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G. Isidori

Publications and source records attributed to G. Isidori.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2010

Flavor Physics in the Quark Sector

One of the major challenges of particle physics has been to gain an in-depth understanding of the role of quark flavor and measurements and theoretical interpretations of their results have advanced tremendously: apart from masses and quantum numbers of flavor particles, there now exist detailed measurements of the characteristics of their interactions allowing stringent tests of Standard Model predictions. Among the most interesting phenomena of flavor physics is the violation of the CP symmetry that has been subtle and difficult to explore. Till early 1990s observations of CP violation were confined to neutral $K$ mesons, but since then a large number of CP-violating processes have been studied in detail in neutral $B$ mesons. In parallel, measurements of the couplings of the heavy quarks and the dynamics for their decays in large samples of $K, D$, and $B$ mesons have been greatly improved in accuracy and the results are being used as probes in the search for deviations from the Standard Model. In the near future, there will be a transition from the current to a new generation of experiments, thus a review of the status of quark flavor physics is timely. This report summarizes the results of the current generation of experiments that is about to be completed and it confronts these results with the theoretical understanding of the field.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2010

The Hunt for New Physics at the Large Hadron Collider

The Large Hadron Collider presents an unprecedented opportunity to probe the realm of new physics in the TeV region and shed light on some of the core unresolved issues of particle physics. These include the nature of electroweak symmetry breaking, the origin of mass, the possible constituent of cold dark matter, new sources of CP violation needed to explain the baryon excess in the universe, the possible existence of extra gauge groups and extra matter, and importantly the path Nature chooses to resolve the hierarchy problem - is it supersymmetry or extra dimensions. Many models of new physics beyond the standard model contain a hidden sector which can be probed at the LHC. Additionally, the LHC will be a top factory and accurate measurements of the properties of the top and its rare decays will provide a window to new physics. Further, the LHC could shed light on the origin of neutralino masses if the new physics associated with their generation lies in the TeV region. Finally, the LHC is also a laboratory to test the hypothesis of TeV scale strings and D-brane models. An overview of these possibilities is presented in the spirit that it will serve as a companion to the Technical Design Reports (TDRs) by the particle detector groups ATLAS and CMS to facilitate the test of the new theoretical ideas at the LHC. Which of these ideas stands the test of the LHC data will govern the course of particle physics in the subsequent decades.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Predictions for m_t and m_W in Minimal Supersymmetric Models

Using a frequentist analysis of experimental constraints within two versions of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model, we derive the predictions for the top quark mass, m_t, and the W boson mass, m_W. We find that the supersymmetric predictions for both m_t and m_W, obtained by incorporating all the relevant experimental information and state-of-the-art theoretical predictions, are highly compatible with the experimental values with small remaining uncertainties, yielding an improvement compared to the case of the Standard Model.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

From the LHC to Future Colliders

Discoveries at the LHC will soon set the physics agenda for future colliders. This report of a CERN Theory Institute includes the summaries of Working Groups that reviewed the physics goals and prospects of LHC running with 10 to 300/fb of integrated luminosity, of the proposed sLHC luminosity upgrade, of the ILC, of CLIC, of the LHeC and of a muon collider. The four Working Groups considered possible scenarios for the first 10/fb of data at the LHC in which (i) a state with properties that are compatible with a Higgs boson is discovered, (ii) no such state is discovered either because the Higgs properties are such that it is difficult to detect or because no Higgs boson exists, (iii) a missing-energy signal beyond the Standard Model is discovered as in some supersymmetric models, and (iv) some other exotic signature of new physics is discovered. In the contexts of these scenarios, the Working Groups reviewed the capabilities of the future colliders to study in more detail whatever new physics may be discovered by the LHC. Their reports provide the particle physics community with some tools for reviewing the scientific priorities for future colliders after the LHC produces its first harvest of new physics from multi-TeV collisions.

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arXiv2009

Likelihood Functions for Supersymmetric Observables in Frequentist Analyses of the CMSSM and NUHM1

On the basis of frequentist analyses of experimental constraints from electroweak precision data, g-2, B physics and cosmological data, we investigate the parameters of the constrained MSSM (CMSSM) with universal soft supersymmetry-breaking mass parameters, and a model with common non-universal Higgs masses (NUHM1). We present chi^2 likelihood functions for the masses of supersymmetric particles and Higgs bosons, as well as b to s gamma, b to mu mu and the spin-independent dark matter scattering cross section. In the CMSSM we find preferences for sparticle masses that are relatively light. In the NUHM1 the best-fit values for many sparticle masses are even slightly smaller, but with greater uncertainties. The likelihood functions for most sparticle masses are cut off sharply at small masses, in particular by the LEP Higgs mass constraint. Both in the CMSSM and the NUHM1, the coannihilation region is favoured over the focus-point region at about the 3-sigma level, largely but not exclusively because of g-2. Many sparticle masses are highly correlated in both the CMSSM and NUHM1, and most of the regions preferred at the 95% C.L. are accessible to early LHC running. Some slepton and chargino/neutralino masses should be in reach at the ILC. The masses of the heavier Higgs bosons should be accessible at the LHC and the ILC in portions of the preferred regions in the (M_A, tan beta) plane. In the CMSSM, the likelihood function for b to mu mu is peaked close to the Standard Model value, but much larger values are possible in the NUHM1. We find that values of the DM cross section > 10^{-10} pb are preferred in both the CMSSM and the NUHM1. We study the effects of dropping the g-2, b to s gamma, relic density and M_h constraints.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Proceedings of SuperB Workshop VI: New Physics at the Super Flavor Factory

The sixth SuperB Workshop was convened in response to questions posed by the INFN Review Committee, evaluating the SuperB project at the request of INFN. The working groups addressed the capability of a high-luminosity flavor factory that can gather a data sample of 50 to 75 /ab in five years to elucidate New Physics phenomena unearthed at the LHC. This report summarizes the results of the Workshop.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Predictions for Supersymmetric Particle Masses in the CMSSM using Indirect Experimental and Cosmological Constraints

In view of the imminent start of the LHC experimental programme, we use the available indirect experimental and cosmological information to estimate the likely range of parameters of the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (CMSSM), using a Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique to sample the parameter space. The 95% confidence-level area in the (m_0, m_1/2) plane of the CMSSM lies largely within the region that could be explored with 1/fb of integrated luminosity at 14 TeV, and much of the 68% confidence-level area lies within the region that could be explored with 50/pb of integrated luminosity at 10 TeV. A same-sign dilepton signal could well be visible in most of the 68% confidence-level area with 1/fb of integrated luminosity at 14 TeV. We discuss the sensitivities of the preferred ranges to variations in the most relevant indirect experimental and cosmological constraints and also to deviations from the universality of the supersymmetry-breaking contributions to the masses of the Higgs bosons.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

A Theory of Scalar Mesons

We discuss the effect of the instanton induced, six-fermion effective Lagrangian on the decays of the lightest scalar mesons in the diquark--antidiquark picture. This addition allows for a remarkably good description of light scalar meson decays. The same effective Lagrangian produces a mixing of the lightest scalars with the positive parity q-qbar states. Comparing with previous work where the q-qbar mesons are identified with the nonet at 1200-1700 MeV, we find that the mixing required to fit the mass spectrum is in good agreement with the instanton coupling obtained from light scalar decays. A coherent picture of scalar mesons as a mixture of tetraquark states (dominating in the lightest mesons) and heavy q-qbar states (dominating in the heavier mesons) emerges.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Precision tests of the Standard Model with leptonic and semileptonic kaon decays

We present a global analysis of leptonic and semileptonic kaon decays data, including all recent results by BNL-E865, KLOE, KTeV, ISTRA+, and NA48. Experimental results are critically reviewed and combined, taking into account theoretical (both analytical and numerical) constraints on the semileptonic kaon form factors. This analysis leads to a very accurate determination of Vus and allows us to perform several stringent tests of the Standard Model.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Flavour physics of leptons and dipole moments

This chapter of the report of the ``Flavour in the era of the LHC'' Workshop discusses the theoretical, phenomenological and experimental issues related to flavour phenomena in the charged lepton sector and in flavour-conserving CP-violating processes. We review the current experimental limits and the main theoretical models for the flavour structure of fundamental particles. We analyze the phenomenological consequences of the available data, setting constraints on explicit models beyond the Standard Model, presenting benchmarks for the discovery potential of forthcoming measurements both at the LHC and at low energy, and exploring options for possible future experiments.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

B, D and K decays

With the advent of the LHC, we will be able to probe New Physics (NP) up to energy scales almost one order of magnitude larger than it has been possible with present accelerator facilities. While direct detection of new particles will be the main avenue to establish the presence of NP at the LHC, indirect searches will provide precious complementary information, since most probably it will not be possible to measure the full spectrum of new particles and their couplings through direct production. In particular, precision measurements and computations in the realm of flavour physics are expected to play a key role in constraining the unknown parameters of the Lagrangian of any NP model emerging from direct searches at the LHC. The aim of Working Group 2 was twofold: on one hand, to provide a coherent, up-to-date picture of the status of flavour physics before the start of the LHC; on the other hand, to initiate activities on the path towards integrating information on NP from high-pT and flavour data.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2007

Prediction for the Lightest Higgs Boson Mass in the CMSSM using Indirect Experimental Constraints

Measurements at low energies provide interesting indirect information about masses of particles that are (so far) too heavy to be produced directly. Motivated by recent progress in consistently and rigorously calculating electroweak precision observables and flavour related observables, we derive the preferred value for m_h in the Constrained Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (CMSSM), obtained from a fit taking into account electroweak precision data, flavour physics observables and the abundance of Cold Dark Matter. No restriction is imposed on m_h itself: the experimental bound from direct Higgs boson search at LEP is not included in the fit. A multi-parameter chi^2 is minimized with respect to the free parameters of the CMSSM, M_0, M_1/2, A_0, tan(beta). A statistical comparison with the Standard Model fit to the electroweak precision data is made. The preferred value for the lightest Higgs boson mass in the CMSSM is found to be m_h^CMSSM = 110+8-10(exp.)+-3(theo.) GeV/c^2, where the first uncertainty is experimental and the second uncertainty is theoretical. This value is in agreement with the limit from direct Higgs boson search at LEP.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

Higgs--mediated K -> pi nu nu-bar in the MSSM at large tan(beta)

We analyze the impact of Higgs-mediated amplitudes on the rare decays KL -> pi0 nu nu-bar and K+ -> pi+ nu nu-bar in the MSSM with large tan(beta) and general flavour mixing. We point out that, going beyond the minimal flavour violation hypothesis, Z-penguin amplitudes generated by charged-Higgs exchange can induce sizable modifications of K -> pi nu nu-bar rates. Interestingly, these effects scale as tan^4(beta) at the amplitude level. For large values of tan(beta), this mechanism allows deviations from the SM expectations even for tiny (CKM-type) off-diagonal mixing terms in the right-handed squark sector.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2005

Status of the Cabibbo Angle

We review the recent experimental and theoretical progress in the determination of |V_{ud}| and |V_{us}|, and the status of the most stringent test of CKM unitarity. Future prospects on |V_{cd}| and |V_{cs}| are also briefly discussed.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2005

The Discovery Potential of a Super B Factory

The Proceedings of the 2003 SLAC Workshops on flavor physics with a high luminosity asymmetric e+e- collider. The sensitivity of flavor physics to physics beyond the Standard Model is addressed in detail, in the context of the improvement of experimental measurements and theoretical calculations.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2004

SU(3)-breaking effects in kaon and hyperon semileptonic decays from lattice QCD

We discuss the result of a recent quenched lattice calculation of the K -> pi vector form factor at zero-momentum transfer, relevant for the determination of |V_us| from K-> pi l nu decays. Using suitable double ratios of three-point correlation functions, we show that it is possible to calculate this quantity at the percent-level precision. The leading quenched effects are corrected for by means of quenched chiral perturbation theory. The final result, f+(0) = 0.960 +- 0.005_stat +- 0.007_syst, turns out to be in good agreement with the old quark model estimate made by Leutwyler and Roos. In this paper, we discuss the phenomenological impact of the lattice result for the extraction of |V_us|, by updating the analysis of K -> pi l nu decays with the most recent experimental data. We also present a preliminary lattice study of hyperon Sigma -> n l nu decays, based on a similar strategy.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2004

The K -> pi vector form factor at zero momentum transfer on the lattice

We present a quenched lattice study of the form factors $f_+(q^2)$ and $f_0(q^2)$ of the matrix elements $<π| \bar{s} γ_μu | K >$. We focus on the second-order SU(3)-breaking quantity $[1 - f_+(0)]$, which is necessary to extract $|V_{us}|$ from $K_{\ell 3}$ decays. For this quantity we show that it is possible to reach the percent precision which is the required one for a significant determination of $|V_{us}|$. The leading quenched chiral logarithms are corrected for by using analytic calculations in quenched chiral perturbation theory. Our final result, $f_+^{K^0π^-}(0) = 0.960 \pm 0.005_{\rm stat} \pm 0.007_{\rm syst}$, where the systematic error does not include the residual quenched effects, is in good agreement with the estimate made by Leutwyler and Roos. A comparison with other non-lattice computations and the impact of our result on the extraction of $|V_{us}|$ are also presented.

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