An updated analysis on atmospheric neutrinos

We have reanalysed the atmospheric neutrino data including new results from Super-Kamiokande and Soudan-II experiments, under the assumption of two-flavor neutrino oscillation. We present the allowed region of oscillation parameters for the νμ → ντ channel. In performing this re-analysis we also take into account some recent theoretical improvements in the flux calculations.

U(2) flavor physics without U(2) symmetry

We present a model of fermion masses based on a minimal, non-Abelian discrete symmetry that reproduces the Yukawa matrices usually associated with U(2) theories of flavor. Mass and mixing angle relations that follow from the simple form of the quark and charged lepton Yukawa textures are therefore common to both theories. We show that the differing representation structure of our horizontal symmetry allows for new solutions to the solar and atmospheric neutrino problems that do not involve modification of the original charged fermion Yukawa textures, or the introduction of sterile neutrinos. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.

Constraining models with superlight gravitino, scalar and pseudoscalar particles

In some supergravity models there are light weakly coupled scalar (S)-and pseudoscalar (P) particles. These particles arise following a superlight gravitino. In these models the decay SIP → γγ exists. We examine constraints on this process considering these photons as responsible by the extragalactic background light. We also consider the amount of SIP particles produced through the fusion of the cosmic background photons and contributing to the effective number of light neutrino species during primordial nucleosynthesis. We obtain bounds on the gravitino mass complementary to the existing ones.

Weak decay of uniformly accelerated protons and related processes

We investigate the weak interaction emission of spin-1/2 fermions from accelerated currents. As particular applications, we analyze the decay of uniformly accelerated protons and neutrons, and the neutrino-antineutrino emission from uniformly accelerated electrons. The possible relevance of our results to astrophysics is also discussed.

Neutrinoless double beta decay with and without Majoron-like boson emission in a 3-3-1 model

We consider the contributions to the neutrinoless double beta decays in a SU(3)L⊗U(1)N electroweak model. We show that for a range of parameters in the model there are diagrams involving vector-vector-scalar and trilinear scalar couplings which can be potentially as contributing as the light massive Majorana neutrino exchange one. We use these contributions to obtain constraints upon some mass scales of the model, such as the masses of the new charged vector and scalar bosons. We also consider briefly the decay in which, in addition to the two electrons, a Majoron-like boson is emitted. ©2001 The American Physical Society.

Discriminating among earth composition models using geo-antineutrinos

It has been estimated that the entire Earth generates heat corresponding to about 40 TW (equivalent to 10,000 nuclear power plants) which is considered to originate mainly from the radioactive decay of elements like U, Th and K, deposited in the crust and mantle of the Earth. Radioactivity of these elements produce not only heat but also antineutrinos (called geo-antineutrinos) which can be observed by terrestrial detectors. We investigate the possibility of discriminating among Earth composition models predicting different total radiogenic heat generation, by observing such geo-antineutrinos at Kamioka and Gran Sasso, assuming KamLAND and Borexino (type) detectors, respectively, at these places. By simulating the future geo-antineutrino data as well as reactor antineutrino background contributions, we try to establish to which extent we can discriminate among Earth composition models for given exposures (in units of kt · yr) at these two sites on our planet. We use also information on neutrino mixing parameters coming from solar neutrino data as well as KamLAND reactor antineutrino data, in order to estimate the number of geo-antineutrino induced events. © SISSA/ISAS 2003.

Influência da fotopolimerização e da cor da resina composta na microdureza

Objective: To study the influence of color opacity and light-curing systems (halogen light vs blue LED) on the microhardness of a composite resin. Methods: Esthet-X composite resin (Dentsply), shades A2 and A2-O, was inserted in a stainless steel matrix (5 mm diameter and 2 mm deep) and was light cured for 40 seconds with a halogen light source (XL 3000; 3M/ESPE) or a blue LED (Optilight LD II; Gnatus). Eight groups of 15 specimens each were formed, and were further divided according to the light-curing systems, the exposed area (base and surface), and the opacity of the composite resin, producing 120 specimens. The specimens were next stored in distilled water for 24 hours, embedded in a chemically activated acrylic resin, then subjected to finishing and polishing with sandpaper and felt discs. Microhardness was measured with a Vickers Digital Microhardness meter, with a 50 g load for 30 seconds. The obtained microhardness means were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's multiple-comparison test at 5% significance level. Results: The surface microhardness was always greater than the base microhardness, regardless of the light-curing source. The halogen light lamp produced significantly higher composite resin microhardness means than the blue LED (57.61 vs. 42.53 HV) (p<0.05). Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were obtained between the microhardness means for the different composite opacities; lowest microhardness in depth was produced by the A2-O shade. Conclusion: Composite resin opacity as well as the light-curing system influenced the microhardness of the material.

Neutrinos masses in a multi-higgs model with A 4 symmetry

Presently it is well known that neutrino oscillation data are well described by massive neutrinos and their mixing. This suggests changes in the standard model (SM) and makes the flavor physics even more interesting. Recently, it has been proposed a multi-Higgs extension of the SM with Abelian and non-Abelian discrete symmetries which seeks to explain the origin of the masses and mixing matrices in all charge sectors. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Ultra-high energy extragalactic neutrinos interacting with ultra-light dark matter

We show the results and discussions of the study of a possible suppression of the extragalactic neutrino flux during its propagation due to a nonstandard interaction with a candidate field to dark matter. In particular, we show the study of neutrino interaction with an ultra-light scalar field. It is shown that the extragalactic neutrino flux may be suppressed by such an interaction, leading to a mechanism to reduce the ultra-high energy neutrino flux. We calculate both the cases of non-self-conjugate as well as self-conjugate ultra-light dark matter. In the first case, the suppression is independent of the neutrino and dark matter masses. We conclude that care must be taken when explaining limits on the neutrino flux through source acceleration mechanisms only, since there could be other mechanisms, as absorption during propagation, for the reduction of the neutrino flux [1], © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.

Search for third-generation leptoquarks and scalar bottom quarks in pp collisions at √s=7Tev

Results are presented from a search for third-generation leptoquarks and scalar bottom quarks in a sample of proton-proton collisions at √s=7Tev collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb-1. A scenario where the new particles are pair produced and each decays to a b quark plus a tau neutrino or neutralino is considered. The number of observed events is found to be in agreement with the standard model prediction. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level on the production cross sections. Leptoquarks with masses below ~450 GeV are excluded. Upper limits in the mass plane of the scalar quark and neutralino are set such that scalar bottom quark masses up to 410 GeV are excluded for neutralino masses of 50 GeV. © 2012 CERN for the benefit of CMS collaboration.

Quasi-Dirac neutrinos in a model with local B - L symmetry

In a model with B - L gauge symmetry, right-handed neutrinos may have exotic local B - L charge assignments: two of them with B - L = -4 and the other one having B - L = 5. Then, it is natural to accommodate the right-handed neutrinos with the same B - L charge in a doublet of the discrete S3 symmetry, and the third one in a singlet. If the Yukawa interactions involving right-handed neutrinos are invariant under S3, the quasi-Dirac neutrino scheme arises naturally in this model. However, we will show how in this scheme it is possible to give a value for θ13 in agreement with the Daya Bay results. For example the S3 symmetry has to be broken in the Yukawa interactions involving right-handed charged leptons. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Search for new physics in final states with a lepton and missing transverse energy in pp collisions at the LHC

This Letter describes the search for an enhanced production rate of events with a charged lepton and a neutrino in high-energy pp collisions at the LHC. The analysis uses data collected with the CMS detector, with an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb-1 at √s=7 TeV, and a further 3.7 fb -1 at √s=8 TeV. No evidence is found for an excess. The results are interpreted in terms of limits on a heavy charged gauge boson (W ′) in the sequential standard model, a split universal extra dimension model, and contact interactions in the helicity-nonconserving model. For the last, values of the binding energy below 10.5 (8.8) TeV in the electron (muon) channel are excluded at a 95% confidence level. Interpreting the ℓν final state in terms of a heavy W′ with standard model couplings, masses below 2.90 TeV are excluded. © 2013 CERN.

Post-sphaleron baryogenesis and an upper limit on the neutron-antineutron oscillation time

A recently proposed scenario for baryogenesis, called post-sphaleron baryogenesis (PSB), is discussed within a class of quark-lepton unified framework based on the gauge symmetry SU(2)L×SU(2) R×SU(4)c realized in the multi-TeV scale. The baryon asymmetry of the Universe in this model is produced below the electroweak phase transition temperature after the sphalerons have decoupled from the Hubble expansion. These models embed naturally the seesaw mechanism for neutrino masses and predict color-sextet scalar particles in the TeV range which may be accessible to the LHC experiments. A necessary consequence of this scenario is the baryon-number-violating ΔB=2 process of neutron-antineutron (n-n̄) oscillations. In this paper we show that the constraints of PSB, when combined with the neutrino oscillation data and restrictions from flavor changing neutral currents mediated by the colored scalars, imply an upper limit on the n-n̄ oscillation time of 5×1010 sec regardless of the quark-lepton unification scale. If this scale is relatively low, in the (200-250) TeV range, τn-n̄ is predicted to be less than 1010 sec, which is accessible to the next generation of proposed experiments. © 2013 American Physical Society.

Measurement of masses in the tt̄ system by kinematic endpoints in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV

A simultaneous measurement of the top-quark, W-boson, and neutrino masses is reported for tt̄ events selected in the dilepton final state from a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb-1 collected by the CMS experiment in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV. The analysis is based on endpoint determinations in kinematic distributions. When the neutrino and W-boson masses are constrained to their world-average values, a top-quark mass value of Mt = 173.9 ± 0.9 (stat)+1.7 -2.1(syst.) GeV is obtained. When such constraints are not used, the three particle masses are obtained in a simultaneous fit. In this unconstrained mode the study serves as a test of mass determination methods that may be used in beyond standard model physics scenarios where several masses in a decay chain may be unknown and undetected particles lead to underconstrained kinematics. © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the CMS collaboration.

Detecção de neutrinos no observatório Pierre Auger

Pós-graduação em Física - IFT