arXiv subjects

M. C. Gonzalez-Garcia

Publications and source records attributed to M. C. Gonzalez-Garcia.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex

The Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) currently delivers a 1 MW, 3 GeV proton beam to the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF). Power is expected to increase to 1.3 MW, driven by the needs of Hyper-Kamiokande. As a result, the MLF presently provides the highest neutron yield of any spallation source, while potentially holding the best current and foreseeable conditions for Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering (CE$ν$NS) experimentation. We explore this potential, using as examples detector technologies presently funded for construction and under development. We quantify their sensitivity to a rich variety of particle physics scenarios, finding that very-high-statistics CE$ν$NS measurements with significant sensitivity to relevant scenarios are feasible at this facility within the next few years.

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arXiv2026

USMEFT as a tool for discovery of universal new physics at high luminosity LHC

We analyze the potential of the Universal SMEFT as a tool to study universal new physics in the neutral and charged Drell-Yan processes at the high-luminosity LHC. In order to do so, we generated pseudo-data containing the contributions of beyond the standard model vector bosons to the dilepton production. Our results show that fits with the minimal theoretical bias can be used not only to unveil the existence of new physics but also to accurately extract its properties. Moreover, the results are rather stable with respect to the order of truncation of the effective field theory.

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arXiv2026

Exploring neutrino loss with diffuse astrophysical neutrino fluxes

We study the sensitivity of the diffuse high-energy neutrino flux observed in IceCube to new-physics effects resulting in an exponential flux attenuation along the trajectory, such as invisible neutrino decay or new interactions with the background encountered during propagation. We argue that, even though the sources and production redshifts of these astrophysical neutrinos are unknown, conservative energy-conservation arguments allow to severely constrain neutrino loss in most scenarios beyond the strongest existing bounds. By performing a fit to the High-Energy Starting Events from IceCube, we quantify the bounds and study their variation with the energy dependence of the attenuation, the assumed redshift distribution of the neutrino sources, and whether the attenuation affects neutrinos exclusively or no. We also show that including an energy-dependent attenuation at the level allowed in the fit may impact the determination of the spectral index of the diffuse flux.

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arXiv2026

Lessons from the first JUNO results

First results from the JUNO reactor neutrino experiment already determine with world-leading precision the small neutrino squared-mass splitting $Δm^2_{21}$ and the mixing angle $θ_{12}$. In this article we perform an exploratory study beyond these, taking advantage of the first JUNO data release to discuss its sensitivity to the large squared-mass splitting, $Δm^2_{3\ell}$. When combined with constraints from global oscillation data, this may already contain some information on the neutrino mass ordering. Indeed, we find that the combination of the complementary $Δm^2_{3\ell}$-determinations gives a slight preference for Normal Ordering, with a p-value for Inverted Ordering of 2%-2.6% ($2.2σ$-$2.3σ$). We study the robustness of this result with respect to potential systematic uncertainties and statistical fluctuations. Taken at face value, a full global analysis of oscillation data including the publicly available JUNO information and data leads to a preference for Normal Ordering with $Δχ^2 = 4.6$ and 9.4 without and with Super-K and IceCube-24 atmospheric neutrino data, respectively.

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arXiv2026

Unitarity limits on triple gauge boson production

We derive the unitarity constraints on anomalous quartic gauge couplings originating from the $f \bar{f}^\prime \to V V' V''$ channel with $V^{(')('')}=γ$, $Z$, $W^\pm$, and $H$. We also assess the importance of these bounds on the present and future experimental searches.

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arXiv2025

Physics Briefing Book: Input for the 2026 update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics

The European Strategy for Particle Physics (ESPP) reflects the vision and presents concrete plans of the European particle physics community for advancing human knowledge in fundamental physics. The ESPP is updated every five-to-six years through a community-driven process. It commences with the submission of specific proposals and other input from the community at large, outlining projects envisioned for the near-, mid-, and long-term future. All submitted contributions are evaluated by the Physics Preparatory Group (PPG), and a preliminary analysis is presented at a Symposium meant to foster a broad community discussion on the scientific value and feasibility of the various ideas proposed. The outcomes of the analysis and the deliberations at the Symposium are synthesized in the current Briefing Book, which provides an important input in the deliberations of the Strategy recommendations by the European Strategy Group (ESG).

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

NuFit-6.0: Updated global analysis of three-flavor neutrino oscillations

We present an updated global analysis of neutrino oscillation data as of September 2024. The parameters $θ_{12}$, $θ_{13}$, $Δm^2_{21}$, and $|Δm^2_{3\ell}|$ ($\ell = 1,2$) are well-determined with relative precision at $3σ$ of about 13\%, 8\%, 15\%, and 6\%, respectively. The third mixing angle $θ_{23}$ still suffers from the octant ambiguity, with no clear indication of whether it is larger or smaller than $45^\circ$. The determination of the leptonic CP phase $δ_{CP}$ depends on the neutrino mass ordering: for normal ordering the global fit is consistent with CP conservation within $1σ$, whereas for inverted ordering CP-violating values of $δ_{CP}$ around $270^\circ$ are favored against CP conservation at more than $3.6σ$. While the present data has in principle $2.5$--$3σ$ sensitivity to the neutrino mass ordering, there are different tendencies in the global data that reduce the discrimination power: T2K and NOvA appearance data individually favor normal ordering, but they are more consistent with each other for inverted ordering. Conversely, the joint determination of $|Δm^2_{3\ell}|$ from global disappearance data prefers normal ordering. Altogether, the global fit including long-baseline, reactor and IceCube atmospheric data results into an almost equally good fit for both orderings. Only when the $χ^2$ table for atmospheric neutrino data from Super-Kamiokande is added to our $χ^2$, the global fit prefers normal ordering with $Δχ^2 = 6.1$. We provide also updated ranges and correlations for the effective parameters sensitive to the absolute neutrino mass from $β$-decay, neutrinoless double-beta decay, and cosmology.

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arXiv2025

Dimension-eight Operator Basis for Universal Standard Model Effective Field Theory

We present the basis of dimension-eight operators associated with universal theories. We first derive a complete list of independent dimension-eight operators formed with the Standard Model bosonic fields characteristic of such universal new physics scenarios. Without imposing C or P symmetries the basis contains 175 operators -- that is, the assumption of Universality reduces the number of independent SMEFT coefficients at dimension eight from 44807 to 175. 89 of the 175 universal operators are included in the general dimension-eight operator basis in the literature. The 86 additional operators involve higher derivatives of the Standard Model bosonic fields and can be rotated in favor of operators involving fermions using the Standard Model equations of motion for the bosonic fields. By doing so we obtain the allowed fermionic operators generated in this class of models which we map into the corresponding 86 independent combinations of operators in the dimension-eight basis of Ref. arXiv:2005.00059

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arXiv2025

Drell-Yan production in universal theories beyond dimension-six SMEFT

We study Drell-Yan production in universal theories consistently including effects beyond dimension six in the SMEFT. Within universal SMEFT and with $C$ and $P$ conservation we find that eleven dimension-eight operators contribute in addition to the six contributing at dimension-six. We first work in an operator basis in which operators with higher derivatives of the bosonic fields have been rotated by equations of motion in favor of combinations of operators involving SM fermion currents. We derive the general form of the amplitudes consistently in the expansion to ${\cal O}(Λ^{-4})$ and identify eight combinations of the 17 Wilson coefficients which are physically distinguishable by studying the invariant mass distribution of the lepton pairs produced. We then introduce an extension of the parametrization of universal effects in terms of oblique parameters obtained by linearly expanding the self-energies of the electroweak gauge-bosons to ${\cal O}(q^6)$. It contains eleven oblique parameters of which only eight are generated within SMEFT at dimension-eight: $\widehat{S}$, $\widehat{T}$, $W$, $Y$, $\widehat{U}$, $X$, plus two additional which we label $W'$ and $Y'$ and show how they match at linear order with the eight identified combinations of operator coefficients. We then perform a combined analysis of a variety of LHC data on the neutral- and charged-current Drell-Yan processes with the aim of constraining the eight combinations. We compare and combine the LHC bounds with those from electroweak precision $W$ and $Z$ pole observables which can only provide constraints in four directions of the eight-parameter space. We present the results in terms of limits on the eight effective Wilson coefficients as well as on the eight oblique parameters. In each case, we study the dependence of the derived constraints on the order of the expansion considered.

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arXiv2025

LHC EFT WG Note: Basis for Anomalous Quartic Gauge Couplings

In this note, we give a definitive basis for the dimension-eight operators leading to quartic -- but no cubic -- interactions among electroweak gauge bosons. These are often called anomalous quartic gauge couplings, or aQGCs. We distinguish in particular the CP-even ones from their CP-odd counterparts.

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arXiv2025

Solar Model Independent Constraints on the Sterile Neutrino Interpretation of the Gallium Anomaly

We perform a global analysis of most up-to-date solar neutrino data and KamLAND reactor antineutrino data in the framework of the 3+1 sterile neutrino mixing scenario (invoked to explain the results of the Gallium source experiments) with the aim of quantifying the dependence of the (in)compatibility of the required mixing with assumptions on the initial fluxes. The analysis of solar data is performed in two alternative ways: using the flux predicted by the latest standard solar models, and in a model independent approach where the solar fluxes are also determined by the fit. The dependence on the normalization of the capture rate in the solar Gallium experiments is also quantified. Similarly, in the KamLAND analysis we consider both the case where the reactor flux normalization is assumed to be known a priori, as well as a normalization free case which relies solely on available neutrino data. Using a parameter goodness of fit test, we find that in most cases the compatibility between Gallium and solar+KamLAND data only occur at the $3σ$ level or higher. We also discuss the implications of enforcing better compatibility by tweaking the mechanism for the energy production in the Sun.

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arXiv2024

Solar neutrinos and leptonic spin forces

We quantify the effects of light spin-zero particles with pseudoscalar couplings to leptons and scalar couplings to nucleons on the evolution of solar neutrinos. In this scenario the matter potential sourced by the nucleons in the Sun's matter gives rise to spin precession of the relativistic neutrino ensemble. As such the effects in the solar observables are different if neutrinos are Dirac or Majorana particles. For Dirac neutrinos the spin-flavour precession results into left-handed neutrino to right-handed neutrino (i.e., active-sterile) oscillations, while for Majorana neutrinos it results into left-handed neutrino to right-handed antineutrino (i.e., active-active) oscillations. In both cases this leads to distortions in the solar neutrino spectrum which we use to derive constraints on the allowed values of the mediator mass and couplings via a global analysis of the solar neutrino data. In addition for Majorana neutrinos spin-flavour precession results into a potentially observable flux of solar electron antineutrinos at the Earth which we quantify and constrain with the existing bounds from Borexino and KamLAND.

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arXiv2024

Neutrino Oscillation Constraints on U(1)' Models: from Non-Standard Interactions to Long-Range Forces

We quantify the effect of gauge bosons from a weakly coupled lepton flavor dependent $U(1)'$ interaction on the matter background in the evolution of solar, atmospheric, reactor and long-baseline accelerator neutrinos in the global analysis of oscillation data. The analysis is performed for interaction lengths ranging from the Sun-Earth distance to effective contact neutrino interactions. We survey $\sim 10000$ set of models characterized by the six relevant fermion $U(1)'$ charges and find that in all cases, constraints on the coupling and mass of the $Z'$ can be derived. We also find that about 5% of the $U(1)'$ model charges lead to a viable LMA-D solution but this is only possible in the contact interaction limit. We explicitly quantify the constraints for a variety of models including $U(1)_{B-3L_e}$, $U(1)_{B-3L_μ}$, $U(1)_{B-3L_τ}$, $U(1)_{B-\frac{3}{2}(L_μ+L_τ)}$, $U(1)_{L_e-L_μ}$, $U(1)_{L_e-L_τ}$, $U(1)_{L_e-\frac{1}{2}(L_μ+L_τ)}$. We compare the constraints imposed by our oscillation analysis with the strongest bounds from fifth force searches, violation of equivalence principle as well as bounds from scattering experiments and white dwarf cooling. Our results show that generically, the oscillation analysis improves over the existing bounds from gravity tests for $Z'$ lighter than $\sim 10^{-11}$ eV. In the contact interaction limit, we find that for most models listed above there are values of $g'$ and $M_{Z'}$ for which the oscillation analysis provides constraints beyond those imposed by laboratory experiments. Finally we illustrate the range of $Z'$ and couplings leading to a viable LMA-D solution for two sets of models.

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arXiv2024

Status of Direct Determination of Solar Neutrino Fluxes after Borexino

We determine the solar neutrino fluxes from the global analysis of the most up-to-date terrestrial and solar neutrino data including the final results of the three phases of Borexino. The analysis are performed in the framework of three-neutrino mixing with and without accounting for the solar luminosity constraint. We discuss the independence of the results on the input from the Gallium experiments. The determined fluxes are then compared with the predictions provided by the latest Standard Solar Models. We quantify the dependence of the model comparison with the assumptions about the normalization of the solar neutrino fluxes produced in the CNO-cycle as well as on the particular set of fluxes employed for the model testing.

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arXiv2023

Bounds on Quartic Gauge Couplings in HEFT from Electroweak Gauge Boson Pair Production at the LHC

Precision measurements of anomalous quartic couplings of electroweak gauge bosons allow us to search for deviations of the Standard Model predictions and signals of new physics. Here, we obtain the constraints on anomalous quartic gauge couplings using the presently available data on the production of gauge-boson pairs via vector boson fusion. We work in the Higgs effective theory framework and obtain the present bounds on the operator's Wilson coefficients. Anomalous quartic gauge boson couplings lead to rapidly growing cross sections and we discuss the impact of a unitarization procedure on the attainable limits.

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arXiv2023

On neutrino-mediated potentials in a neutrino background

The exchange of a pair of neutrinos with Standard Model weak interactions generates a long-range force between fermions. The associated potential is extremely feeble, $\propto G_F^2/r^5$ for massless neutrinos, whichrenders it far from observable even in the most sensitive experiments testing fifth forces. The presence of a neutrino background has been argued to induce a correction to the neutrino propagator that enhances the potential by orders of magnitude. In this brief note, we point out that such modified propagators are invalid if the background neutrino wavepackets have a finite width. By reevaluating the 2--$ν$ exchange potential in the presence of a neutrino background including finite width effects, we find that the background-induced enhancement is reduced by several orders of magnitude. Unfortunately, this pushes the resulting 2--$ν$ exchange potential away from present and near-future sensitivity of tests of new long-range forces.

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arXiv2023

Global constraints on non-standard neutrino interactions with quarks and electrons

We derive new constraints on effective four-fermion neutrino non-standard interactions with both quarks and electrons. This is done through the global analysis of neutrino oscillation data and measurements of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) obtained with different nuclei. In doing so, we include not only the effects of new physics on neutrino propagation but also on the detection cross section in neutrino experiments which are sensitive to the new physics. We consider both vector and axial-vector neutral-current neutrino interactions and, for each case, we include simultaneously all allowed effective operators in flavour space. To this end, we use the most general parametrization for their Wilson coefficients under the assumption that their neutrino flavour structure is independent of the charged fermion participating in the interaction. The status of the LMA-D solution is assessed for the first time in the case of new interactions taking place simultaneously with up quarks, down quarks, and electrons. One of the main results of our work are the presently allowed regions for the effective combinations of non-standard neutrino couplings, relevant for long-baseline and atmospheric neutrino oscillation experiments.

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arXiv2023

Feebly Interacting Particles: FIPs 2022 workshop report

Particle physics today faces the challenge of explaining the mystery of dark matter, the origin of matter over anti-matter in the Universe, the origin of the neutrino masses, the apparent fine-tuning of the electro-weak scale, and many other aspects of fundamental physics. Perhaps the most striking frontier to emerge in the search for answers involves new physics at mass scales comparable to familiar matter, below the GeV-scale, or even radically below, down to sub-eV scales, and with very feeble interaction strength. New theoretical ideas to address dark matter and other fundamental questions predict such feebly interacting particles (FIPs) at these scales, and indeed, existing data provide numerous hints for such possibility. A vibrant experimental program to discover such physics is under way, guided by a systematic theoretical approach firmly grounded on the underlying principles of the Standard Model. This document represents the report of the FIPs 2022 workshop, held at CERN between the 17 and 21 October 2022 and aims to give an overview of these efforts, their motivations, and the decadal goals that animate the community involved in the search for FIPs.

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