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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Search for neutron decay into an antineutrino and a neutral kaon in 0.401 megaton-years exposure of Super-Kamiokande

We searched for bound neutron decay via 𝑛 → $\bar{𝜈}$ +𝐾 0 predicted by the grand unified theories in 0.401 Mton·years exposure of all pure water phases in the Super-Kamiokande detector. About 4.4 times more data than in the previous search have been analyzed by a new method including a spectrum fit to kaon invariant mass distributions. No significant data excess has been observed in the signal regions. As a result of this analysis, we set a lower limit of 7.8 × 10 32 years on the neutron lifetime at a 90% confidence level.

Cherenkov detectors↗
DOE OSTI2025

Measurement of correlations among net-charge, net-proton, and net-kaon multiplicity distributions in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

Correlations among conserved quantum numbers, such as the net-electric charge, the net-baryon, and the net-strangeness in heavy-ion collisions, are crucial for exploring the QCD phase diagram. In this paper, these correlations are investigated using net-proton number (as a proxy for the net-baryon), net-kaon number (for the net-strangeness), and net-charged particle number in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector. The observed correlations deviate from the Poissonian baseline, with a more pronounced deviation at LHC energies than at RHIC. Theoretical calculations of the Thermal-FIST hadron resonance gas model, HIJING, and EPOS LHC event generators are compared with experimental results, where a significant impact of resonance decays is observed. Thermal-FIST calculations under the grand canonical and canonical ensembles highlight significant differences, underscoring the role of local charge conservation in explaining the data. Recent lattice QCD studies have demonstrated that the magnetic field generated by spectator protons in heavy-ion collisions affects susceptibility ratios, in particular those related to the net-electric charge and the net-baryon numbers. The experimental findings are in qualitative agreement with the expectations of lattice QCD.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Production of muonic kaon atoms at high-energy colliders

We develop a framework for the formation of exotic muonic kaon atoms ($K\mu$) in semileptonic $D^{0}$ decays, using the effective weak Hamiltonian, a helicity-based treatment of the leptonic current, and a nonrelativistic bound-state projection. The resulting branching ratio, $\mathrm{BR}(D^{0}\!\to(K\mu )\nu_{\mu})=2.29\times10^{-10}$, is implemented in a ROOT-based code to estimate yields at RHIC, LHC, and STCF. We show quantitatively that $K\mu$ atoms—also produced through coalescence in the quark--gluon plasma (QGP)—provide a sensitive probe of low-momentum primordial muons and early-time electromagnetic radiation, offering complementary constraints in an otherwise unexplored phase space for thermal dilepton and photon emission. Newly estimated dissociation cross sections in detector material indicate that secondary‑vertex reconstruction should be experimentally feasible, allowing clean experimental identification of the atoms. Projected yields from QGP coalescence in LHC and RHIC heavy-ion collisions, and from $D^{0}$ decays in LHC high-luminosity $p+p$ collisions indicate that the first observation of $K\mu$ atoms is within reach. Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Article funded by SCOAP3 and published under licence by Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Unitary coupled-channel three-body amplitude with pions and kaons

Three-body dynamics above threshold is required for the reliable extraction of many amplitudes and resonances from experiment and lattice QCD. The S-matrix principle of unitarity can be used to construct dynamical coupled-channel approaches in which three particles scatter off each other, rearranging two-body subsystems by particle exchange. This paper reports the development of a three-body coupled-channel, amplitude including pions and kaons. The unequal-mass amplitude contains two-body S- and P-wave subsystems (“isobars”) of all isospins, 𝐼 = 0,1/2,1,3/2,2 , and it also allows for transitions within a given isobar. The 𝑓 0 ⁡(500)⁢(𝜎),𝑓 0 ⁡(980),𝜌⁡(700),𝐾$^{*}_{0}$⁡(700)⁢(𝜅), and 𝐾*⁡(892) resonances are included, apart from repulsive isobars. Different methods to evaluate the amplitude for physical momenta are discussed. Production amplitudes for 𝑎 1 quantum numbers are shown as a proof of principle for the numerical implementation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Search for a Hidden Sector Scalar from Kaon Decay in the Dimuon Final State at ICARUS

We present a search for long-lived particles (LLPs), produced in kaon decays, that decay to two muons inside the ICARUS neutrino detector. This channel would be a signal of hidden sector models that can address outstanding issues in particle physics such as the strong CP problem and the microphysical origin of dark matter. The search is performed with data collected in the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam at Fermilab corresponding to 2.41 × 10 20 protons-on-target. No new physics signal is observed, and we set world leading limits on heavy QCD axions, as well as for the Higgs portal scalar among dedicated searches. Limits are also presented in a model-independent way applicable to any new physics model predicting the process 𝐾 → 𝜋 + 𝑆⁡(→ 𝜇⁢𝜇), for a LLP 𝑆. This result is the first search for new physics performed with the ICARUS detector at Fermilab. It paves the way for the future program of LLP searches at ICARUS.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Pion and kaon PDFs from lattice QCD via large momentum effective theory and short-distance factorization

In this paper, we present a first-principles lattice-QCD calculation of the unpolarized quark PDF for the pion and the kaon. The lattice data rely on matrix elements calculated for boosted mesons coupled to non-local operators containing a Wilson line. The calculations on this lattice ensemble correspond to two degenerate light, a strange, and a charm quark (𝑁 𝑓 = 2 + 1 + 1), using maximally twisted mass fermions with a clover term. The lattice volume is 32 3 × 64, with a lattice spacing of 0.0934 fm, and a pion mass of 260 MeV. Matrix elements are calculated for hadron boosts of |𝑃 3 | = 0, 0.41, 0.83, 1.25, 1.66, and 2.07 GeV. To match lattice QCD results to their light-cone counterparts, we employ two complementary frameworks: the large-momentum effective theory (LaMET) and the short-distance factorization (SDF). Using these approaches in parallel, we also test the lattice data to identify methodology-driven systematics. Results are presented for the standard quark PDFs, as well as the valence sector. Beyond obtaining the PDFs, we also explore the possibility of extracting information on SU(3) flavor-symmetry-breaking effects. For LaMET, we also parametrize the momentum dependence to obtain the infinite-momentum PDFs. Since the present calculation is performed on a single ensemble at a pion mass of 260 MeV and fixed lattice spacing, the uncertainties reported are statistical only, and systematic uncertainties remain to be addressed in future multi-ensemble studies.

Miller, Joshua [Temple University, Philadelphia, P↗
DOE OSTI2025

Neutrino Physics Opportunities with Pion and Kaon Decay-at-Rest Neutrino Source

Low-energy neutrino sources, such as those from stopped-pion, stopped-kaon or core-collapse supernova, interact with target nuclei in detectors through either coherent elastic or inelastic scattering processes. These interactions provide valuable insights into various Standard Model and Beyond the Standard Model phenomena, with significant implications for nuclear physics, particle physics, and astrophysics. The precision of coherent elastic scattering, where the nucleus remains in its ground state, depends on the accuracy of the underlying weak form factor of the nucleus. In contrast, inelastic scattering, where neutrinos excite the target nucleus to low-lying nuclear states, involves complex nuclear structures and dynamics and are quite poorly constrained. In this talk, I will present the physics opportunities offered by these neutrino sources, produced as secondary beams in an electron beam dump configuration at Jefferson Lab, and discuss their synergy with global neutrino experiments.

Pandey, Vishvas [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2026

First Measurement of Charged Current Muon Neutrino-Induced Kaon Production on Argon using the MicroBooNE Detector

MicroBooNE is an 85-tonne active mass liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) neutrino detector exposed to the Booster Neutrino Beamline (BNB) at Fermilab. One of the key physics goals is the precise measurement of neutrino interactions on argon in the 1 GeV energy regime. The study of strange and heavier meson production in neutrino interactions, in particular final states containing $K^{+}$, will help to improve the background estimates for future nucleon decay searches in experiments such as DUNE, provide valuable input for improving neutrino generator models, and will allow the development of techniques to enhance the particle identification capabilities of LArTPCs. In this work, we present the first-ever cross-section measurements of charged current muon neutrino-induced kaon production on argon at MicroBooNE.

Rodriguez Rondon, Jairo H. [South Dakota Sch. Mine↗
NASA NTRS1993

Bose-Einstein correlation of kaons in Si + Au collisions at 14.6 A GeV/c

The E-802 spectrometer at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron, enhanced by a trigger for selection of events with one or more specified particles, has been used to measure the momentum-space correlation between pairs of K(+)s emitted in central Si + Au collisions at 14.6 A GeV/c. This correlation has been projected onto the Lorentz-invariant relative four-momentum axis. Fits to this correlation function yield a size for the kaon source that is comparable to that found using pi(+) pairs from a similar rapidity range, once a transformation from the particle-pair frames to a single source frame is made.

Akiba, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Parameterization of spectral distributions for pion and kaon production in proton-proton collisions

Accurate semi-empirical parameterizations of the energy-differential cross sections for charged pion and kaon production from proton-proton collisions are presented at energies relevant to cosmic rays. The parameterizations depend on the outgoing meson momentum and also the proton energy, and are able to be reduced to very simple analytical formulas suitable for cosmic-ray transport.

Schneider, John P.↗
DOE OSTI2025

First Measurement of Charged Current Muon Neutrino-Induced Kaon Production on Argon

The Micro Booster Neutrino Experiment (MicroBooNE) is a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) neutrino detector with an 85-ton active volume, located on-axis to the Booster Neutrino Beamline (BNB) at Fermilab. The detector is exposed to a neutrino flux with average energy of 800 MeV and was designed to study neutrino interactions on argon, particularly in the 1 GeV energy range. Among its main goals is the investigation of neutrino-induced strange particle production at final-state, with a specific interest on charged kaons ($K^{+}$). The understanding of this neutrino interaction is crucial for refining background models in future nucleon decay searches on others LArTPCs experiments such as the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). Additionally, the techniques developed for the identification of neutrino-induced $K^{+}$ will contribute to improving particle identification methods in LArTPC-based detectors. This thesis is reporting the first-ever measurement of the flux-integrated cross section for charged-current muon neutrino-induced $K^{+}$ production on argon, determined to be $7.93 \pm 3.27(\text{stat.}) \pm 2.92(\text{syst.}) \times 10^{-42}$ cm$^2$/nucleon, based on the MicroBooNE dataset corresponding to $6.88 \times 10^{20}$ Protons on Target (POT).

Rodriguez Rondon, Jairo H. [South Dakota Sch. Mine↗
DOE OSTI2026

Revisiting the three-kaon interaction and its relation with 𝐾⁡(1460)

Here, we test the hypothesis of 𝐾⁡(1460) being a hadronic 𝐽 𝑃 = 0 − molecule through nonperturbative 𝑆-wave $KK\bar{⁢K}$, 𝐾⁢𝜋⁢𝜋, 𝐾⁢𝜋⁢𝜂 coupled-channel dynamics in a three-body unitary isobar approach. The scalar two-body coupled-channel resonances 𝑓 0 ⁡(500), 𝑓 0 ⁡(980), 𝑎 0 ⁡(980), and 𝐾$^*_0$⁡(700) are generated in the subsytems in amplitudes that match phase shifts from experiment. In a first step, previous results in the limit of mass-degenerate, stable 𝑓 0 and 𝑎 0 isobars are reproduced. Once the full seven-coupled channel model is switched on, other 𝑆-matrix effects obscure and modify the resonance signal, including complex thresholds, a two-body cusp, and a triangle singularity at threshold.

Döring, M. [George Washington Univ., Washington, D↗
NASA NTRS2008

Pion and Kaon Lab Frame Differential Cross Sections for Intermediate Energy Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

Space radiation transport codes require accurate models for hadron production in intermediate energy nucleus-nucleus collisions. Codes require cross sections to be written in terms of lab frame variables and it is important to be able to verify models against experimental data in the lab frame. Several models are compared to lab frame data. It is found that models based on algebraic parameterizations are unable to describe intermediate energy differential cross section data. However, simple thermal model parameterizations, when appropriately transformed from the center of momentum to the lab frame, are able to account for the data.

Norbury, John W.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Lattice QCD calculation of 𝑥-dependent meson distribution amplitudes at physical pion mass with threshold logarithm resummation

We present a lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculation of the 𝑥-dependent pion and kaon distribution amplitudes (DA) in the framework of large momentum effective theory. This calculation is performed on a fine lattice of 𝑎 = 0.076 fm at physical pion mass, with the pion boosted to 1.8 GeV and kaon boosted to 2.3 GeV. We renormalize the matrix elements in the hybrid scheme and match to Math output error with a subtraction of the leading renormalon in the Wilson-line mass. The perturbative matching is improved by resumming the large logarithms related to the small quark and gluon momenta in the soft-gluon limit. After resummation, we demonstrate that we are able to calculate a range of 𝑥 ∈[𝑥 0 ,1 − 𝑥 0 ] with 𝑥 0 = 0.25 for pion and 𝑥 0 = 0.2 for kaon with theoretical systematic errors under control. The kaon DA is shown to be slighted skewed, and narrower than pion DA. Although the 𝑥-dependence cannot be direct calculated beyond these ranges, we estimate higher moments of the pion and kaon DAs by complementing our calculation with short-distance factorization.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1993

Scattering calculations and confining interactions

Most of the research work performed under this grant were concerned with strong interaction processes ranging from kaon-nucleon interaction to proton-nucleus scattering calculations. Research performed under this grant can be categorized into three groups: (1) parametrization of fundamental interactions, (2) development of formal theory, and (3) calculations based upon the first two. Parametrizations of certain fundamental interactions, such as kaon-nucleon interaction, for example, were necessary because kaon-nucleon scattering amplitude was needed to perform kaon-nucleus scattering calculations. It was possible to calculate kaon-nucleon amplitudes from the first principle, but it was unnecessary for the purpose of the project. Similar work was also done for example for anti-protons and anti-nuclei. Formal developments to some extent were also pursued so that consistent calculations can be done.

Buck, Warren W.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Search for the production of Higgs-portal scalar bosons in the NuMI beam using the MicroBooNE detector

We present the strongest experimental limits to date on the mixing angle, 𝜃, with which a new scalar particle, 𝑆, mixes with the Higgs field in the mass range 110 MeV < 𝑚 𝑆 <155 MeV. This result uses the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber to search for decays of these Higgs-portal scalar particles through the 𝑆 → 𝑒 + ⁢𝑒 − channel with the decays of kaons in the NuMI neutrino beam acting as the source of the scalar particles. The analysis uses an exposure of 2.01 × 10 21 protons on target of NuMI beam data including periods when the beam focusing system was configured to focus positively charged hadrons and separate periods when negatively charged hadrons were focused. The analysis searches for scalar particles produced from kaons decaying in flight in the beam’s decay volume and at rest in the target and absorber. At 𝑚 𝑆 =125 MeV (𝑚 𝑆 =150 MeV) we set a limit of 𝜃 < 3.19 ×10 −4 (𝜃 < 2.79 ×10 −4 ) at the 95% confidence level.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Search for the Higgs boson decays to a ρ 0 , ϕ, or K ⁎0 meson and a photon in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV

Three rare decay processes of the Higgs boson to a ρ(770) 0 , Φ(1020), or K ⁎ (892) 0 meson and a photon are searched for using $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Events are selected assuming the mesons decay into a pair of charged pions, a pair of charged kaons, or a charged kaon and pion, respectively. Depending on the Higgs boson production mode, different triggering and reconstruction techniques are adopted. The analyzed data sets correspond to integrated luminosities up to 138 fb -1 , depending on the reconstructed final state. After combining various data sets and categories, no significant excess above the background expectations is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level on the Higgs boson branching fractions into ρ(770) 0 $γ$, Φ(1020)$γ$, and K ⁎ (892) 0 are determined to be 3.7 x 10 -4 , 3.0 x 10 -4 , and 3.0 x 10 -4 , respectively. In case of the ρ(770) 0 $γ$ and Φ(1020)$γ$ channels, these are the most stringent experimental limits to date.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗