Physics Behind Precision
This document provides a writeup of contributions to the FCC-ee mini-workshop on "Physics behind precision" held at CERN, on 2-3 February 2016.
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arXiv subjects
P. Langacker
Publications and source records attributed to P. Langacker.
A White Paper on keV Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter
We present a comprehensive review of keV-scale sterile neutrino Dark Matter, collecting views and insights from all disciplines involved - cosmology, astrophysics, nuclear, and particle physics - in each case viewed from both theoretical and experimental/observational perspectives. After reviewing the role of active neutrinos in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology, we focus on sterile neutrinos in the context of the Dark Matter puzzle. Here, we first review the physics motivation for sterile neutrino Dark Matter, based on challenges and tensions in purely cold Dark Matter scenarios. We then round out the discussion by critically summarizing all known constraints on sterile neutrino Dark Matter arising from astrophysical observations, laboratory experiments, and theoretical considerations. In this context, we provide a balanced discourse on the possibly positive signal from X-ray observations. Another focus of the paper concerns the construction of particle physics models, aiming to explain how sterile neutrinos of keV-scale masses could arise in concrete settings beyond the Standard Model of elementary particle physics. The paper ends with an extensive review of current and future astrophysical and laboratory searches, highlighting new ideas and their experimental challenges, as well as future perspectives for the discovery of sterile neutrinos.
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Baryon Number Violation
This report, prepared for the Community Planning Study - Snowmass 2013 - summarizes the theoretical motivations and the experimental efforts to search for baryon number violation, focussing on nucleon decay and neutron-antineutron oscillations. Present and future nucleon decay search experiments using large underground detectors, as well as planned neutron-antineutron oscillation search experiments with free neutron beams are highlighted.
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New Particles Working Group Report of the Snowmass 2013 Community Summer Study
This report summarizes the work of the Energy Frontier New Physics working group of the 2013 Community Summer Study (Snowmass).
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Study of Electroweak Interactions at the Energy Frontier
With the discovery of the Higgs boson, the spectrum of particles in the Standard Model (SM) is complete. It is more important than ever to perform precision measurements and to test for deviations from SM predictions in the electroweak sector. In this report, we investigate two themes in the arena of precision electroweak measurements: the electroweak precision observables (EWPOs) that test the particle content and couplings in the SM and the minimal supersymmetric SM, and the measurements involving multiple gauge bosons in the final state which provide unique probes of the basic tenets of electroweak symmetry breaking. Among the important EWPOs we focus our discussion on M_W and sin^2 theta_eff^l, and on anomalous quartic gauge couplings probed by triboson production and vector boson scattering. We investigate the thresholds of precision that need to be achieved in order to be sensitive to new physics. We study the precision that can be achieved at various facilities on these observables. We discuss the calculational tools needed to predict SM rates and distributions in order to perform these measurements at the required precision. This report summarizes the work of the Energy Frontier Precision Study of Electroweak Interactions working group of the 2013 Community Summer Study (Snowmass).
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Exploring Quantum Physics at the ILC
We review the ILC capabilities to explore the electroweak (EW) sector of the SM at high precision and the prospects of unveiling signals of BSM physics, either through the presence of new particles in higher-order corrections or via direct production of extra EW gauge bosons. This includes electroweak precision observables, global fits to the SM Higgs boson mass as well as triple and quartic gauge boson couplings.
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Light Sterile Neutrinos: A White Paper
This white paper addresses the hypothesis of light sterile neutrinos based on recent anomalies observed in neutrino experiments and the latest astrophysical data.
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Impact of extra particles on indirect Z' limits
We study the possibility of relaxing the indirect limits on extra neutral vector bosons by their interplay with additional new particles. They can be systematically weakened, even below present direct bounds at colliders, by the addition of more vector bosons and/or scalars designed for this purpose. Otherwise, they appear to be robust.
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Z' Searches: From Tevatron to LHC
The CDF collaboration has set lower limits on the masses of the Z' bosons occurring in a range of E_6 GUT based models. We revisit their analysis and extend it to certain other E_6 scenarios as well as to some general classes of models satisfying the anomaly cancellation conditions, which are not included in the CDF analysis. We also suggest a Bayesian statistical method for finding exclusion limits on the Z' mass, which allows one to explore a wide range of the U(1)' gauge coupling parameter. This method also takes into account the effects of interference between the Z' and the SM gauge bosons.
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The Hunt for New Physics at the Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider presents an unprecedented opportunity to probe the realm of new physics in the TeV region and shed light on some of the core unresolved issues of particle physics. These include the nature of electroweak symmetry breaking, the origin of mass, the possible constituent of cold dark matter, new sources of CP violation needed to explain the baryon excess in the universe, the possible existence of extra gauge groups and extra matter, and importantly the path Nature chooses to resolve the hierarchy problem - is it supersymmetry or extra dimensions. Many models of new physics beyond the standard model contain a hidden sector which can be probed at the LHC. Additionally, the LHC will be a top factory and accurate measurements of the properties of the top and its rare decays will provide a window to new physics. Further, the LHC could shed light on the origin of neutralino masses if the new physics associated with their generation lies in the TeV region. Finally, the LHC is also a laboratory to test the hypothesis of TeV scale strings and D-brane models. An overview of these possibilities is presented in the spirit that it will serve as a companion to the Technical Design Reports (TDRs) by the particle detector groups ATLAS and CMS to facilitate the test of the new theoretical ideas at the LHC. Which of these ideas stands the test of the LHC data will govern the course of particle physics in the subsequent decades.
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Constraints on the mass and mixing of Z' bosons
We tested several models in which the Standard Model (SM) gauge group is extended by an additional U(1) gauge symmetry, against available electroweak precision data to impose limits on the mass of the neutral Z' boson, M_Z', predicted in all such models, and on the Z-Z' mixing angle, theta_ZZ', at 95% C.L. We found lower limits on M_Z' of order 1 TeV in most cases, while theta_ZZ' was found to be constrained to very small values.
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CP Studies and Non-Standard Higgs Physics
There are many possibilities for new physics beyond the Standard Model that feature non-standard Higgs sectors. These may introduce new sources of CP violation, and there may be mixing between multiple Higgs bosons or other new scalar bosons. Alternatively, the Higgs may be a composite state, or there may even be no Higgs at all. These non-standard Higgs scenarios have important implications for collider physics as well as for cosmology, and understanding their phenomenology is essential for a full comprehension of electroweak symmetry breaking. This report discusses the most relevant theories which go beyond the Standard Model and its minimal, CP-conserving supersymmetric extension: two-Higgs-doublet models and minimal supersymmetric models with CP violation, supersymmetric models with an extra singlet, models with extra gauge groups or Higgs triplets, Little Higgs models, models in extra dimensions, and models with technicolour or other new strong dynamics. For each of these scenarios, this report presents an introduction to the phenomenology, followed by contributions on more detailed theoretical aspects and studies of possible experimental signatures at the LHC and other colliders.
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Supersymmetry Parameter Analysis: SPA Convention and Project
High-precision analyses of supersymmetry parameters aim at reconstructing the fundamental supersymmetric theory and its breaking mechanism. A well defined theoretical framework is needed when higher-order corrections are included. We propose such a scheme, Supersymmetry Parameter Analysis SPA, based on a consistent set of conventions and input parameters. A repository for computer programs is provided which connect parameters in different schemes and relate the Lagrangian parameters to physical observables at LHC and high energy e+e- linear collider experiments, i.e., masses, mixings, decay widths and production cross sections for supersymmetric particles. In addition, programs for calculating high-precision low energy observables, the density of cold dark matter (CDM) in the universe as well as the cross sections for CDM search experiments are included. The SPA scheme still requires extended efforts on both the theoretical and experimental side before data can be evaluated in the future at the level of the desired precision. We take here an initial step of testing the SPA scheme by applying the techniques involved to a specific supersymmetry reference point.
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Theory of Neutrinos: A White Paper
During 2004, four divisions of the American Physical Society commissioned a study of neutrino physics to take stock of where the field is at the moment and where it is going in the near and far future. Several working groups looked at various aspects of this vast field. The summary was published as a main report entitled ``The Neutrino Matrix'' accompanied by short 50 page versions of the report of each working group. Theoretical research in this field has been quite extensive and touches many areas and the short 50 page report provided only a brief summary and overview of few of the important points. The theory discussion group felt that it may be of value to the community to publish the entire study as a white paper and the result is the current article. After a brief overview of the present knowledge of neutrino masses and mixing and some popular ways to probe the new physics implied by recent data, the white paper summarizes what can be learned about physics beyond the Standard Model from the various proposed neutrino experiments. It also comments on the impact of the experiments on our understanding of the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the Universe and the basic nature of neutrino interactions as well as the existence of possible additional neutrinos. Extensive references to original literature are provided.
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Theory of Neutrinos
After a brief overview of the present knowledge of neutrino masses and mixing, we summarize what can be learned about physics beyond the standard model from the various proposed neutrino experiments. We also comment on the impact of the experiments on our understanding of the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the Universe as well as what can be learned from some experiments outside the domain of neutrinos.
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No-go for detecting CP violation via neutrinoless double beta decay
We present a necessary condition on the solar oscillation amplitude for CP violation to be detectable through neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay. It depends only on the fractional uncertainty in the ν_e-ν_e element of the neutrino mass matrix. We demonstrate that even under very optimistic assumptions about the sensitivity of future experiments to the absolute neutrino mass scale, and on the precision with which nuclear matrix elements that contribute to 0νββdecay are calculable, it will be impossible to detect neutrino CP violation arising from Majorana phases.
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Constraints on Large Extra Dimensions from Neutrino Oscillation Experiments
The existence of bulk sterile neutrinos in theories with large extra dimensions can naturally explain small 4-dimensional Dirac masses for the active neutrinos. We study a model with 3 bulk neutrinos and derive various constraints on the size of the extra dimensions from neutrino oscillation experiments. Our analysis includes recent solar and atmospheric data from SNO and Super-Kamiokande, respectively, as well as various reactor and accelerator experiments. In addition, we comment on possible extensions of the model that could accommodate the LSND results, using natural parameters only. Our most conservative bound, obtained from the atmospheric data in the hierarchical mass scheme, constrains the largest extra dimension to have a radius R < 0.82 microns. Thus, in the context of the model studied here, future gravitational experiments are unlikely to observe the effects of extra dimensions.
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Report of the Beyond the MSSM Subgroup for the Tevatron Run II SUSY/Higgs Workshop
There are many low-energy models of supersymmetry breaking parameters which are motivated by theoretical and experimental considerations. Here, we discuss some of the lesser-known theories of low-energy supersymmetry, and outline their phenomenological consequences. In some cases, these theories have more gauge symmetry or particle content than the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. In other cases, the parameters of the Lagrangian are unusual compared to commonly accepted norms (e.g., Wino LSP, heavy gluino LSP, light gluino, etc.). The phenomenology of supersymmetry varies greatly between the different models. Correspondingly, particular aspects of the detectors assume greater or lesser importance. Detection of supersymmetry and the determination of all parameters may well depend upon having the widest possible view of supersymmetry phenomenology.
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