arXiv subjects

Christopher Hearty

Publications and source records attributed to Christopher Hearty.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Dark Sector Physics at High-Intensity Experiments

Is Dark Matter part of a Dark Sector? The possibility of a dark sector neutral under Standard Model (SM) forces furnishes an attractive explanation for the existence of Dark Matter (DM), and is a compelling new-physics direction to explore in its own right, with potential relevance to fundamental questions as varied as neutrino masses, the hierarchy problem, and the Universe's matter-antimatter asymmetry. Because dark sectors are generically weakly coupled to ordinary matter, and because they can naturally have MeV-to-GeV masses and respect the symmetries of the SM, they are only mildly constrained by high-energy collider data and precision atomic measurements. Yet upcoming and proposed intensity-frontier experiments will offer an unprecedented window into the physics of dark sectors, highlighted as a Priority Research Direction in the 2018 Dark Matter New Initiatives (DMNI) BRN report. Support for this program -- in the form of dark-sector analyses at multi-purpose experiments, realization of the intensity-frontier experiments receiving DMNI funds, an expansion of DMNI support to explore the full breadth of DM and visible final-state signatures (especially long-lived particles) called for in the BRN report, and support for a robust dark-sector theory effort -- will enable comprehensive exploration of low-mass thermal DM milestones, and greatly enhance the potential of intensity-frontier experiments to discover dark-sector particles decaying back to SM particles.

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arXiv2022

Exploring Dark Sector Portals with High Intensity Experiments

A broad program of searches at high intensity experiments during the coming decade and beyond will sensitively probe new light mediator particles interacting through the minimal renormalizable vector, Higgs, and neutrino portals as well as higher-dimension axion-like particle portals. These portals may link the visible and dark sectors and play a critical role in many proposed solutions to some of the big open questions in particle physics and cosmology. In this whitepaper, we survey the theoretical and experimental progress, status, and prospects in the study of minimal dark sector portals.

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arXiv2022

Forecasting dark showers at Belle II

Dark showers from strongly interacting dark sectors that confine at the GeV scale can give rise to novel signatures at $e^+e^-$ colliders. In this work, we study the sensitivity of $B$ factory experiments to dark showers produced through an effective interaction arising from a heavy off-shell mediator. We show that a prospective search for displaced vertices from GeV-scale long-lived particles at Belle II can improve the sensitivity to dark showers substantially compared to an existing search at BaBar. We compare the sensitivity of searches for displaced signals to searches for promptly produced resonances at BaBar and KLOE and calculate sensitivity projections for a single-photon search at Belle II to invisible dark showers produced through an effective interaction. The underlying structure of the effective interaction can be resolved at higher-energy experiments, where the mediator can be produced on-shell. To study the resulting constraints, we update electroweak precision bounds on kinetically mixed $Z'$ bosons and reinterpret a search for low-mass di-muon resonances at LHCb in terms of dark showers. We find that LHCb and Belle II are most sensitive to different particle decay lengths, underscoring the complementarity of LHC and intensity frontier experiments.

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arXiv2021

Physics reach of a long-lived particle detector at Belle II

We have studied three realistic benchmark geometries for a new far detector GAZELLE to search for long-lived particles at the \superkekb accelerator in Tsukuba, Japan. The new detector would be housed in the same building as Belle II and observe the same $e^+e^-$ collisions. To assess the discovery reach of GAZELLE, we have investigated three new physics models that predict long-lived particles: heavy neutral leptons produced in tau lepton decays, axion-like particles produced in $B$ meson decays, and new scalars produced in association with a dark photon, as motivated by inelastic dark matter. We do not find significant gains in the new physics discovery reach of GAZELLE compared to the Belle II projections for the same final states. The main reasons are the practical limitations on the angular acceptance and size of GAZELLE, effectively making it at most comparable to Belle II, even though backgrounds in the far detector could be reduced to low rates. A far detector for long-lived particles would be well motivated in the case of a discovery by Belle II, since decays inside GAZELLE would facilitate studies of the decay products. Depending on the placement of GAZELLE, searches for light long-lived particles produced in the forward direction or signals of a confining hidden force could also benefit from such a far detector. Our general findings could help guide the design of far detectors at future electron-positron colliders such as the ILC, FCC-ee or CEPC.

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arXiv2021

Searches for dark photons at accelerators

Dark matter particles may interact with other dark matter particles via a new force mediated by a dark photon, $A^{\prime}$, which would be the dark-sector analog to the ordinary photon of electromagnetism. The dark photon can obtain a highly suppressed mixing-induced coupling to the electromagnetic current, providing a portal through which dark photons can interact with ordinary matter. This review focuses on $A^{\prime}$ scenarios that are potentially accessible to accelerator-based experiments. We summarize the existing constraints placed by such experiments on dark photons, highlight what could be observed in the near future, and discuss the major experimental challenges that must be overcome to improve sensitivities.

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arXiv2020

Long-lived Dark Higgs and Inelastic Dark Matter at Belle II

Inelastic dark matter is an interesting scenario for light thermal dark matter which is fully consistent with all cosmological probes as well as direct and indirect dark matter detection. The required mass splitting between dark matter $\chi_1$ and its heavier twin $\chi_2$ is naturally induced by a dark Higgs field which also provides a simple mechanism to give mass to the dark photon $A'$ present in the setup. The corresponding dark Higgs boson $h'$ is naturally the lightest dark sector state and therefore decays into Standard Model particles via Higgs mixing. In this work we study signatures with displaced vertices and missing momentum at Belle II, arising from dark Higgs particles produced in association with dark matter. We find that Belle II can be very sensitive to this scenario, in particular if a displaced vertex trigger is available in the near future.

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arXiv2019

Invisible and displaced dark matter signatures at Belle II

Many dark matter models generically predict invisible and displaced signatures at Belle II, but even striking events may be missed by the currently implemented search programme because of inefficient trigger algorithms. Of particular interest are final states with a single photon accompanied by missing energy and a displaced pair of electrons, muons, or hadrons. We argue that a displaced vertex trigger will be essential to achieve optimal sensitivity at Belle II. To illustrate this point, we study a simple but well-motivated model of thermal inelastic dark matter in which this signature naturally occurs and show that otherwise inaccessible regions of parameter space can be tested with such a search. We also evaluate the sensitivity of single-photon searches at BaBar and Belle II to this model and provide detailed calculations of the relic density target.

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arXiv2017

Revised constraints and Belle II sensitivity for visible and invisible axion-like particles

Light pseudoscalars interacting pre-dominantly with Standard Model gauge bosons (so-called axion-like particles or ALPs) occur frequently in extensions of the Standard Model. In this work we review and update existing constraints on ALPs in the keV to GeV mass region from colliders, beam dump experiments and astrophysics. We furthermore provide a detailed calculation of the expected sensitivity of Belle II, which can search for visibly and invisibly decaying ALPs, as well as long-lived ALPs. The Belle II sensitivity is found to be substantially better than previously estimated, covering wide ranges of relevant parameter space. In particular, Belle II can explore an interesting class of dark matter models, in which ALPs mediate the interactions between the Standard Model and dark matter. In these models, the relic abundance can be set via resonant freeze-out, leading to a highly predictive scenario consistent with all existing constraints but testable with single-photon searches at Belle II in the near future.

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arXiv2016

Dark Sectors 2016 Workshop: Community Report

This report, based on the Dark Sectors workshop at SLAC in April 2016, summarizes the scientific importance of searches for dark sector dark matter and forces at masses beneath the weak-scale, the status of this broad international field, the important milestones motivating future exploration, and promising experimental opportunities to reach these milestones over the next 5-10 years.

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arXiv2013

Improved Particle Identification Using Cluster Counting in a Full-Length Drift Chamber Prototype

Single-cell prototype drift chambers were built at TRIUMF and tested with a $\sim\unit[210]{MeV/c}$ beam of positrons, muons, and pions. A cluster-counting technique is implemented which improves the ability to distinguish muons and pions when combined with a traditional truncated-mean charge measurement. Several cluster-counting algorithms and equipment variations are tested, all showing significant improvement when combined with the traditional method. The results show that cluster counting is a feasible option for any particle physics experiment using drift chambers for particle identification. The technique does not require electronics with an overly high sampling rate. Optimal results are found with a signal smoothing time of $\sim\unit[5]{ns}$ corresponding to a $\sim\unit[100]{MHz}$ Nyquist frequency.

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