arXiv subjects

ShivaSankar K. A.

Publications and source records attributed to ShivaSankar K. A..

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Heavy neutral leptons from light scalar in fixed target and forward search experiments

The observation of neutrino masses strongly motivates $U(1)_{B-L}$ extensions of the Standard Model, in which heavy neutral leptons acquire Majorana masses through spontaneous $U(1)_{B-L}$ symmetry breaking and generate light neutrino masses via the seesaw mechanism. In this framework, the singlet scalar responsible for symmetry breaking mixes with the SM Higgs boson, allowing it to be produced in rare meson decays. We investigate a scenario in which this light scalar promptly decays into a pair of long-lived heavy neutrinos that subsequently decay into visible charged leptons and hadrons through light-heavy neutrino mixing inside the proposed Forward Physics Facility (FPF) at the FCC-hh and the SHiP beam-dump experiment. Taking into account realistic detector geometries, decay probabilities, and visible branching fractions, we estimate the projected sensitivities to the scalar-Higgs mixing angle as a function of the scalar mass and to the light-heavy neutrino mixing as a function of the heavy neutrino mass. We find that FPF and SHiP can significantly extend the discovery reach for both light scalars and long-lived heavy neutrinos beyond existing experimental limits, providing powerful and complementary probes of neutrino-mass generation and hidden-sector physics.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Quantum spin correlations in $Z^\prime$-mediated $t\bar{t}$ production at future lepton colliders

We study quantum spin correlations in top-quark pair production at future lepton colliders in the presence of a neutral gauge boson from anomaly-free general $U(1)$ extensions of the Standard Model. The process $\ell^+\ell^-\to t\bar t$, with $\ell=e,μ$, is analyzed through the spin-density matrix including $γ$, $Z$ and $Z^\prime$ exchange and their interference. We focus on quantum-information observables such as the sufficient entanglement marker $\mathcal{D}_{\min}$, concurrence, purity and the maximal Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) parameter, and compare their behavior with conventional rate information. Within the $U(1)_X$ framework, we consider several representative charge assignments to investigate how different chiral structures influence these observables, with particular emphasis on the $Z^\prime$ resonance region and polarized $e^-e^+$ collisions, where the two allowed initial-state helicity configurations can be selectively enhanced. We show that electron-beam polarization provides a direct handle on the left- and right-handed lepton charges of various $U(1)_X$ scenarios. These results demonstrate that quantum spin observables provide information complementary to cross sections and angular distributions in searches for chiral neutral gauge interactions.

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arXiv2026

Forward Searches for Heavy Neutrinos and $Z'$ Bosons at FCC-hh

The discovery of neutrino masses strongly motivates extensions of the Standard Model containing heavy neutral leptons and additional gauge interactions. We investigate the prospects for probing these states at the proposed Forward Physics Facility (FPF) of the 100 TeV Future Circular Collider (FCC-hh) within a broad class of anomaly-free chiral $U(1)$ gauge extensions. These models predict a new neutral gauge boson, $Z'$, together with right-handed neutrinos responsible for generating light neutrino masses through the seesaw mechanism. We study long-lived particle signatures arising from both heavy neutrinos and the $Z'$ boson produced in the far-forward region. In particular, we analyze heavy neutrino production from meson decays, visible decays of long-lived $Z'$ bosons produced through meson decays and proton bremsstrahlung, long-lived $Z'$ bosons decaying into heavy-neutrino pairs, and prompt $Z'$ decays yielding long-lived heavy neutrinos. The expected event rates are evaluated for the proposed FPF detector configurations, taking into account realistic detector geometry, decay probabilities, and visible final states. We derive projected sensitivities to the heavy neutrino mass and active-sterile mixing as well as to the $Z'$ mass and gauge coupling for several representative $U(1)$ charge assignments. Our results demonstrate that the FPF at FCC-hh can substantially extend the discovery reach for light long-lived heavy neutrinos and light $Z'$ bosons beyond existing and proposed experiments, providing a powerful and complementary probe of neutrino-mass models and hidden gauge sectors. https://github.com/SouvikPhD/RHN-Detection-with-FASER-2-

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Distinguishing between Dirac and Majorana neutrinos at FASER

Some of the simplest models for the origin of neutrino mass involve right-handed neutrinos (RHNs), which could be either Dirac or Majorana particles - a distinction that has profound implications for lepton number conservation and the fundamental nature of neutrinos. We investigate the potential of the FASER experiment to distinguish between these two possibilities using signatures predicted by the Standard Model Neutrino Effective Field Theory (SMNEFT), where RHNs interact with Standard Model particles through higher-dimensional operators. We focus on RHNs produced via $B$, $D$, $K$, and $π$ meson decays at the Large Hadron Collider and their subsequent three-body decays within the FASER detector. The kinematic and angular distributions of the decay products in the RHN rest frame differ significantly for Dirac and Majorana RHNs, and these differences manifest as distinct spatial distributions of electron-positron pairs at FASER. Using Monte Carlo simulations and a $χ^2$ analysis, we demonstrate that these spatial observables provide a robust experimental probe for determining the Dirac or Majorana nature of RHNs. For select production and decay operator combinations and RHN masses around 0.1 GeV, FASER can achieve discrimination at the $3σ$ level.

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arXiv2024

Probing chiral and flavored $Z^\prime$ from cosmic bursts through neutrino interactions

The origin of tiny neutrino mass is an unsolved puzzle leading to a variety of phenomenological aspects beyond the Standard Model (BSM). We consider $U(1)$ gauge extension of the Standard Model (SM) where so-called seesaw mechanism is incarnated with the help of thee generations of Majorana type right-handed neutrinos followed by the breaking of $U(1)$ and electroweak gauge symmetries providing anomaly free structure. In this framework, a neutral BSM gauge boson $Z^\prime$ is evolved. To explore the properties of its interactions we consider chiral (flavored) frameworks where $Z^\prime$ interactions depend on the handedness (generations) of the fermions. In this paper we focus on $Z^\prime-$neutrino interactions which could be probed from cosmic explosions. We consider $ν\overlineν \to e^+ e^-$ process which can energize gamma-ray burst (GRB221009A, so far the highest energy) through energy deposition. Hence estimating these rates we constrain $U(1)$ gauge coupling $(g_X)$ and $Z^\prime$ mass $(M_{Z^\prime})$ under Schwarzchild (Sc) and Hartle-Thorne (HT) scenarios. We also study $ν-$DM scattering through $Z^\prime$ to constrain $g_X-M_{Z^\prime}$ plane using IceCube data considering high energy neutrinos from cosmic blazar (TXS0506+056), active galaxy (NGC1068), the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and the Lyman-$α$ data, respectively. Finally highlighting complementarity we compare our results with current and prospective bounds on $g_X-M_{Z^\prime}$ plane from scattering, beam-dump and $g-2$ experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Enhancement of the Higgs decay into a $Z^\prime$ pair in models with $U(1)_X$ gauge symmetry

We discuss the Higgs phenomenology in models with a new $U(1)_X$ gauge symmetry including the $U(1)_{B-L}$ scenario, where three right-handed neutrinos are inevitably introduced due to the gauge anomaly cancellations. We find that the decay branching ratio of the discovered Higgs boson into a pair of new massive gauge bosons ($Z'$) can significantly be enhanced in the Dirac neutrino case as compared with the Majorana case for a fixed value of the new gauge coupling and the mass of $Z'$ under constraints from current experimental data. Because of such an enhancement, the Dirac case can indirectly be discriminated from the Majorana case via the Higgs decay.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Implications of first LZ and XENONnT results: A comparative study of neutrino properties and light mediators

Next generation direct dark matter detection experiments are favorable facilities to probe neutrino properties and light mediators beyond the Standard Model. We explore the implications of the recent data reported by LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) and XENONnT collaborations on electromagnetic neutrino interactions and neutrino generalized interactions (NGIs). We show that XENONnT places the most stringent upper limits on the effective and transition neutrino magnetic moment (of the order of few $\times 10^{-12}~μ_B$) as well as stringent constraints to neutrino millicharge (of the order of $\sim 10^{-13}~e$)--competitive to LZ--and improved by about one order of magnitude in comparison to existing constraints coming from Borexino and TEXONO. We furthermore explore the XENONnT and LZ sensitivities to simplified models with light NGIs and find improved constraints in comparison to those extracted from Borexino-Phase II data.

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