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Gil Paz

Publications and source records attributed to Gil Paz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Fermion quantum field theory on curved and non-inertial backgrounds in standard-Minkowski form

Quantum field theory on curved and non-inertial backgrounds contains background- and foliation-dependent quantities in the canonical Lagrangian, the hypersurface inner product and bilinear form, as well as in the equal-time anti-commutation relations. In this work, we determine a local fermion-field redefinition that brings these canonical structures into their standard-Minkowski forms, i. e., the forms they assume in Cartesian inertial coordinates on Minkowski spacetime, where the zeroth world coordinate is identified as the coordinate of time. Starting from the generally covariant Dirac action minimally coupled to a spin-1 gauge field, we derive the corresponding Lagrangian, fermionic inner product, and quantization rule in an Arnowitt-Deser-Misner decomposition, formulated in arbitrary world coordinates. We identify the generalized temporal gamma matrix as the common geometric factor governing the canonical temporal structure of all three quantities. Using a field redefinition, we transform this generalized temporal gamma matrix to its standard-Minkowski form, thereby mapping the fermionic inner product and the equal-time anti-commutation relation to their standard-Minkowski expressions, while transferring the explicit background and foliation dependence to the transformed Lagrangian and fermion-field operators. We show that such a field redefinition necessarily consists of a local rescaling and a fixing of the local Lorentz frame. This procedure restores the conventional canonical normalization from standard-Minkowski spacetime used for fermionic mode quantization and occupation-number operators. The transformed Lagrangian consequently assumes a generalized first-order Schr\"odinger form, leading to the familiar rest-energy term and spacetime-magnetic couplings, as well as to the leading non-relativistic limit, in which temporal derivatives are separated from spatial ones.

hep-th

Effective Field Theory Perspective On King Non-linearity

Precision spectroscopic measurements of isotope shifts have recently reached a high level of accuracy. Tests of King non-linearity (NL) along isotope chains have been proposed as a tool to search for fifth-force mediators. At the same time, these tests can potentially teach us about the structure of heavy nuclei at unprecedented precision, where King NL has already been observed in several systems. A robust interpretation of the existing data, however, is hampered by incomplete control over the Standard Model (SM) contributions. We develop a systematic effective field theory framework, matching the SM onto scalar non-relativistic QED in the infinite nuclear mass limit and then onto quantum-mechanical potentials. This approach organizes all nuclear effects into a small set of Wilson coefficients and cleanly separates short- and long-distance physics. We show that the commonly used treatment of the $\langle r^2\rangle^2$ term needs to be reconsidered, as it arises only at second-order in perturbation theory, and we derive the long-range $1/r^4$ potential from nuclear polarizability. Applying the framework to hydrogen-like systems, we provide a transparent classification of SM sources of King NL relevant for current and future isotope-shift experiments. The formalism can be applied to learn about the shape of the heavy scalar nuclei at a higher level of precision and detail than what was previously attainable.

hep-ph

Searching for neutrino polarizability at DUNE

We perform an initial study of DUNE's sensitivity to enhanced neutrino polarizability within models of light scalar mediators. We identify two possible signatures of polarizability due to neutrino scattering on electrons and due to coherent scattering on argon nuclei. These result in either one or two separated electromagnetic showers, respectively, with no associated hadronic activity. For each signature we compute the signal rates and the relevant backgrounds, obtaining the projected reach of the DUNE near detector. We then compare this with the current astrophysical and terrestrial bounds on light scalar models coupling to neutrinos and/or photons.

hep-ph

Quasielastic Lepton-Nucleus Scattering and the Correlated Fermi Gas Model

The future neutrino research program will require improved precision. A major source of uncertainty is the interaction of neutrinos with nuclei that serve as targets for such experiments. Broadly speaking, this interaction often depends, e.g., for Charge-Current Quasi-Elastic (CCQE) scattering, on the combination of "nucleon physics" expressed by form factors and "nuclear physics" expressed by a nuclear model. It is important to get a good handle on both. This talk presents a fully analytic implementation of the Correlated Fermi Gas (CFG) Model for CCQE electron-nuclei and neutrino-nuclei scattering. The implementation is used to compare separately form factors and nuclear model effects for both electron-carbon and neutrino-carbon scattering data.

hep-ph

Recent developments in HQET

In this talk we review recent perturbative and non-perturbative developments in Heavy Quark Effective Theory (HQET).

hep-ph

On the sensitivity of nuclear clocks to new physics

The recent demonstration of laser excitation of the $\approx 8$ eV isomeric state of Thorium-229 is a significant step towards a nuclear clock. The low excitation energy likely results from a cancellation between electromagnetic and strong contributions, which new physics can disrupt. In this Letter, we quantify the enhancement of a nuclear clock's sensitivity to new physics using a geometric model and a novel $d$-wave halo model of the nucleus that reproduces measured differences between Thorium-229 states. We find likely enhancements of order $10^4$ while a worst case scenario with enhancement $\ll 1$ is unlikely.

hep-ph

Quasielastic Lepton-Nucleus Scattering and the Correlated Fermi Gas Model

The neutrino research program in the coming decades will require improved precision. A major source of uncertainty is the interaction of neutrinos with nuclei that serve as targets for such experiments. Broadly speaking, this interaction often depends, e.g., for charge-current quasi-elastic scattering, on the combination of ``nucleon physics", expressed by form factors, and ``nuclear physics", expressed by a nuclear model. It is important to get a good handle on both. We present a fully analytic implementation of the Correlated Fermi Gas Model for electron-nucleus and charge-current quasi-elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering. The implementation is used to compare separately form factors and nuclear model effects for both electron-carbon and neutrino-carbon scattering data.

hep-ph

Radiative Corrections: From Medium to High Energy Experiments

Radiative corrections are crucial for modern high-precision physics experiments, and are an area of active research in the experimental and theoretical community. Here we provide an overview of the state of the field of radiative corrections with a focus on several topics: lepton-proton scattering, QED corrections in deep-inelastic scattering, and in radiative light-hadron decays. Particular emphasis is placed on the two-photon exchange, believed to be responsible for the proton form-factor discrepancy, and associated Monte-Carlo codes. We encourage the community to continue developing theoretical techniques to treat radiative corrections, and perform experimental tests of these corrections.

hep-ph

Oscillating nuclear charge radii as sensors for ultralight dark matter

We show that coupling of ultralight dark matter (UDM) to quarks and gluons would lead to an oscillation of the nuclear charge radius for both the quantum chromodynamics (QCD) axion and scalar dark matter. Consequently, the resulting oscillation of electronic energy levels could be resolved with optical atomic clocks, and their comparisons can be used to investigate UDM-nuclear couplings, which were previously only accessible with other platforms. We demonstrate this idea using the ${}^2S_{1/2} (F=0)\leftrightarrow {}^2F_{7/2} (F=3)$ electric octupole and ${}^2S_{1/2} (F=0)\leftrightarrow \,{}^2D_{3/2} (F=2)$ electric quadrupole transitions in ${}^{171}Yb^+$. Based on the derived sensitivity coefficients for these two transitions and a long-term comparison of their frequencies using a single trapped ${}^{171}Yb^+$ ion, we find bounds on the scalar UDM-nuclear couplings and the QCD axion decay constant. These results are at a similar level compared to the tightest spectroscopic limits, and future investigations, also with other optical clocks, promise significant improvements.

hep-ph

Theory of Inclusive B Decays

In this talk I briefly review the current status of the theory of the inclusive $B$ decays: $\bar B\to X_c\, \ell\,\bar\nu_\ell$, $\bar B\to X_u\, \ell\,\bar\nu_\ell$, and $\bar B\to X_s\,\gamma$. I try to answer three questions: what is the current "state of the art", can the theoretical prediction be improved, and will it lead to a smaller theoretical uncertainty.

hep-ph

Enhanced neutrino polarizability

We point out that neutrinos can have enhanced couplings to photons, if light (pseudo)scalar mediators are present, resulting in potentially measurable neutrino polarizability. We show that the expected suppression from small neutrino masses can be compensated by the light mediator mass, generating dimension 7 Rayleigh operators at low scales. We explore the rich phenomenology of such models, computing in details the constraints on the viable parameter space, spanned by the couplings of the mediator to neutrinos and photons. Finally, we build several explicit models that lead to enhanced neutrino polarizability by modifying the inverse see-saw majoron, i.e., the pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson of the $U(1)_L$ global lepton number responsible for generating small neutrino masses.

hep-ph

Neutrino Scattering Measurements on Hydrogen and Deuterium: A Snowmass White Paper

Neutrino interaction uncertainties are a limiting factor in current and next-generation experiments probing the fundamental physics of neutrinos, a unique window on physics beyond the Standard Model. Neutrino-nucleon scattering amplitudes are an important part of the neutrino interaction program. However, since all modern neutrino detectors are composed primarily of heavy nuclei, knowledge of elementary neutrino-nucleon amplitudes relies heavily on experiments performed in the 1970s and 1980s, whose statistical and systematic precision are insufficient for current needs. In this white paper, we outline the motivation for attempting measurements on hydrogen and deuterium that would improve this knowledge, and we discuss options for making these measurements either with the DUNE near detector or with a dedicated facility.

hep-ex

Bubble Chamber Detectors with Light Nuclear Targets: A Snowmass 2021 White Paper

Neutrino cross sections are a critical ingredient in experiments that depend on neutrino scattering to reconstruct event kinematics and infer neutrino characteristics, like NOvA and T2K. An opportunity exists to reduce the 5-10% broad uncertainty on neutrino cross sections by producing more measurements of neutrino scattering from light nuclear targets at the relevant energies. Bubble chambers with light nuclear targets would be ideal for these measurements but the most recent device designed for use with an accelerator neutrino source is at least fifty years old. A new bubble chamber with light nuclear targets could be designed by observing how the technology has progressed for use in dark matter experiments and producing smaller modular devices that use more efficient cooling systems. A smaller modular device could also be designed for deployment to all functioning neutrino beams, but an investigation of the proper operating characteristics is necessary to adapt newer detectors to the structure of contemporary neutrino beams.

physics.ins-det

Summary of Workshop on Common Neutrino Event Generator Tools

A neutrino community workshop was held at Fermilab in Jan 2020, with the aim of developing an implementation plan for a set of common interfaces to Neutrino Event Generators. This white paper summarizes discussions at the workshop and the resulting plan.

hep-ex

Shining dark matter in Xenon1T

We point out that a non-relativistic $\sim 2 $ GeV dark matter (DM) which interacts with visible matter through higher dimensional Rayleigh operators could explain the excess of "electron recoil" events recently observed by the Xenon1T collaboration. A DM scattering event results in a few keV photon that on average carries most of the deposited energy, while the nuclear recoil energy is only a subleading correction. Since the Xenon1T detector does not discriminate between electrons and photons, such events would be interpreted as excess of the keV electrons. Indirect constraints from dark matter annihilation are avoided for light mediators of ${\mathcal O}(10~{\rm MeV})$ that have sizable couplings to neutrinos. One loop induced spin-independent scattering in dark matter may soon lead to a confirmation signal or already excludes regions of viable parameter space for the Rayleigh DM model, depending on what the exact values of the unknown nonperturbative nuclear matrix elements are.

hep-ph

Model Independent Extraction of the Proton Charge Radius from PRad data

The proton radius puzzle has motivated several new experiments that aim to extract the proton charge radius and resolve the puzzle. Recently PRad, a new electron-proton scattering experiment at Jefferson Lab, reported a proton charge radius of $0.831\pm 0.007_\textnormal{statistical}\pm 0.012_\textnormal{systematic}$. The value was obtained by using a rational function model for the proton electric form factor. We perform a model-independent extraction using $z$-expansion of the proton charge radius from PRad data. We find that the model-independent statistical error is more than 50\% larger compared to the statistical error reported by PRad.

hep-ph

The Proton Radius Puzzle

In 2010 the proton charge radius was extracted for the first time from muonic hydrogen, a bound state of a muon and a proton. The value obtained was five standard deviations away from the regular hydrogen extraction. Taken at face value, this might be an indication of a new force in nature coupling to muons, but not to electrons. It also forces us to reexamine our understanding of the structure of the proton. Here I describe an ongoing theoretical research effort that seeks to address this "proton radius puzzle". In particular, I will present the development of new effective field theoretical tools that seek to directly connect muonic hydrogen and muon-proton scattering.

hep-ph

Reevaluating Uncertainties in $\bar B\to X_s\gamma$ Decay

The rare decay $\bar B\to X_s\gamma$ is an important probe of physics beyond the standard model. The largest uncertainty on the total rate and the CP asymmetry arises from resolved photon contributions. These appear first at order $1/m_b$ and are related to operators other than $Q_{7\gamma}$ in the effective weak Hamiltonian. One of the three leading contributions, $Q^q_1-Q_{7\gamma}$, is described by a non-local function whose moments are related to HQET parameters. We use recent progress in our knowledge of these parameters to reevaluate the resolved photon contribution to $\bar B\to X_s\gamma$ total rate and CP asymmetry.

hep-ph