We carry out an Effective Field Theory (EFT) study of the $$pp \rightarrow \bar{t} t Zh$$ process in the final state. This process can uniquely probe the $$\bar{t} t Zh$$ couplings arising from higher dimensional EFT operators and can also provide bounds on $$\bar{t} t Z$$ coupling deviations. We highlight the importance of the proposed proton-proton Future Circular Collider (FCC-$\textit{hh}$) to study this process and then perform a complete collider analysis by examining the relevant background processes. This allows us to determine the FCC-$\textit{hh}$ sensitivity to probe anomalous $$\bar{t} t Zh$$ couplings.

India

Shankha Banerjee

Rick Gupta

Shilpi Jain

Switzerland

Michelangelo Mangano

Germany

Elena Venturini

An EFT study of the $$pp \rightarrow \bar{t} t Z(ll) h(bb)$$ process at the FCC- $$\varvec{hh}$$

We present a complete one-loop analysis of charged scalar boson pair production in photon-photon collisions, $\textit{γγ}$ → $\textit{H}$ $\textit{H}$ , within the framework of the Inert Doublet Model (IDM). The calculation is carried out in the on-shell renormalization scheme and incorporates both weak corrections and QED effects, including soft and hard photon radiation. Virtual loop contributions and real emission processes are computed using the Feynman diagrammatic method, ensuring the cancellation of ultraviolet and infrared divergences. To properly account for the Coulomb singularity that arises in the QED sector near threshold, we introduce the resummed cross section based on the Sommerfeld factor. The IDM parameter space is explored under theoretical consistency conditions, collider limits, and dark matter constraints, and three representative scenarios are studied in detail. We find that the magnitude of the quantum corrections is strongly controlled by the absolute value of the trilinear scalar coupling $$ {\lambda}_{h^0{H}^{+}{H}^{-}} $$ , which correlates with the charged scalar mass. When all constraints are applied, the weak corrections are typically in the range of −12% to −7% at $$ \sqrt{s}=250 $$ GeV, and between −15% and 6% at $$ \sqrt{s}=500 $$ GeV. At higher energies, such as $$ \sqrt{s}=1 $$ TeV, the corrections can become very large, ranging from about −20% up to +60%. Our findings highlight the significant role of higher-order effects in photon-photon collisions and establish $\textit{γγ}$ → $\textit{H}$ $\textit{H}$ as a promising process to investigate the charged scalar sector of the IDM at future high-energy photon colliders. Several benchmark points are proposed to facilitate future experimental searches.

Morocco

Hamza Abouabid

France

Abdesslam Arhrib

Jaouad Falaki

China

Bin Gong

Qi-Shu Yan

One-loop QED and weak corrections to $\textit{γγ → H}$ $\textit{±}$ $\textit{H}$ ∓ in the Inert Doublet Model

Truncations of effective field theory expansions are technically necessary but inherently intertwined with the redundancies of general field redefinitions. This can be viewed as a juxtaposition of power-counting and theoretical uncertainties, which seek to estimate neglected higher-dimensional interactions through approaches based on community consensus. One can then understand the invariance of physics under field redefinitions as a data-informed validation of different power-counting schemes, or as a means of assigning theoretical errors in comparison with algebraic, equation of motion-based replacements. Such an approach generalises widely accepted procedures for estimating theoretical uncertainties within the SM to non-renormalisable interactions. We perform a case study for a representative example in Higgs Effective Field theory, focusing on universal Higgs properties tensioned against process-dependent sensitivity expectations.

United Kingdom

Rodrigo Alonso

Christoph Englert

Wrishik Naskar

Shakeel Rahaman

Assessing (H)EFT theory errors by pitting EoM against field redefinitions

<p>The decay <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>A</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>Z</mi><mi>H</mi></math> is a characteristic signal of two-Higgs-doublet models (2HDMs), where <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>A</mi></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>H</mi></math> lie primarily within the same <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>S</mi><mi>U</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>2</mn><msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mi>L</mi></msub></math> multiplet, leading to a coupling of order <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>g</mi><mn>2</mn></msub></math> to the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>Z</mi></math> boson. The subsequent decay <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>H</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>t</mi><msup><mi>t</mi><mrow><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mo>*</mo><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></mrow></msup></math> is particularly promising, as it gives rise to distinct final states involving multiple leptons and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>b</mi></math>-jets. The required splitting between <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>m</mi><mi>A</mi></msub></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>m</mi><mi>H</mi></msub></math> can naturally occur near the electroweak scale while being consistent with perturbative unitarity. Whereas dedicated ATLAS and CMS searches focused on the region with both top-quarks on-shell, we cover lower masses where one top quark is off-shell by recasting Standard Model <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>t</mi><mover accent="true"><mi>t</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>Z</mi></math> measurements of ATLAS and CMS. The obtained limits on <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>σ</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mi>A</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>Z</mi><mi>H</mi><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>×</mo><mi>Br</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mi>H</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>t</mi><mover accent="true"><mi>t</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math> are between 0.12 pb and 0.62 pb. Interestingly, we observe these stringent limits despite a preference (up to <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mn>2.5</mn><mi>σ</mi></math>) for a nonzero new physics signal, most pronounced around for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>m</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>A</mi></mrow></msub><mo>≈</mo><mn>450</mn><mi>–</mi><mn>460</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>GeV</mi></mrow></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>m</mi><mi>H</mi></msub><mo>≈</mo><mn>290</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>GeV</mi></math>, with a best-fit value of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>σ</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mi>A</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>Z</mi><mi>H</mi><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>×</mo><mi>Br</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mi>H</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>t</mi><mover accent="true"><mi>t</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>≈</mo><mn>0.3</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>pb</mi></math>. This cross section can be accommodated within a top-philic 2HDM for a top-Yukawa coupling of the second Higgs doublet of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mn>0.16</mn><mo>≲</mo><msub><mi>μ</mi><mi>t</mi></msub><mo>≲</mo><mn>0.33</mn></math>.</p>

Saiyad Ashanujjaman

Guglielmo Coloretti

Andreas Crivellin

South Africa

Siddharth P. Maharathy

Bruce Mellado

Constraining <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>A</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>Z</mi><mi>H</mi></math> with <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>H</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>t</mi><mover accent="true"><mi>t</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover></math> in the low-mass region

<p>Understanding the source of the universe’s asymmetry between matter and antimatter is one of the major open questions in particle physics. In this work, the sensitivity of novel machine-learning-based inference techniques to <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>C</mi><mi>P</mi></math>-odd and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>C</mi><mi>P</mi></math>-even <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>H</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>W</mi></math> anomalous couplings is studied in the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>W</mi><mi>H</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mo>ℓ</mo><mi>ν</mi><mi>b</mi><mover accent="true"><mi>b</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover></math> channel (<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>=</mo><mi>e</mi><mo>,</mo><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow></mrow></math>), within the standard model effective field theory framework. Two machine-learning simulation-based inference (SBI) methods are explored: a per-event likelihood-ratio estimator, which directly approximates the ratio of probability densities between competing hypotheses, is benchmarked against a per-event optimal-observable estimator optimized for sensitivity to the parameters of interest. Both approaches are also compared to traditional summary statistics, in this case histograms of kinematic and angular observables, as commonly used in experimental analyses. SBI methods provide tighter constraints than one-dimensional summary statistics, though their performance is comparable to two-dimensional histogram analysis. The optimal-observable approach remains promising for its ability to probe multiple couplings simultaneously. Restricting the analysis to a region of high <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>S</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>B</mi></math> also enhances sensitivity to <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>C</mi><mi>P</mi></math>-odd operators while preserving sensitivity to <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>C</mi><mi>P</mi></math>-even operators, which histogram analyses often lose. Although the likelihood-ratio estimator sometimes struggles with likelihood minima and shapes, optimizations that target its robustness could make it more sensitive than both the optimal-observable estimator and the histogram method. These results underscore the potential of advanced simulation-based inference techniques, encouraging further exploration with LHC Run 3 data to surpass current ATLAS and CMS sensitivities.</p>

Portugal

Marta Silva

Ricardo Barrué

Inês Ochoa

Patricia Conde Muíño

Searching for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>H</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>W</mi></math> anomalous couplings with simulation-based inference

We propose a novel framework where MeV-scale Dirac Dark Matter annihilates into axion-like particles, providing a natural explanation for the 511 keV gamma-ray line observed in the Galactic Center. The relic abundance is determined by <italic>p</italic>-wave annihilation into two axion-like particles, while <italic>s</italic>-wave annihilation into three axion-like particles, decaying into <math altimg='si7.svg'><mrow><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>&#8722;</mo></msup></mrow></math> pairs, accounts for the line intensity. Remarkably, this model reproduces the observed emission morphology, satisfies in-flight annihilation and cosmological bounds, and achieves the correct relic density, assuming a contracted Navarro-Frenk-White profile similar to the one that reproduces the Fermi-LAT Galactic Center Excess, offering a compelling resolution to this longstanding anomaly.

Italy

Mohammad Aghaie

Spain

Pedro De la Torre Luque

Alessandro Dondarini

Daniele Gaggero

Giulio Marino

Paolo Panci

(H)ALPing the 511 keV line: A thermal DM interpretation of the 511 keV emission

In (2 +1)-dimensional topological quantum field theories (TQFTs), the action of a global symmetry group on the anyon system is one of the central topics of research. Owing to the subtle categorical nature of anyons, a global symmetry acting on them is generally realized in a projective manner. Symmetry fractionalization encodes this projective realization. The obstruction to defining symmetry fractionalization is captured by a cohomology class, known as the $\textit{H}$ obstruction, whose nontriviality signals a failure to define symmetry fractionalization consistently. In this short note, we prove that the $\textit{H}$ obstruction for time-reversal symmetry always vanishes in abelian bosonic TQFTs.

Japan

Ippo Orii

Vanishing of the $\textit{H}$

Several possible excesses around $ 95 $ GeV hint at an additional light scalar beyond the Standard Model. We examine the capability of the Circular Electron-Positron Collider (CEPC) to test this hypothesis in the Higgs-strahlung channel $ e^{+}e^{-} \to ZS $ with $ Z \to\mu^{+}\mu^{-} $ and $ S \to\tau^{+}\tau^{-} $ . A full detector simulation shows that the optimal center-of-mass energy for studying the 95 GeV light scalar is 210 GeV. A deep neural network classifier reduces the luminosity required for discovery by half. At $ L = 20\; \mathrm{ab}^{-1} $ , the $ 5\sigma $ sensitivity of the CEPC to the signal strength $ \mu_{\tau\tau}^{ZS} $ reaches 0.016 and 0.020 for $ \sqrt{s} = 210 $ GeV and 240 GeV, respectively. The corresponding thresholds for a 5% precision measurement are $ \mu_{\tau\tau}^{ZS} \gt 0.10 $ and $ \gt 0.12 $ . At $ \sqrt{s}=210 $ GeV (240 GeV), the $ 5\sigma $ coverage of all N2HDM-Flipped samples with $ \chi^2_{h_{95}} \lt 7.82 $ requires $ L=800\ \mathrm{fb}^{-1} $ (1.22 $ \mathrm{ab}^{-1} $ ). These results establish a 210 GeV run, augmented by machine-learning selection, as the most efficient strategy to confirm or refute the 95 GeV excess at future lepton colliders.

Yabo Dong

Manqi Ruan

Kun Wang

Haijun Yang

Jingya Zhu

Testing a 95 GeV Scalar at the CEPC with Machine Learning * This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 12275066 and by the startup research funds of Henan University. The work of K. Wang was also supported by the Open Project of the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Particle Physics and Cosmology under Grant No. 22DZ2229013-3. The work of M. Ruan was also supported by the National Key Program for S&T Research and Development under Contract No. 2024YFA1610603. The work of H. Yang was also supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. W2441004.

An analytical and numerical systematic study of the neutrino mass matrix with one texture zero is presented in a basis where the charged leptons are diagonal. Under the assumption that neutrinos are Dirac particles, the analysis is conducted in detail for the normal and inverted hierarchy mass spectra. Our study is performed without any approximations, first analytically and then numerically, using current neutrino oscillation data. The analysis constrains the parameter space in such a way that, among the six possible one-texture-zero patterns, only four are favored in the normal hierarchy and one in the inverted hierarchy by current oscillation data at the $3 \sigma$ level. Phenomenological implications for the lepton CP-violating phase and neutrino masses are also explored.

Colombia

Richard H. Benavides

Yessica Lenis

John D. Gómez

William A. Ponce

One texture zero for Dirac neutrinos in a diagonal charged lepton basis * Richard H. Benavides acknowledges additional financial support from Minciencias (CD82315 CT ICETEX 2021-1080)

One-loop contributions for the decay process $ H^{\pm} \rightarrow W^{\pm}Z $ within the Two-Higgs-Doublet Model (THDM) are computed in the general $ {\cal{R}}_{\xi} $ gauge, and its phenomenological applications at future muon–TeV colliders are investigated. Analytic results are confirmed by several consistency tests, including those of $\textit{ξ}$-independence, renormalization-scale stability, and the ultraviolet finiteness of the one-loop amplitude. We first perform an updated parameter scan of the Type-X THDM in phenomenological studies. The production of charged Higgs boson pairs at future muon–TeV colliders is then investigated through two processes: $ \mu^+\mu^- \rightarrow H^+H^- \rightarrow W^{\pm}W^{\mp}Zh $ and $ \mu^+\mu^- \rightarrow \gamma\gamma \rightarrow H^+H^- \rightarrow W^{\pm}W^{\mp}Zh $ . Both signal events and their significance are evaluated considering the corresponding Standard Model backgrounds. We find that the signal significances can exceed $ 5\sigma $ at several benchmark points in the viable parameter space of the Type-X THDM.

Vietnam

Dzung Tri Tran

Quang Hoang-Minh Pham

Khoa Ngo-Thanh Ho

Khiem Hong Phan

One-loop expressions for ${H^\pm \rightarrow W^\pm Z} $ and their implications at muon-TeV colliders * This research is funded by Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) (103.01-2023.16)