arXiv subjects

Joerg Jaeckel

Publications and source records attributed to Joerg Jaeckel.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Probing MeV to 90 GeV axion-like particles with LEP and LHC

Axion-like particles (ALPs), relatively light (pseudo-)scalars coupled to two gauge bosons, are a common feature of many extensions of the Standard Model. Up to now there has been a gap in the sensitivity to such particles in the MeV to 10 GeV range. In this note we show that LEP data on $Z\toγγ$ decays provides significant constraints in this range (and indeed up to the $Z$-mass). We also discuss the sensitivities of LHC and future colliders. Particularly the LHC shows promising sensitivity in searching for a pseudo-scalar with $4 \lesssim m_a \lesssim 60$ GeV in the channel $pp \to 3 γ$ with $m_{3γ}\approx m_{Z}$.

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arXiv2015

A facility to Search for Hidden Particles at the CERN SPS: the SHiP physics case

This paper describes the physics case for a new fixed target facility at CERN SPS. The SHiP (Search for Hidden Particles) experiment is intended to hunt for new physics in the largely unexplored domain of very weakly interacting particles with masses below the Fermi scale, inaccessible to the LHC experiments, and to study tau neutrino physics. The same proton beam setup can be used later to look for decays of tau-leptons with lepton flavour number non-conservation, $τ\to 3μ$ and to search for weakly-interacting sub-GeV dark matter candidates. We discuss the evidence for physics beyond the Standard Model and describe interactions between new particles and four different portals - scalars, vectors, fermions or axion-like particles. We discuss motivations for different models, manifesting themselves via these interactions, and how they can be probed with the SHiP experiment and present several case studies. The prospects to search for relatively light SUSY and composite particles at SHiP are also discussed. We demonstrate that the SHiP experiment has a unique potential to discover new physics and can directly probe a number of solutions of beyond the Standard Model puzzles, such as neutrino masses, baryon asymmetry of the Universe, dark matter, and inflation

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arXiv2015

The Higgs Mass and the Scale of New Physics

In view of the measured Higgs mass of 125 GeV, the perturbative renormalization group evolution of the Standard Model suggests that our Higgs vacuum might not be stable. We connect the usual perturbative approach and the functional renormalization group which allows for a straightforward inclusion of higher-dimensional operators in the presence of an ultraviolet cutoff. In the latter framework we study vacuum stability in the presence of higher-dimensional operators. We find that their presence can have a sizable influence on the maximum ultraviolet scale of the Standard Model and the existence of instabilities. Finally, we discuss how such operators can be generated in specific models and study the relation between the instability scale of the potential and the scale of new physics required to avoid instabilities.

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arXiv2015

Far from equilibrium dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensation for Axion Dark Matter

Axions and similar very weakly interacting particles are increasingly compelling candidates for the cold dark matter of the universe. Having very low mass and being produced non-thermally in the early Universe, axions feature extremely high occupation numbers. It has been suggested that this leads to the formation of a Bose-Einstein condensate with potentially significant impact on observation and direct detection experiments. In this note we aim to clarify that if Bose-Einstein condensation occurs for light and very weakly interacting dark matter particles, it does not happen in thermal equilibrium but is described by a far-from-equilibrium state. In particular we point out that the dynamics is characterized by two very different timescales, such that condensation occurs on a much shorter timescale than full thermalization.

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arXiv2014

An upper limit on the scale of new physics phenomena from rising cross sections in high multiplicity Higgs and vector boson events

In very high energy scattering events production of multiple Higgs and electroweak gauge bosons becomes possible. Indeed the perturbative cross section for these processes grows with increasing energy, eventually violating perturbative unitarity. In addition to perturbative unitarity we also examine constraints on high multiplicity processes arising from experimentally measured quantities. These include the shape of the Z-peak and upper limits on scattering cross sections of cosmic rays. We find that the rate of high multiplicity electroweak processes will exceed these upper limits at energies not significantly above what can be currently tested experimentally. This leaves two options: 1) The electroweak sector becomes truly non-perturbative in this regime or 2) Additional physics beyond the Standard Model is needed. In both cases novel physics phenomena must set in before these energies are reached. Based on the measured Higgs mass we estimate the critical energy to be in the range of $10^3$ TeV but we also point out that it can potentially be significantly less than that.

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arXiv2014

Polarized WW Scattering on the Higgs Pole

The Higgs discovery has given us the Higgs-gauge sector as a new handle to search for physics beyond the Standard Model. This includes physics scenarios originally linked to massive gauge boson scattering at high energies. We investigate how one can separately probe the Higgs couplings to the longitudinal and transverse parts of the massive gauge bosons away from this high-energy limit. Deviations from the Standard Model could originate from higher-dimensional operators, compositeness, or even more fundamentally from a violation of gauge invariance. The signature we propose is the tagging jet kinematics in weak boson scattering for scattering energies close to the Higgs resonance. During the upcoming LHC run at 13 TeV we will be able to test these couplings at the 20% level.

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arXiv2014

Hidden photons with Kaluza-Klein towers

One of the simplest extensions of the Standard Model (SM) is an extra U(1) gauge group under which SM matter does not carry any charge. The associated boson -- the hidden photon -- then interacts via kinetic mixing with the ordinary photon. Such hidden photons arise naturally in UV extensions such as string theory, often accompanied by the presence of extra spatial dimensions. In this note we investigate a toy scenario where the hidden photon extends into these extra dimensions. Interaction via kinetic mixing is observable only if the hidden photon is massive. In four dimensions this mass needs to be generated via a Higgs or Stueckelberg mechanism. However, in a situation with compactified extra dimensions there automatically exist massive Kaluza-Klein modes which make the interaction observable. We present phenomenological constraints for our toy model. This example demonstrates that the additional particles arising in a more complete theory can have significant effects on the phenomenology.

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arXiv2014

A 3.55 keV hint for decaying axion-like particle dark matter

Recently, indications for an emission line at 3.55 keV have been found in the combined spectra of a large number of galaxy clusters and also in Andromeda. This line could not be identified with any known spectral line. It is tempting to speculate that it has its origin in the decay of a particle contributing all or part of the dark matter. In this note we want to point out that axion-like particles being all or part of the dark matter are an ideal candidate to produce such a feature. More importantly the parameter values necessary are quite feasible in extensions of the Standard Model based on string theory and could be linked up to a variety of other intriguing phenomena, which also potentially allow for new tests of this speculation.

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arXiv2014

A Family of WISPy Dark Matter Candidates

Dark matter made from non-thermally produced bosons can have very low, possibly sub-eV masses. Axions and hidden photons are prominent examples of such "dark" very weakly interacting light (slim) particles (WISPs). A suitable mechanism for their non-thermal production is the misalignment mechanism. Their dominant interaction with Standard Model (SM) particles is via photons. In this note we want to go beyond these standard examples and discuss a wide range of scalar and pseudo-scalar bosons interacting with SM matter fermions via derivative interactions. Suitably light candidates arise naturally as pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone bosons. In particular we are interested in examples, inspired by familons, whose interactions have a non-trivial flavor structure.

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arXiv2013

Hidden Photons in Extra Dimensions

Additional U(1) gauge symmetries and corresponding vector bosons, called hidden photons, interacting with the regular photon via kinetic mixing are well motivated in extensions of the Standard Model. Such extensions often exhibit extra spatial dimensions. In this note we investigate the effects of hidden photons living in extra dimensions. In four dimensions such a hidden photon is only detectable if it has a mass or if there exists additional matter charged under it. We note that in extra dimensions suitable masses for hidden photons are automatically present in form of the Kaluza-Klein tower.

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arXiv2013

An Antenna for Directional Detection of WISPy Dark Matter

It is an intriguing possibility that the cold dark matter of the Universe may consist of very light and very weakly interacting particles such as axion(-like particles) and hidden photons. This opens up (but also requires) new techniques for direct detection. One possibility is to use reflecting surfaces to facilitate the conversion of dark matter into photons, which can be concentrated in a detector with a suitable geometry. In this note we show that this technique also allows for directional detection and inference of the full vectorial velocity spectrum of the dark matter particles. We also note that the non-vanishing velocity of dark matter particles is relevant for the conception of (non-directional) discovery experiments and outline relevant features.

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arXiv2013

From Resonant to Broadband Searches for WISPy Cold Dark Matter

Dark matter may consist of light, very weakly interacting bosons, produced non-thermally in the early Universe. Prominent examples of such very weakly interacting slim particles (WISPs) are axions and hidden photons. Direct detection experiments for such particles are based on the conversion of these particles into photons. This can be done in resonant cavities, featuring a resonant enhancement, or by using suitably shaped reflecting surfaces that allow for broadband searches. In this note we want to elucidate the relation between the two setups and study the transition from resonant to broadband searches. This then allows to determine the sensitivity of off-resonance cavity searches for cavities much larger than the wavelength of the generated photons.

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arXiv2013

LHC probes the hidden sector

In this note we establish LHC limits on a variety of benchmark models for hidden sector physics using 2011 and 2012 data. First, we consider a "hidden" U(1) gauge boson under which all Standard Model particles are uncharged at tree-level and which interacts with the visible sector either via kinetic mixing or higher dimensional operators. Second, we constrain scalar and pseudo-scalar particles interacting with the Standard Model via dimension five operators and Yukawa interactions, in particular including so-called axion-like particles. In both cases we consider several different final states, including photons, electrons, muons and taus, establishing new constraints for a range of GeV to TeV scale masses. Finally, we also comment on particles with electric charges smaller than e that arise from hidden sector matter.

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arXiv2013

Tunneling of the 3rd Kind: A Test of the Effective Non-locality of Quantum Field Theory

Integrating out virtual quantum fluctuations in an originally local quantum field theory results in an effective theory which is non-local. In this Letter we argue that tunneling of the 3rd kind - where particles traverse a barrier by splitting into a pair of virtual particles which recombine only after a finite distance - provides a direct test of this non-locality. We sketch a quantum-optical setup to test this effect, and investigate observable effects in a simple toy model.

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arXiv2013

A force beyond the Standard Model - Status of the quest for hidden photons

In this note we discuss the search for new gauge forces beyond the Standard Model. In particular we give an overview for the simplest case of a new U(1), kinetically mixed with the Standard Model photon (hypercharge boson), a so-called hidden photon (also known as dark photon, heavy photon or A').

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arXiv2013

Emergence of the Electroweak Scale through the Higgs Portal

Having discovered a candidate for the final piece of the Standard Model, the Higgs boson, the question remains why its vacuum expectation value and its mass are so much smaller than the Planck scale (or any other high scale of new physics). One elegant solution was provided by Coleman and Weinberg, where all mass scales are generated from dimensionless coupling constants via dimensional transmutation. However, the original Coleman-Weinberg scenario predicts a Higgs mass which is too light; it is parametrically suppressed compared to the mass of the vectors bosons, and hence is much lighter than the observed value. In this paper we argue that a mass scale, generated via the Coleman-Weinberg mechanism in a hidden sector and then transmitted to the Standard Model through a Higgs portal, can naturally explain the smallness of the electroweak scale compared to the UV cutoff scale, and at the same time be consistent with the observed value. We analyse the phenomenology of such a model in the context of present and future colliders and low energy measurements.

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arXiv2012

Searching for WISPy Cold Dark Matter with a Dish Antenna

The cold dark matter of the Universe may be comprised of very light and very weakly interacting particles, so-called WISPs. Two prominent examples are hidden photons and axion-like particles. In this note we propose a new technique to sensitively search for this type of dark matter with dish antennas. The technique is broadband and allows to explore a whole range of masses in a single measurement.

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arXiv2012

The TeV Dawn of SUSY Models - Consequences for Flavour and CP

Direct searches and the hints for the Higgs at ~125 GeV put increasing pressure on simple models of SUSY breaking, in particular (but not exclusively) on those that automatically solve the flavour problem, such as gauge mediation. SUSY-breaking parameters are pushed to higher and higher values, increasing the fine-tuning required to achieve electroweak symmetry breaking at the observed scale. In this note we consider the situation for models which do not attempt to solve the flavour problem. To treat them on equal footing, we consider the combined fine-tuning arising from electroweak symmetry breaking as well as from fulfilling flavour constraints. We also consider CP. We find that for an anarchic flavour (and CP) structure of the soft SUSY breaking terms, the minimum in the fine-tuning occurs at a scale of a few TeV. This is consistent with the current experimental situation and leads to motivating conclusions for direct searches as well as future flavour and CP measurements.

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