Adam Falkowski, Martín González-Alonso, Joachim Kopp, Yotam Soreq, Zahra Tabrizi
We investigate the sensitivity of the FASER$ν$ detector to new physics in the form of non-standard neutrino interactions. FASER$ν$, which has recently been installed 480 m downstream of the ATLAS interaction point, will for the first time study interactions of multi-TeV neutrinos from a controlled source. Our formalism -- which is applicable to any current and future neutrino experiment -- is based on the Standard Model Effective Theory~(SMEFT) and its counterpart, Weak Effective Field Theory~(WEFT), below the electroweak scale. Starting from the WEFT Lagrangian, we compute the coefficients that modify neutrino production in meson decays and detection via deep-inelastic scattering, and we express the new physics effects in terms of modified flavor transition probabilities. For some coupling structures, we find that FASER$ν$ will be able to constrain interactions that are two to three orders of magnitude weaker than Standard Model weak interactions, implying that the experiment will be indirectly probing new physics at the multi-TeV scale. In some cases, FASER$ν$ constraints will become comparable to existing limits - some of them derived for the first time in this paper - already with $150~$fb${}^{-1}$ of data.
Julian C. Berengut, Cédric Delaunay, Amy Geddes, Yotam Soreq
Atomic spectral lines for different isotopes are shifted, revealing a change in the properties of the nucleus. For spinless nuclei such isotope shifts for two distinct transitions are expected to be linearly related, at least at leading order in a change of the nuclear mass and charge distribution. Looking for a breaking of linearity in so-called King plots was proposed as a novel method to search for physics beyond the standard model. In the light of the recent experimental progress in isotope shift spectroscopy, the sensitivity of these searches will become limited by the determination of the isotope masses and/or by nuclear effects which may induce nonlinearities at an observable level. In this work, we propose two possible generalizations of the traditional King plot that overcome these limitations by including additional isotope shift measurements, thus significantly extending the new physics reach of King plots in a purely spectroscopy-driven approach.
Zhaoyu Bai, Thomas Blackburn, Oleksandr Borysov, Oz Davidi, Anthony Hartin, Beate Heinemann, Teng Ma, Gilad Perez, Arka Santra, Yotam Soreq, Noam Tal Hod
We propose a novel way to search for feebly interacting massive particles, exploiting two properties of systems involving collisions between high energy electrons and intense laser pulses. The first property is that the electron-intense-laser collision results in a large flux of hard photons, as the laser behaves effectively as a thick medium. The second property is that the emitted photons free-stream inside the laser and thus for them the laser behaves effectively as a very thin medium. Combining these two features implies that the electron-intense-laser collision is an apparatus which can efficiently convert UV electrons to a large flux of hard, co-linear photons. We further propose to direct this unique large and hard flux of photons onto a physical dump which in turn is capable of producing feebly interacting massive particles, in a region of parameters that has never been probed before. We denote this novel apparatus as ``optical dump'' or NPOD (new physics search with optical dump). The proposed LUXE experiment at Eu.XFEL has all the required basic ingredients of the above experimental concept. We discuss how this concept can be realized in practice by adding a detector after the last physical dump of the experiment to reconstruct the two-photon decay product of a new spin-0 particle. We show that even with a relatively short dump, the search can still be background free. Remarkably, even with a 40 TW laser, which corresponds to the initial run, and definitely with a 350 TW laser, of the main run with one year of data taking, LUXE-NPOD will be able to probe uncharted territory of both models of pseudo-scalar and scalar fields, and in particular probe natural of scalar theories for masses above 100 MeV.
Chaja Baruch, Philip Ilten, Yotam Soreq, Mike Williams
In this work, we explore new spin-1 states with axial couplings to the standard model fermions. We develop a data-driven method to estimate their hadronic decay rates based on data from $τ$ decays and using SU(3)$_{\rm flavor}$ symmetry. We derive the current and future experimental constraints for several benchmark models. Our framework is generic and can be used for models with arbitrary vectorial and axial couplings to quarks. We have made our calculations publicly available by incorporating them into the DarkCast package, see https://gitlab.com/darkcast/releases.
Xabier Cid Vidal, Philip Ilten, Jonathan Plews, Brian Shuve, Yotam Soreq
We study the potential of the LHCb experiment to discover, for the first time, the $μ^+μ^-$ true muonium bound state. We propose a search for the vector $1^3S_1$ state, $\mathcal{T\!M}$, which kinetically mixes with the photon and dominantly decays to $e^+e^-$. We demonstrate that a search for $η\to γ\mathcal{T\!M}$, $\mathcal{T\!M}\to e^+e^-$ in a displaced vertex can exceed a significance of 5 standard deviations assuming statistical uncertainties. We present two possible searches: an inclusive search for the $e^+e^-$ vertex, and an exclusive search which requires an additional photon and a reconstruction of the $η$ mass.
Elaad Applebaum, Aielet Efrati, Yuval Grossman, Yosef Nir, Yotam Soreq
A first measurement of time-reversal (T) asymmetries that are not also CP asymmetries has been recently achieved by the BaBar collaboration. We analyze the measured asymmetries in the presence of direct CP violation, CPT violation, wrong strangeness decays and wrong sign semileptonic decays. We note that the commonly used S_{ψK} and C_{ψK} parameters are CP-odd, but have a T-odd CPT-even part and a T-even CPT-odd part. We introduce parameters that have well-defined transformation properties under CP, T and CPT. We identify contributions to the measured asymmetries that are T conserving. We explain why, in order that the measured asymmetries would be purely odd under time-reversal, there is no need to assume the absence of direct CP violation. Instead, one needs to assume (i) the absence of CPT violation in strangeness changing decays, and (ii) the absence of wrong sign decays.
Cédric Delaunay, Tobias Golling, Gilad Perez, Yotam Soreq
We show that current Higgs data permit a significantly enhanced Higgs coupling to charm pairs, comparable to the Higgs to bottom pairs coupling in the Standard Model, without resorting to additional new physics sources in Higgs production. With a mild level of the latter current data even allow for the Higgs to charm pairs to be the dominant decay channel. An immediate consequence of such a large charm coupling is a significant reduction of the Higgs signal strengths into the known final states as in particular into bottom pairs. This might reduce the visible vector-boson associated Higgs production rate to a level that could compromise the prospects of ever observing it. We however demonstrate that a significant fraction of this reduced signal can be recovered by jet-flavor-tagging targeted towards charm-flavored jets. Finally we argue that an enhanced Higgs to charm pairs coupling can be obtained in various new physics scenarios in the presence of only a mild accidental cancellation between various contributions.
Cédric Delaunay, Claudia Frugiuele, Elina Fuchs, Yotam Soreq
The very high precision of current measurements and theory predictions of spectral lines in few-electron atoms allows to efficiently probe the existence of exotic forces between electrons, neutrons and protons. We investigate the sensitivity to new spin-independent interactions in transition frequencies (and their isotopic shifts) of hydrogen, helium and some helium-like ions. We find that present data probe new regions of the force-carrier couplings to electrons and neutrons around the MeV mass range. We also find that, below few keV, the sensitivity to the electron coupling in precision spectroscopy of helium and positronium is comparable to that of the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron. Finally, we interpret our results in the dark-photon model where a new gauge boson is kinetically mixed with the photon. There, we show that helium transitions, combined with the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron, provide the strongest indirect bound from laboratory experiments above 100keV.
Aielet Efrati, Adam Falkowski, Yotam Soreq
We derive model-independent constraints arising from the Z and W boson observables on dimension six operators in the effective theory beyond the Standard Model. In particular, we discuss the generic flavor structure for these operators as well as several flavor patterns motivated by simple new physics scenarios.
Hooman Davoudiasl, Hongkai Liu, Roman Marcarelli, Yotam Soreq, Sokratis Trifinopoulos
A Muon (Synchrotron) Ion Collider (MuSIC) can be the successor to the Electron-Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory, as well as the ideal demonstrator facility for a future multi-TeV Muon Collider. Besides its rich nuclear physics and Standard Model particle physics programs, in this work we show that the MuSIC with a TeV-scale muon beam offers also a unique opportunity to probe New Physics. In particular, the relevant searches have the potential to surpass current experimental limits and explore new regimes of the parameter space for a variety of Beyond the Standard Model scenarios including: lepton-flavor violating leptoquarks, muonphilic vector boson interactions, axion-like particles coupling to photons, and heavy sterile neutrinos. Depending on the particular case, the sensitivity of the searches in the MuSIC may span a wide range of energy scales, namely from sub-GeV particles to the few TeV New Physics mediators. Our analysis demonstrates that the MuSIC can strike a powerful chord in the search for New Physics, thanks to unique combination of features that amplify its capabilities.
Reuven Balkin, Ta'el Coren, Alexander Jentsch, Hongkai Liu, Maksym Ovchynnikov, Yotam Soreq, Sokratis Trifinopoulos
We investigate the sensitivity of the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) to invisible final states in coherent exclusive electroproduction. The characteristic signal is a forward proton with reduced energy and little additional detector activity. Using the excellent particle detection capabilities and kinematics reconstruction at the EIC, we argue that backgrounds can be strongly suppressed. While our analysis applies to various states, we specifically focus on pseudoscalar particles: (i) neutral mesons ($π^0,η^{(\prime)}$), whose invisible Standard Model decays are extremely suppressed, and (ii) gluon-coupled axion-like particles (ALPs) decaying invisibly to a dark sector. Depending on the meson species and the achievable background rejection, the EIC could strengthen existing bounds on invisible decays of pseudoscalar mesons by up to four orders of magnitude, probing branching ratios as small as ${\rm BR}(η^{(\prime)}\to{\rm inv})\sim 10^{-8}$. In addition, the EIC would directly probe invisibly decaying ALPs with the couplings up to $f_a\sim 10^5\,\text{GeV}$ and masses in the range $0.1$-$2\,\text{GeV}$.
Akitaka Ariga, Reuven Balkin, Iftah Galon, Enrique Kajomovitz, Yotam Soreq
Only two types of Standard Model particles are able to propagate the $480\,$meters separating the ATLAS interaction point and FASER: neutrinos and muons. Furthermore, muons are copiously produced in proton collisions. We propose to use FASER$ν$ as a muon fixed target experiment in order to search for new bosonic degrees of freedom coupled predominantly to muons. These muon force carriers are particularly interesting in light of the recent measurement of the muon anomalous magnetic moment. Using a novel analysis technique, we show that even in the current LHC run, FASER$ν$ could potentially probe previously unexplored parts of the parameter space. In the high-luminosity phase of the LHC, we find that the improved sensitivity of FASER$\nu2$ will probe unexplored parameter space and may be competitive with dedicated search proposals.
Yochay Eshel, Oram Gedalia, Gilad Perez, Yotam Soreq
The CDF collaboration recently reported an upper limit on boosted top pair production and noted a significant excess above the estimated background of events with two ultra-massive boosted jets. We discuss the interpretation of the measurement and its fundamental implications. In case new physics is involved, the most naive contribution is from a new particle produced with a cross section that is a few times higher than that of the top quark and a sizable hadronic branching ratio. We quantify the resulting tension of a possible larger top pair cross section with the absence of excess found in events with one massive boosted jet and missing energy. The measured planar flow distribution shows deviation from CDF's Pythia QCD prediction at high planarity, while we find a somewhat smaller deviation when comparing with other Monte Carlo tools. As a simple toy model, we analyze the case of a light gluino with R-parity violation and show that it can be made consistent with the data.
Cédric Delaunay, Jean-Philippe Karr, Teppei Kitahara, Jeroen C. J. Koelemeij, Yotam Soreq, Jure Zupan
Fundamental physical constants are determined from a collection of precision measurements of elementary particles, atoms and molecules. This is usually done under the assumption of the Standard Model~(SM) of particle physics. Allowing for light new physics~(NP) beyond the SM modifies the extraction of fundamental physical constants. Consequently, setting NP bounds using these data, and at the same time assuming the CODATA recommended values for the fundamental physical constants, is not reliable. As we show in this Letter, both SM and NP parameters can be simultaneously determined in a consistent way from a global fit. For light vectors with QED-like couplings, such as the dark photon, we provide a prescription that recovers the degeneracy with the photon in the massless limit, and requires calculations only at leading order in the small new physics couplings. At present, the data show tensions partially related to the proton charge radius determination. We show that these can be alleviated by including contributions from a light scalar with flavor non-universal couplings.
Daniel Aloni, Yotam Soreq, Mike Williams
We present a novel data-driven method for determining the hadronic interaction strengths of axion-like particles (ALPs) with QCD-scale masses. Using our method, it is possible to calculate the hadronic production and decay rates of ALPs, along with many of the largest ALP decay rate to exclusive final states. To illustrate the impact on QCD-scale ALP phenomenology, we consider the scenario where the ALP-gluon coupling is dominant over the ALP coupling to photons, electroweak bosons, and all fermions for $m_π \lesssim m_a \lesssim 3$ GeV. We emphasize, however, that our method can easily be generalized to any set of ALP couplings to SM particles. Finally, using the approach developed here, we provide calculations for the branching fractions of $η_c \to VV$ decays, i.e. $η_c$ decays into two vector mesons, which are consistent with the known experimental values.
Teppei Kitahara, Takemichi Okui, Gilad Perez, Yotam Soreq, Kohsaku Tobioka
The KOTO experiment recently reported four candidate events in the signal region of $K_L\to π^0 ν\barν$ search, where the standard model only expects $0.10\pm 0.02$ events. If confirmed, this requires physics beyond the standard model to enhance the signal. We examine various new physics interpretations of the result including these: (1) heavy new physics boosting the standard model signal, (2) reinterpretation of "$ν\barν$" as a new light long-lived particle, or (3) reinterpretation of the whole signal as the production of a new light long-lived particle at the fixed target. We study the above explanations in the context of a generalized new physics Grossman-Nir bound coming from the $K^+ \to π^+ν\barν$ decay, bounded by data from the E949 and the NA62 experiments.
Marco Gorghetto, Gilad Perez, Inbar Savoray, Yotam Soreq
In this paper we study CP violation in photon self-interactions at low energy. These interactions, mediated by the effective operator $FFF\tilde{F}$, where ($\tilde F$) $F$ is the (dual) electromagnetic field strength, have yet to be directly probed experimentally. Possible sources for such interactions are weakly coupled light scalars with both scalar and pseudoscalar couplings to photons (for instance, complex Higgs-portal scalars or the relaxion), or new light fermions coupled to photons via dipole operators. We propose a method to isolate the CP-violating contribution to the photon self-interactions using Superconducting Radio-Frequency cavities and vacuum birefringence experiments. In addition, we consider several theoretical and experimental indirect bounds on the scale of new physics associated with the above effective operator, and present projections for the sensitivity of the proposed experiments to this scale. We also discuss the implications of these bounds on the CP-violating couplings of new light particles coupled to photons.
Alexander L. Kagan, Gilad Perez, Frank Petriello, Yotam Soreq, Stoyan Stoynev, Jure Zupan
We show that both flavor-conserving and flavor-violating Yukawa couplings of the Higgs boson to first- and second-generation quarks can be probed by measuring rare decays of the form h->MV, where M denotes a vector meson and V indicates either gamma, W or Z. We calculate the branching ratios for these processes in both the Standard Model and its possible extensions. We discuss the experimental prospects for their observation. The possibility of accessing these Higgs couplings appears to be unique to the high-luminosity LHC and future hadron colliders, providing further motivation for those machines.
Aielet Efrati, Eric Kuflik, Shmuel Nussinov, Yotam Soreq, Tomer Volansky
We study a scenario in which the dilaton, a pseudo-Goldstone boson of the spontaneous breaking of conformal symmetry, provides a portal between dark matter and the visible sector. We consider the low-energy description of the theory in which the dilaton mixes with the Standard Model Higgs boson, thereby predicting a second scalar at or above the weak scale. We derive the collider and dark matter constraints on the corresponding parameter space and find that existing experimental data point towards the decoupling limit in which the CFT scale is well above the electroweak scale. Moreover, the thermal production of dark matter implies its mass is likely above the TeV scale. Upcoming direct detection experiments may allow for the discovery of the dilaton-mediated thermal dark matter while future collider studies will also be sensitive to the available parameter space.
Cédric Delaunay, Oram Gedalia, Yonit Hochberg, Yotam Soreq
We derive generic predictions at hadron colliders from the large forward-backward asymmetry observed at the Tevatron, assuming the latter arises from heavy new physics beyond the Standard Model. We use an effective field theory approach to characterize the associated unknown dynamics. By fitting the Tevatron t \bar t data we derive constraints on the form of the new physics. Furthermore, we show that heavy new physics explaining the Tevatron data generically enhances at high invariant masses both the top pair production cross section and the charge asymmetry at the LHC. This enhancement can be within the sensitivity of the 8 TeV run, such that the 2012 LHC data should be able to exclude a large class of models of heavy new physics or provide hints for its presence. The same new physics implies a contribution to the forward-backward asymmetry in bottom pair production at low invariant masses of order a permil at most.