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At least 919 records · Page 51
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Dark showers from sneaky dark matter

We present a minimal composite dark matter model, based on a SU(Nd) dark sector with nf dark quarks and a heavy t-channel mediator. For nf ≥ 4, the dark flavor symmetry guarantees the stability of a subset of the dark pions, which serve as our dark matter candidates. Their relic abundance is determined by dark sector annihilation with the remaining dark pions, which are unstable and decay. Due to their degenerate masses, the annihilation cross section is suppressed at low temperatures, thereby avoiding stringent constraints from indirect detection and opening up the GeV mass window. The decaying dark pions are naturally long lived. We obtain limits on the model from semi-visible or emerging jet searches and estimate the reach of future probes.

ALPs↗
DOE OSTI2019

Dark mesons at the LHC

A new, strongly-coupled “dark” sector could be accessible to LHC searches now. These dark sectors consist of composites formed from constituents that are charged under the electroweak group and interact with the Higgs, but are neutral under Standard Model color. In these scenarios, the most promising target is the dark meson sector, consisting of dark vector-mesons as well as dark pions. In this paper we study dark meson production and decay at the LHC in theories that preserve a global SU(2) dark flavor symmetry. Dark pions — like the pions of QCD — can be pair-produced through resonant dark vector meson production, pp → ρ D → π D π D , and decay in one of two distinct ways: “gaugephobic”, when π D →$f\bar{f}$' generally dominates; or “gaugephilic”, when π D → W + h, Z + h dominates once kinematically open. Unlike QCD, the decay π$^D_0$ → γγ is virtually absent due to the dark flavor symmetry. We recast a vast set of existing LHC searches to determine the current constraints on (and future opportunities for) dark meson production and decay. When m ρD is slightly heavier than 2m π${_D}$ and ρ$^{±,0}_D$ kinetically mixes with the weak gauge bosons, the 8 TeV same-sign lepton search strategy sets the best bound, m π${_D}$ > 500 GeV. Yet, when only the ρ$^0_D$ kinetically mixes with hypercharge, we find the strongest LHC bound is m π${_D}$ > 130 GeV, that is only slightly better than what LEP II achieved two decades ago. We find the relative insensitivity of LHC searches, especially at 13 TeV, can be blamed mainly on their penchant for high mass objects or large missing energy. Dedicated searches would undoubtedly yield substantially improved sensitivity. We provide a GitHub page to speed the implementation of these searches in future LHC analyses. Our findings for dark meson production and decay provide a strong motivation for model-independent searches of the form pp → A → B + C → SM SM + SM SM where the theoretical prejudice is for SM to be a 3rd generation quark or lepton, W, Z, or h.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Circles and triangles, the NLSM and Tr(Φ 3 )

A surprising connection has recently been made between the amplitudes for Tr(Φ 3 ) theory and the non-linear sigma model (NLSM). A simple shift of kinematic variables naturally suggested by the associahedron/stringy representation of Tr(Φ 3 ) theory yields pion amplitudes at all loops. In this note we provide an elementary motivation and proof for this link going in the opposite direction, starting from the non-linear sigma model and discovering its formulation as a sum over triangulations of surfaces with simple numerator factors. This uses an ancient connection between “circles” and “triangles”, interpreting the equation y = $\sqrt{1 – x^2}$ both as parametrizing points a circle as well as generating the number of triangulations of polygons. A further simplification of the numerator factors exposes them as arising from the kinematically shifted Tr(Φ3) theory, and gives rise to novel tropical representations of NLSM amplitudes. The connection to Tr(Φ 3 ) theory defines a natural notion of “surface-soft limit” intrinsic to curves on surfaces. Remarkably, with this definition, the soft limit of pion amplitudes vanishes directly at the level of the integrand, via obvious pairwise cancellations. We also give simple, explicit expressions for the multi-soft factors for tree and loop-level integrands in the limit as any number of pions are taken “surface-soft”.

Scattering Amplitudes↗
DOE OSTI2018

Exploring Hyperon Structure with Electromagnetic Transverse Densities

Here, we explore the structure of the spin-1/2 flavor-octet baryons (hyperons) through their electromagnetic transverse densities. The transverse densities describe the distribution of charge and magnetization at fixed light-front time and enable a spatial representation of the baryons as relativistic systems. At peripheral distances b~1/M π the transverse densities are computed using a new method that combines chiral effective field theory (χEFT) and dispersion analysis. The peripheral isovector densities arise from two-pion exchange, which includes the ρ resonance through elastic unitarity. The isoscalar densities are estimated from vector meson exchange (ω,Φ). We find that the “pion cloud” in the charged Σ hyperons is comparable to the nucleon, while in the Ξ it is suppressed. The Λ–Σ 0 transition density is pure isovector and represents a clear manifestation of peripheral two-pion dynamics.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

$f$ 0 (980) production in inelastic pp collisions at s = 5.02 TeV

The measurement of the production of f 0 (980) in inelastic pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 5.02 TeV is presented. This is the first reported measurement of inclusive f 0 (980) yield at LHC energies. The production is measured at midrapidity, |y| < 0.5, in a wide transverse momentum range, 0 < p T < 16 GeV/c, by reconstructing the resonance in the f 0 (980) → π + π - hadronic decay channel using the ALICE detector. The p T -differential yields are compared to those of pions, protons and $φ$ mesons as well as to predictions from the HERWIG 7.2 QCD-inspired Monte Carlo event generator and calculations from a coalescence model that uses the AMPT model as an input. The ratio of the p T -integrated yield of f 0 (980) relative to pions is compared to measurements in e + e - and pp collisions at lower energies and predictions from statistical hadronisation models and HERWIG 7.2. A mild collision energy dependence of the f 0 (980) to pion production is observed in pp collisions from SPS to LHC energies. All considered models underpredict the p T -integrated 2f 0 (980)/(π + +π - ) ratio. The prediction from the canonical statistical hadronisation model assuming a zero total strangeness content of f 0 (980) is consistent with the data within 1.9σ and is the closest to the data. The results provide an essential reference for future measurements of the particle yield and nuclear modification in p–Pb and Pb–Pb collisions, which have been proposed to be instrumental to probe the elusive nature and quark composition of the f 0 (980) scalar meson.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Timelike form factor for the anomalous process γ⁎π → ππ

The form factor 𝐹 3𝜋 (𝑠, 𝑡, 𝑢) for the anomalous process 𝛾∗𝜋 → 𝜋𝜋 is calculated in the isospin limit for several values of the light current-quark mass (i.e., the pion mass) using Dyson–Schwinger and Bethe–Salpeter equations. Beyond a quark interaction kernel representing gluon-mediated interactions, leading beyond-rainbow-ladder effects at low energies are incorporated by back-coupling pions as explicit degrees of freedom. Building upon an earlier calculation of the quark-photon vertex that captures the branch cut associated with the two-pion threshold and the ρ-meson resonance, the form factor 𝐹 3𝜋 (𝑠, 𝑡, 𝑢) is determined for timelike Mandelstam s. In particular, predictions are made for the kinematics relevant to the Primakoff reaction studied with COMPASS/AMBER at CERN.

Miramontes, Angel S. [Univ. of Valencia (Spain)] (↗
DOE OSTI2015

Time dependent hadronic modeling of flat spectrum radio quasars

We introduce a new time-dependent lepto-hadronic model for blazar emission that takes into account the radiation emitted by secondary particles, such as pions and muons, from photo hadronic interactions. Starting from a baseline parameter set guided by a fit to the spectral energy distribution of the blazar 3C 279, we perform a parameter study to investigate the effects of perturbations of the input parameters to mimic different flaring events to study the resulting light curves in the optical, X-ray, high-energy (HE: E>100 MeV), and very-high-energy (E>100 GeV) γ-rays as well as the neutrino emission associated with charged-pion and muon decay. We find that flaring events from an increase in the efficiency of Fermi II acceleration will produce a positive correlation between all bandpasses and a marked plateau in the HE γ-ray lightcurve. We also predict a distinctive dip in the HE lightcurve for perturbations caused by a change in the proton injection spectral index. These plateaus/dips could be a tell tale signature of hadronic models for perturbations that lead to more efficient acceleration of high-energy protons in parameter regimes where pion and muon synchrotron emission is non-negligible.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Electromagnetic shower reconstruction and energy validation with Michel electrons and π 0 samples for the deep-learning-based analyses in MicroBooNE

This article presents the reconstruction of the electromagnetic activity from electrons and photons (showers) used in the MicroBooNE deep learning-based low energy electron search. The reconstruction algorithm uses a combination of traditional and deep learning-based techniques to estimate shower energies. We validate these predictions using two v μ -sourced data samples: charged/neutral current interactions with final state neutral pions and charged current interactions in which the muon stops and decays within the detector producing a Michel electron. Both the neutral pion sample and Michel electron sample demonstrate agreement between data and simulation. Finally, the absolute shower energy scale is shown to be consistent with the relevant physical constant of each sample: the neutral pion mass peak and the Michel energy cutoff.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

The track-length extension fitting algorithm for energy measurement of interacting particles in liquid argon TPCs and its performance with ProtoDUNE-SP data

This paper introduces a novel track-length extension fitting algorithm for measuring the kinetic energies of inelastically interacting particles in liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs). The algorithm finds the most probable offset in track length for a track-like object by comparing the measured ionization density as a function of position with a theoretical prediction of the energy loss as a function of the energy, including models of electron recombination and detector response. The algorithm can be used to measure the energies of particles that interact before they stop, such as charged pions that are absorbed by argon nuclei. The algorithm's energy measurement resolutions and fractional biases are presented as functions of particle kinetic energy and number of track hits using samples of stopping secondary charged pions in data collected by the ProtoDUNE-SP detector, and also in a detailed simulation. Additional studies describe the impact of the dE/dx model on energy measurement performance. The method described in this paper to characterize the energy measurement performance can be repeated in any LArTPC experiment using stopping secondary charged pions.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Strong 𝐶⁢𝑃 violation and large-𝑁 𝑐 spin-flavor symmetry

We revisit the contribution of the QCD $\bar{𝜃}$ term to the 𝐶⁢𝑃-violating pion-nucleon couplings and the nucleon electric dipole moment in a combined large-𝑁 𝑐 and chiral perturbation theory framework. In particular, we approach this issue through the emergent spin-flavor symmetry of the baryon sector at large but finite 𝑁 𝑐 . We obtain good agreement with previous analyses for the pion-nucleon couplings and show that the large-𝑁 𝑐 framework indicates that tree-level contributions to the electric dipole moment possibly play a dominant role. The spin-flavor symmetry also enables us to provide novel constraints on 𝐶⁢𝑃-violating pion-Δ couplings, as well as the Δ electric dipole moment and Δ⁢𝑁 transition moment.

Baryons↗
DOE OSTI2017

Proton irradiated graphite grades for a long baseline neutrino facility experiment

In search of a low-Z pion production target for the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) four graphite grades were irradiated with protons in the energy range of 140–180 MeV, to peak fluence of ~6.1×10 20 p/cm 2 and irradiation temperatures between 120–200 °C. The test array included POCO ZXF-5Q, Toyo-Tanso IG 430, Carbone-Lorraine 2020 and SGL R7650 grades of graphite. Irradiation was performed at the Brookhaven Linear Isotope Producer. Postirradiation analyses were performed with the objective of (a) comparing their response under the postulated irradiation conditions to guide a graphite grade selection for use as a pion target and (b) understanding changes in physical and mechanical properties as well as microstructure that occurred as a result of the achieved fluence and in particular at this low-temperature regime where pion graphite targets are expected to operate. A further goal of the postirradiation evaluation was to establish a proton-neutron correlation damage on graphite that will allow for the use of a wealth of available neutron-based damage data in proton-based studies and applications. Macroscopic postirradiation analyses as well as energy dispersive x-ray diffraction of 200 KeV x rays at the NSLS synchrotron of Brookhaven National Laboratory were employed. The macroscopic analyses revealed differences in the physical and strength properties of the four grades with behavior however under proton irradiation that qualitatively agrees with that reported for graphite under neutrons for the same low temperature regime and in particular the increase of thermal expansion, strength and Young’s modulus. The proton fluence level of ~10 20 cm -2 where strength reaches a maximum before it begins to decrease at higher fluences has been identified and it agrees with neutron-induced changes. X-ray diffraction analyses of the proton irradiated graphite revealed for the first time the similarity in microstructural graphite behavior to that under neutron irradiation and the agreement between the fluence threshold of ~5×10 20 cm -2 where the graphite lattice undergoes a dramatic change. The confirmed similarity in behavior and agreement in threshold fluences for proton and neutron irradiation effects on graphite reported for the first time in this study will enable the safe utilization of the wealth of neutron irradiation data on graphite that extends to much higher fluences and different temperature regimes by the proton accelerator community searching for multi-MW graphite targets.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Flow and interferometry results from Au + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 4.5 GeV

In this study, the beam energy scan (BES) program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) was extended to energies below $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 7.7 GeV in 2015 by successful implementation of the fixed-target mode of operation in the STAR (Solenoidal Tracker At RHIC) experiment. In this mode, ions circulate in one ring of the collider and interact with a stationary target at the entrance of the STAR Time Projection Chamber. The first results for Au + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 4.5 GeV are presented, demonstrating good performance of all the relevant detector subsystems in fixed-target mode. Results presented here include directed and elliptic flow of identified hadrons, and radii from pion femtoscopy. The latter, together with recent HADES results, reveal a long-sought peak structure that may be caused by the system evolving through a first-order phase transition from quark-gluon plasma to the hadronic phase. Directed and elliptic flow for pions are presented for the first time at this beam energy. Pion and proton elliptic flow show behavior which hints at constituent quark scaling, and demonstrate that a definitive conclusion will be achievable using the full statistics of the on-going second phase of BES (BES-II). In particular, BES-II to date has recorded fixed-target data sets with two orders of magnitude more events at each of nine energies between $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3.0 and 7.7 GeV.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Search for the chiral magnetic wave using anisotropic flow of identified particles at energies available at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider

The chiral magnetic wave (CMW) has been theorized to propagate in the deconfined nuclear medium formed in high-energy heavy-ion collisions, and to cause a difference in elliptic flow (v 2 ) between negatively and positively charged hadrons. Experimental data consistent with the CMW have been reported by the STAR Collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), based on the charge asymmetry dependence of the pion v 2 from Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 27 to 200 GeV. In this comprehensive study, we present the STAR measurements of elliptic flow and triangular flow of charged pions, along with the v 2 of charged kaons and protons, as a function of charge asymmetry in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 27, 39, 62.4 and 200 GeV. The slope parameters extracted from the linear dependence of the v2 difference on charge asymmetry for different particle species are reported and compared in different centrality intervals. In addition, the slopes of v 2 for charged pions in small systems, i.e., p+Au and d+Au at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV, are also presented and compared with those in large systems, i.e., Au+Au at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV and U+U at 193 GeV. Our results provide new insights for the possible existence of the CMW, and further constrain the background contributions in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC energies.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

In-medium changes of nucleon cross sections tested in neutrino-induced reactions

Historically, studied in the context of heavy-ion collisions, the extent to which free nucleon-nucleon cross sections are modified in-medium remains undetermined by these data sets. Therefore, we investigate the impact of N N in-medium modifications on neutrino-nucleus cross section predictions using the GiBUU transport model. We find that including an in-medium lowering of the N N cross section and density dependence on Δ excitation improves agreement with MicroBooNE neutrino-argon scattering data. This is observed for both proton and neutral pion spectra in charged-current muon neutrino and neutral-current single pion production data sets. The impact of collision broadening of the Δ resonance is also investigated. The absence of Δ broadening is slightly favored, but the larger uncertainties on the pion production data prevent definitive conclusions. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Bogart, B. (ORCID:0000000305588934)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Helium-4 gravitational form factors: Exchange currents

We evaluate the leading exchange corrections to the helium-4 gravitational form factors (GFFs) to momenta of the order of the nucleon mass. We use both the K-harmonic method with simple pair nucleon potential, and a Jastrow trial function using the Argonne 𝑣 14 potential, to evaluate the helium-4 GFFs. The exchange current contributions include the pair interaction, plus the seagull and the pion exchange interactions, modulo the recoil corrections. To estimate the off-shellness of the pion nucleon coupling in this momenta range, we discuss the results using either the pseudoscalar (PS) or pseudovector (PV) pion-nucleon couplings. When the PV coupling is used, the pair diagram contribution is higher order in the nonrelativistic expansion. The results for the helium-4 A-GFF are comparable to those given by the impulse approximation, especially for the PS coupling using both the K-harmonic method and variational method. The exchange current contributions with the PS coupling for the charge form factor of helium-4, yield better agreement with the existing data over a broad range of momenta, especially when the Argonne 𝑣 14 potential including the D-wave admixture is used.

A ≤ 5↗
DOE OSTI2019

Effect of internal magnetic field on collective flow in heavy ion collisions at intermediate energies

The properties of nuclear matter under extreme conditions of high temperature, density, and isospin asymmetry have attracted wide attention in recent years. At present, heavy ion reactions in combination with corresponding model simulations are one of the most important ways to investigate this subject. It is known that a strong magnetic field can be created in heavy ion collisions. However, its effect on the motion of charged particles is usually neglected in previous transport model simulations. In this work, within the ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamics (UrQMD) model, the temporal evolution and spatial distribution of the internal magnetic field are calculated. The magnetic field strength is found to reach about eB ≈ 470 MeV 2 (B ≈ 8 × 10 16 G) for Au + Au collisions at E lab = 1 GeV/nucleon with impact parameter of 7 fm. The magnetic field in Cu + Au collisions exhibits somewhat different spatial distribution from that in Au + Au collisions. The magnetic field is found to affect the directed flow of pions at forward and backward rapidities to some extent, dependent of the impact parameter and beam energy while the effect on the elliptic flow is small. In addition, the effects of the magnetic field on the π – /π + ratio over the whole rapidity range and the elliptic flow difference $v$$^{n}_{2}$–$v$$^{p}_{2}$ between neutrons and protons at forward and backward rapidities are on the same order as those from the nuclear symmetry energy. Here, the $v$$^{n}_{2}$–$v$$^{p}_{2}$ difference in the midrapidity region is not strongly affected by the magnetic field, and the total π – /π + yield ratio is immune to it. It is advisable to include the magnetic field effects in future studies using pion flow, pion yield ratio, and nucleon elliptic flow difference to probe the symmetry energy at super saturation densities.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Azimuthal asymmetries of back-to-back π ± - ( π 0 , η , π ± ) pairs in e + e - annihilation

This work reports the first observation of azimuthal asymmetries around the thrust axis in e + e – annihilation of pairs of back-to-back charged pions in one hemisphere, and π 0 and η mesons in the opposite hemisphere. These results are complemented by a new analysis of pairs of back-to-back charged pions. The π 0 and η asymmetries rise with the relative momentum z of the detected hadrons as well as with the transverse momentum with respect to the thrust axis. These asymmetries are sensitive to the Collins fragmentation function $H$ $^{1}_{⊥}$ and provide complementary information to previous measurements with charged pions and kaons in the final state. In particular, the η final states will provide additional information on the flavor structure of $H$ $^{1}_{⊥}$. This is the first measurement of the explicit transverse-momentum dependence of the Collins fragmentation function from Belle data. It uses a dataset of 980.4 fb –1 collected by the Belle experiment at or near a center- of-mass energy of 10.58 GeV.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗