Right-handed Neutrinos Research Articles

Erratum to: Generation of the CMB cosmic birefringence through axion-like particles, sterile and active neutrinos

Erratum to: Generation of the CMB cosmic birefringence through axion-like particles, sterile and active neutrinos

Impact of reactor neutrino uncertainties on coherent scattering's discovery potential

Abstract Nuclear power reactors are the most intense man-made source of antineutrino's and have long been recognized as promising sources for coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS) studies. Its observation and the spectral shape of the associated recoil spectrum is sensitive to a variety of exotic new physics scenarios and many experimental efforts are underway. Within the context of the reactor antineutrino anomaly, which initially indicated eV-scale sterile neutrino's, the modeling of the reactor antineutrino spectrum has seen a significant evolution in the last decade. Even so, uncertainties remain due to a variety of nuclear structure effects, incomplete information in nuclear databases and fission dynamics complexities. Here, we investigate the effects of these uncertainties on one's ability to accurately distinguish new physics signals. For the scenarios discussed here, we find that reactor spectral uncertainties are similar in magnitude to the projected sensitivities pointing towards a need for $\beta$ spectroscopy measurements below the inverse $\beta$ decay threshold.

Decays Z → ea eb in a 3-3-1 model with neutral leptons

Abstract We investigate the 3-3-1 model with neutral leptons, a specific extension of the 3-3-1 models {that includes} heavy neutral leptons, {which are sufficient} to accommodate the neutrino oscillation data {via} the inverse seesaw mechanism. We will point out that this model can simultaneously explain the lepton flavor violating decays of the $Z$ and Standard Model-like Higgs bosons into different charged leptons $Z,h \to e_a e_b$, {as well as} the charged lepton decays $e_b\to e_a \gamma$, in agreement with the recent experimental data. In addition, the numerical results show strong correlations among the decay rates of {the} $Z$ and $h$ {bosons} predicted by this model. {Specifically}, some of {these rates} are nearly linearly dependent on each other. {Consequently}, the decay channels can be {theoretically determined} if one of them is detected in experiments.

The next galactic supernova can uncover mass and couplings of particles decaying to neutrinos

Many particles predicted by extensions of the Standard Model feature interactions with neutrinos, e.g., Majoron-like bosons ϕ. If the mass of ϕ is larger than about 10 keV, they can be produced abundantly in the core of the next galactic core-collapse supernova through neutrino coalescence, and leave it with energies of around 100 MeV. Their subsequent decay to high-energy neutrinos and anti-neutrinos provides a distinctive signature at Earth. Ongoing and planned neutrino and dark matter experiments allow us to reconstruct the energy, flavor, and time of arrival of these high-energy neutrinos. For the first time, we show that these measurements can help pinpointing the mass of ϕ and its couplings to neutrinos of different flavor. Our results can be generalized in a straightforward manner to other hypothetical feebly interacting particles, like novel gauge bosons or heavy neutral leptons, that decay into neutrinos.

A model of light pseudoscalar dark matter

The EW-νR model was constructed in order to provide a seesaw scenario operating at the Electroweak scale ΛEW∼246 GeV, keeping the same SM gauge structure. In this model, right-handed neutrinos are non-sterile and have masses of the order ΛEW. They can be searched for at the LHC along with heavy mirror quarks and leptons, the lightest of which has large decay lengths. The model also incorporates a rich scalar sector, consistent with various experimental constraints, predicts a ∼125 GeV scalar with the SM Higgs characteristics satisfying the current LHC Higgs boson data. The seesaw mechanism requires the existence of a complex scalar which is singlet under the SM gauge group. The imaginary part of this complex scalar denoted by As0 is proposed to be the sub-MeV dark matter candidate in this manuscript. We find that the sub-MeV scalar can serve as a viable non-thermal feebly interacting massive particle (FIMP)-DM candidate. This As0 can be a naturally light sub-MeV DM candidate due to its nature as a pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone (PNG) boson in the model. We show that the well-studied freeze out mechanism falls short in this particular framework producing DM overabundance. We identify that the freeze in mechanism produce the correct order of relic density for the sub-MeV DM candidate satisfying all applicable constraints. We also discuss the allowed parameter space arising from the current indirect search bounds for this sub-MeV DM.

Relic abundance of dark matter with [formula omitted](54) flavor symmetry

In this work we discuss the neutrino phenomenology in a Δ(54) discrete flavor symmetry and evaluate the relic abundance of dark matter (DM) and active neutrino-DM mixing angle considering various cosmological constraints. We introduced two Standard Model Higgs particles along with vector-like fermions and a new particle (S) which is a gauge singlet in the Standard Model. This modification leads to a mass matrix that diverges from the tribimaximal neutrino mixing pattern resulting in a non-zero reactor angle (θ13). We also incorporated a Z2⊗Z3⊗Z4 symmetry for the specific interactions in our model. The additional particle S is a sterile neutrino which is considered to be a probable dark matter candidate with mass in keV range.

Dark Population Transfer Mechanism for Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter

We present a mechanism for producing a cosmologically significant relic density of one or more sterile neutrinos. This scheme invokes two steps: First, a population of “heavy” sterile neutrinos is created by scattering-induced decoherence of active neutrinos. Second, this population is transferred, via sterile neutrino self-interaction-mediated scatterings and decays, to one or more lighter mass (∼10 keV to ∼1 GeV) sterile neutrinos that are far more weakly (or not at all) mixed with active species and could constitute dark matter. Dark matter produced this way can evade current electromagnetic and structure-based bounds, but may nevertheless be probed by future observations. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Completing the one-loop νSMEFT renormalization group evolution

In this work we consider the Standard Model Effective Field Theory extended with right-handed neutrinos, the νSMEFT, and calculate the full set of one-loop anomalous dimensions that are proportional to Yukawa couplings. These contributions are particularly relevant when symmetry-protected low scale seesaw models are embeded in the SMEFT, since large neutrino Yukawa couplings are expected. By combining our results with the already available gauge anomalous dimensions, we provide the complete set of one-loop renormalization group evolution equations for the dimension six νSMEFT. As a possible phenomenological implication of our results, we discuss the sensitivity of lepton flavor-violating observables to νSMEFT operators, focusing on the more sensitive μ → e transitions.

White paper on light sterile neutrino searches and related phenomenology

White paper on light sterile neutrino searches and related phenomenology

Axion baryogenesis puts a new spin on the Hubble tension

We show that a rotating axion field that makes a transition from a matterlike equation of state to a kinationlike equation of state around the epoch of recombination can significantly ameliorate the Hubble tension, i.e., the discrepancy between the determinations of the present-day expansion rate H0 from observations of the cosmic microwave background on one hand and type Ia supernovae on the other. We consider a specific, UV-complete model of such a rotating axion and find that it can relax the Hubble tension without exacerbating tensions in determinations of other cosmological parameters, in particular the amplitude of matter fluctuations S8. We subsequently demonstrate how this rotating axion model can also generate the baryon asymmetry of our Universe, by introducing a coupling of the axion field to right-handed neutrinos. This baryogenesis model predicts heavy neutral leptons that are most naturally within reach of future lepton colliders, but in finely tuned regions of parameter space may also be accessible at the high-luminosity LHC and the beam dump experiment SHiP. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Leptogenesis in SO(10) with minimal Yukawa sector

In prior studies, a very minimal Yukawa sector within the SO(10) Grand Unified Theory framework has been identified, comprising of Higgs fields belonging to a real 10H, a real 120H, and a 126¯H\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ {\\overline{126}}_H $$\\end{document} dimensional representations. In this work, within this minimal framework, we have obtained fits to fermion masses and mixings while successfully reproducing the cosmological baryon asymmetry via leptogenesis. The right-handed neutrino (Ni) mass spectrum obtained from the fit is strongly hierarchical, suggesting that B − L asymmetry is dominantly produced from N2 dynamics while N1 is responsible for erasing the excess asymmetry. With this rather constrained Yukawa sector, fits are obtained both for normal and inverted ordered neutrino mass spectra, consistent with leptonic CP-violating phase δCP indicated by global fits of neutrino oscillation data, while also satisfying the current limits from neutrinoless double beta decay experiments. In particular, the leptonic CP-violating phase has a preference to be in the range δCP ≃ (230 – 300)°. We also show the consistency of the framework with gauge coupling unification and proton lifetime limits.

Searching for heavy neutral leptons through exotic Higgs decays at the ILC

In this study we investigate the feasibility of detecting heavy neutral leptons (Nd) through exotic Higgs decays at the proposed International Linear Collider (ILC), specifically in the channel of e+e−→qqH with H→νNd→νlW→νlqq. Analyses based on full detector simulations of the ILD are performed at the center-of-mass energy of 250 GeV for two different beam polarization schemes with a total integrated luminosity of 2 ab−1. A range of heavy neutral lepton masses between the Z boson and Higgs boson masses are studied. The 2σ significance reach for the joint branching ratio of BR(H→νNd)·BR(Nd→lW) is about 0.1%, nearly independent of the heavy neutral lepton masses, while the 5σ discovery is possible at a branching ratio of 0.3%. Interpreting these results in terms of constraints on the mixing parameters |ϵid|2 between SM neutrinos and the heavy neutral lepton, it is expected to have a factor of 10 improvement from current constraints. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Neutrino dipole portal at a high energy μ−collider

We study the phenomenology of d = 6 dipole portal operators connecting active and sterile neutrinos at a futuristic muon collider. These operators can be the dominant portal between the Standard Model and the New Physics sector in scenarios in which the active-sterile mixing is suppressed. We identify two production modes for sterile neutrinos: one proceeding through the exchange of an s-channel electroweak boson and one arising from the fusion of an electroweak boson with a Standard Model lepton. We study the expected reach on the operators suppression scale for these different production mechanisms, showing that the latter offers the best sensitivity and allowing to test a New Physics scale in the ∼ 10 TeV range for strongly coupled UV completions of the dipole operators.

Constraints on sterile neutrinos and the cosmological tensions

Constraints on sterile neutrinos and the cosmological tensions

Searching for long-lived light neutralinos and axionlike particles at the SHiNESS experiment

Recently, Soleti [] proposed a new experiment called SHiNESS at the upcoming European Spallation Source (ESS) facility, making use of the 2-GeV proton beam there impinging on a fixed target, in order to search for hidden sterile neutrinos that could lie in different mass ranges and arise with distinct signatures. Such signatures include excesses in electron-positron pairs that may originate from displaced decays of long-lived particles (LLPs). At the ESS, the dominant sources of such LLPs are decays at rest of π+ mesons and μ+ leptons. We choose to investigate theoretical scenarios of long-lived light neutralinos in the R-parity-violating supersymmetry and long-lived weak-violating electrophilic axionlike particles, as these LLPs can be produced from decays of π+ and μ+. Since the π+’s and μ+’s decay at rest at the ESS, we compute the spectra of the therefrom produced LLPs and thus estimate the expected sensitivity reach of SHiNESS to the LLPs in these two scenarios. Our calculation shows that in multiple relevant benchmark scenarios, SHiNESS can probe large parameter regions of these models beyond the existing bounds, in just a couple of years of data-collection time. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Heavy neutrino as dark matter in a neutrinophilic U(1) model

We study the prospect of heavy singlet neutrinos as a dark matter (DM) candidate within a neutrinophilic U(1) model, where the Standard Model (SM) is extended with a U(1) gauge symmetry, and neutrino mass and oscillation parameters are explained through an inverse see-saw mechanism. The lightest of the heavy neutrinos plays the role of the DM, while the newly introduced scalars and the extra gauge boson Z′\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$Z'$$\\end{document} act as mediators between the dark sector and the SM sector. We show the range of model parameters where this DM candidate can be accommodated in the Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) or Feebly Interacting Massive Particle (FIMP) scenario. The observed DM relic density (DMRD) is achieved via the new gauge boson and singlet scalar portals in the WIMP scenario, whereas within the FIMP scenario, these two particles assume a distinct yet pivotal role in generating the observed DMRD.

Fermion masses and mixings and g − 2 muon anomaly in a Q6 flavored 2HDM

We propose an extended 2HDM with Q6×Z4×Z2 symmetry that can successfully accommodate the SM fermion mass and mixing hierarchy. The tiny masses of the active neutrinos are generated from a type-I seesaw mechanism mediated by very heavy right-handed Majorana neutrinos. The model gives a natural explanation of the charged lepton mass hierarchy. Besides that, the experimental values of the physical observables of the neutrino sector: the neutrino mass squared splittings, the leptonic mixing angles and the leptonic Dirac CP violating phase, are also successfully reproduced for both normal and inverted neutrino mass hierarchies. We find a feasible range of values for the leptonic Dirac CP phase to be in the ranges δCP∈(305.90,348.70)∘ for normal ordering and δCP∈(308.00,348.00)∘ for inverted ordering, which is consistent with the 3σ experimentally allowed limits. The sum of neutrino masses is obtained as ∑mi∈(58.03,60.51) meV for normal ordering and ∑mi∈(98.07,101.40) meV for inverted ordering which are well consistent with all the recent limits. In addition, the obtained ranges for the effective neutrino masses are 〈mee〉∈(3.80,4.38) meV, mβ∈(8.53,9.34)meV for normal ordering and 〈mee〉∈(47.85,49.58) meV, mβ∈(48.39,50.09)meV for inverted ordering which are in agreement with the recent experimental bounds. For the quark sector, the derived results are also in agreement with the recent data on the quark masses and mixing angles. The model under consideration can also accommodate the muon anomalous magnetic moment.

Limits on W_{R} from Meson Decays.

In this Letter we show that pseudoscalar meson leptonic decay data can be used to set stringent limits on the mass m_{W_{R}} of a right-handed vector boson, such as the one that appears in left-right symmetric models. We have shown that for a heavy neutrino with a mass m_{N} in the range 50<m_{N}/MeV<1900 one can constraint m_{W_{R}}≳(4-19) TeV at 90% CL. This provides the most stringent experimental limits on the W_{R} mass to date for this heavy neutrino mass range.

Search for a light sterile neutrino with 7.5 years of IceCube DeepCore data

We present a search for an eV-scale sterile neutrino using 7.5 years of data from the IceCube DeepCore detector. The analysis uses a sample of 21,914 events with energies between 5 and 150 GeV to search for sterile neutrinos through atmospheric muon neutrino disappearance. Improvements in event selection and treatment of systematic uncertainties provide greater statistical power compared to previous DeepCore sterile neutrino searches. Our results are compatible with the absence of mixing between active and sterile neutrino states, and we place constraints on the mixing matrix elements |Uμ4|2&lt;0.0534 and |Uτ4|2&lt;0.0574 at 90% CL under the assumption that Δm412≥1 eV2. These null results add to the growing tension between anomalous appearance results and constraints from disappearance searches in the 3+1 sterile neutrino landscape. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Searching for heavy neutral leptons at a future muon collider

As the planning stages for a high energy muon collider enter a more concrete era, an important question arises as to what new physics could be uncovered. A TeV-scale muon collider is also a vector boson fusion (VBF) factory with a very clean background, and as such it is a promising environment to look for new physics that couples to the electroweak (EW) sector. In this paper, we explore the ability of a future TeV-scale muon collider to search for Majorana and Dirac heavy neutral leptons (HNLs) produced via EW bosons. Employing a model-independent, conservative approach, we present an estimation of the production and decay rate of HNLs over a mass range between 200 GeV and 9.5 TeV in two benchmark collider proposals with s=3, 10 TeV, as well as an estimation of the dominant Standard Model (SM) background. We find that exclusion limits for the mixing between the HNLs and SM neutrinos can be as low as O(10−6). Additionally, we demonstrate that a TeV-scale muon collider allows for the ability to discriminate between Majorana and Dirac type HNLs for a large range of mixing values. Published by the American Physical Society 2024