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Praveen Bharadwaj

Publications and source records attributed to Praveen Bharadwaj.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Diffuse Supernova Neutrinos with Secret Neutrino Interactions

The Diffuse Supernova Neutrino Background (DSNB), an isotropic flux arising from the cumulative neutrino emission of all stellar core-collapse events throughout cosmic history, is expected to be detected by next-generation neutrino observatories. As DSNB neutrinos propagate over cosmological distances through the cosmic neutrino background (C$ν$B), they may undergo non-standard neutrino self-interactions ($ν$SI), leaving distinct spectral imprints on the observed flux. In this work, we investigate the impact of scalar ($ϕ$)-mediated $ν$SI on the DSNB within a full three-flavor framework that retains the complete PMNS structure. We consider four representative flavor-diagonal coupling structures--universal, $e$-, $μ$-, and $τ$-specific. The resonant scattering $ν_iν_k\toϕ\toν_jν_l$ off the lightest, relativistic C$ν$B state produces broad spectral depletion whose pattern depends on the coupling structure and the neutrino mass ordering, generating distinctive signatures across the six flavor fluxes. We compute the resulting event spectra at JUNO, Hyper-Kamiokande with gadolinium loading, and DUNE, and derive projected $3σ$ sensitivities in the $(m_ϕ,~g)$ parameter plane. We find that these experiments can probe couplings as low as $g\sim10^{-8}$ for $m_ϕ\sim100$--$300$ eV, surpassing existing bounds by up to a few orders of magnitude in the sub-100 eV mass range. Moreover, unlike the flavor-blind cosmological and supernova bounds, the DSNB sensitivity is flavor-discriminating, offering a unique opportunity to identify the underlying flavor structure of $ν$SI in the event of a detection.

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Probing lepton number violation at FCC-ee

We propose high-multiplicity final-state signatures, such as $e^+e^-\to N\overline{N}\to \ell^+\ell^+ 4j$ with $\ell$ denoting $e,~μ$, $τ$, as probes of lepton number violation (LNV) at FCC-ee, featuring negligible Standard Model background. In contrast to conventional searches such as $pp\to \ell^+ N \to \ell^+ \ell^+ jj$ or the process $e^+e^-\toνN$, which are suppressed by the small neutrino masses in conventional seesaw scenarios, the minimal linear seesaw picture avoids this suppression. This enables a direct LNV probe from final-state topology, with over $\mathcal{O}(10^3)$ events expected at FCC-ee. Besides probing the Majorana nature of neutrinos, this offers a novel avenue to test the neutrino mass ordering established by oscillation experiments in a high-energy collider setting.

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Large lepton number violation at colliders: predictions from the minimal linear seesaw mechanism

Small neutrino masses can be sourced by a tiny vacuum expectation value of a leptophilic Higgs doublet, and mediated by Quasi-Dirac heavy neutrinos. In such simplest linear seesaw picture the neutrino mass mediators can be accessible to colliders. We describe novel charged Higgs and heavy neutrino production mechanisms that can be sizeable at $e^+ e^-$, $e^- γ$, $pp$, or muon colliders and discuss some of the associated signatures. The oscillation length of the heavy neutrino mediators is directly related to the light neutrino mass ordering. Moreover, lepton number violation can be large despite the smallness of neutrino masses, and may shed light on the Majorana nature of neutrinos and the significance of basic symmetries in weak interaction.

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Dark Matter Escaping Direct Detection Runs into Higgs Mass Hierarchy Problem

The current generation of Dark Matter Direct Detection Experiments has ruled out a large region of parameter space for dark matter, particularly in the ($10 - 1000$) GeV mass range. However, due to very low event rates, searching for dark matter in the heavy mass range, $\mathcal{O}$(TeV), is a daunting task requiring even larger volume detectors and long exposure times. We show that for a broad class of dark matter models of the type that these experiments are searching, including some of the most popular candidates, the heavy dark matter mass range can be ruled out in its entirety once we take into account the large corrections to Higgs mass imparted by such heavy dark matter. We show that such a limit is applicable to all types of dark matter i.e. scalar, vector, and fermionic, provided they couple directly with Higgs. By taking some simple and well studied dark matter models we show that the latest LZ limits can completely rule out such a dark matter except in a narrow range around $M_h/2$ mass.

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Phenomenology of the simplest linear seesaw mechanism

The linear seesaw mechanism provides a simple way to generate neutrino masses. In addition to Standard Model particles, it includes quasi-Dirac leptons as neutrino mass mediators, and a leptophilic scalar doublet seeding small neutrino masses. Here we review its associated physics, including restrictions from theory and phenomenology. The model yields potentially detectable $μ\to eγ$ rates as well as distinctive signatures in the production and decay of heavy neutrinos ($N_i$) and the charged Higgs boson ($H^\pm$) arising from the second scalar doublet. We have found that production processes such as $e^+e^-\to NN$, $e^-γ\to NH^-$ and $e^+ e^-\to H^+ H^-$ followed by the decay chain $H^\pm\to\ell_i^\pm N$, $N\to \ell_j^{\pm}W^\mp$ leads to striking lepton number violation signatures at high energies which may probe the Majorana nature of neutrinos.

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W-mass Anomaly in the Simplest Linear Seesaw Mechanism

The simplest linear seesaw mechanism can accommodate the new CDF-II $W$ mass measurement. In addition to Standard Model particles, the model includes quasi-Dirac leptons, and a second, leptophilic, scalar doublet seeding small neutrino masses. Our proposal is consistent with electroweak precision tests, neutrino physics, rare decays and collider restrictions, requiring a new charged scalar below a few TeV, split in mass from the new degenerate scalar and pseudoscalar neutral Higgs bosons.

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