectric properties of the QGP medium, affecting the charge and heat transport. This work uses the quasi-particle model to calculate the Thomson coefficient in QGP. The Thomson effect, describing the continuous heating or cooling of the charge-carrying medium in the presence of temperature gradients, remains largely unexplored in QGP. The Seebeck effect, which relates temperature gradients to induced electric fields, has been widely studied in the literature. For the first time, we calculate the magneto-Thomson and transverse Thomson coefficients. We have studied their dependence on temperature, baryon chemical potential, center of mass energy, and time-dependent magnetic field with different decay parameters. The transverse Thomson effect originates due to the presence of the Nernst effect in the presence of a magnetic field. Our results provide new insights into the higher-order thermoelectric transport properties of the QGP medium in the context of heavy-ion collisions.


[30] 2506.09490

New resonances at LHC

Due to the large QCD background, tt spectroscopy is poorly doing at LHC with the exception of a toponium type candidate observed with high statistical significance by CMS. Our previous work offers an alternate interpretation of this narrow resonance as a Kaluza Klein graviton. For heavy scalars, following ATLAS and CMS, we describe how the top loop contribution to the gluon-gluon fusion mechanisms could produce a dip rather than a bump in the mass distribution, which prevents genuine searches for heavy resonances. It seems that A470 and H650 resonances, indicated by other channels, as described in our previous work, start to be visible in the tt channel in RUN2 analyses presented by ATLAS and CMS. An NMSSM interpretation does not seem excluded, although the mass difference between these two resonances comes as a surprise. The KK graviton scenario is updated from our previous work, offering promising discoveries of charged and neutral resonances at RUN3. It allows to interpret a recent evidence for an excess in the four-top final state. It predicts an excess of h125h125 final states measurable at HL-LHC. This scenario also offers excellent prospects for abundantly producing a sequence of narrow resonances at future e+e- colliders. The present note summarises these arguments and describes available indications, complementing our collection of evidences for BSM resonances in view of electing a future collider.


[31] 2506.21959

Collins function for pion-in-jet production in polarized $pp$ collisions: a test of universality and factorization

We present an updated study of the Collins azimuthal asymmetries for pion-in-jet production in polarized $pp$ collisions. To this aim, we employ a recent extraction of the transversity and Collins fragmentation functions from semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering and $e^+ e^-$ annihilation into hadron pairs processes, obtained within a simplified transverse momentum dependent (TMD) approach at leading order and adopting a collinear configuration for the initial state. Our theoretical estimates, when compared against 200~GeV and 510~GeV data from the STAR Collaboration, show a generally good agreement for the distributions in the transverse momentum of the jet, the pion longitudinal momentum fraction and its transverse momentum with respect to the jet direction. This corroborates the hypothesis of the universality of the Collins function as well as of the TMD factorization for such processes and, once again, of a reduced impact of the proper TMD evolution on azimuthal asymmetries. We will also present predictions based on an extraction of the Collins and transversity distributions where information from data on single spin asymmetry for inclusive pion production in $p^\uparrow p$ collisions is included through a Bayesian reweighting procedure.