We report on a search for millicharged particles (mCPs) produced in cosmic ray atmospheric interactions using data collected during the first science run of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment. The mCPs produced by two processes—meson decay and proton bremsstrahlung—are considered in this study. This search utilized a novel signature unique to liquid xenon (LXe) time projection chambers, allowing sensitivity to mCPs with masses ranging from 10 to <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mn>1000</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>MeV</mi><mo>/</mo><msup><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">c</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math> and fractional charges between 0.001 and 0.02 of the electron charge (<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>e</mi></mrow></math>). With an exposure of 60 live days and a 5.5 metric ton fiducial mass, we observed no significant excess over background. This represents the first experimental search for atmospheric mCPs and the first search for mCPs using an underground LXe experiment.

United States

J. Aalbers

D.S. Akerib

United Kingdom

A.K. Al Musalhi

F. Alder

C.S. Amarasinghe

A. Ames

T.J. Anderson

N. Angelides

H.M. Araújo

J.E. Armstrong

M. Arthurs

A. Baker

S. Balashov

J. Bang

J.W. Bargemann

Switzerland

E.E. Barillier

D. Bauer

K. Beattie

T. Benson

A. Bhatti

A. Biekert

T.P. Biesiadzinski

H.J. Birch

E. Bishop

G.M. Blockinger

B. Boxer

C.A.J. Brew

Portugal

P. Brás

S. Burdin

M. Buuck

M.C. Carmona-Benitez

M. Carter

A. Chawla

H. Chen

J.J. Cherwinka

Y.T. Chin

N.I. Chott

M.V. Converse

R. Coronel

A. Cottle

G. Cox

D. Curran

C.E. Dahl

I. Darlington

S. Dave

A. David

J. Delgaudio

S. Dey

L. de Viveiros

L. Di Felice

C. Ding

J.E.Y. Dobson

E. Druszkiewicz

S. Dubey

S.R. Eriksen

A. Fan

S. Fayer

N.M. Fearon

N. Fieldhouse

S. Fiorucci

H. Flaecher

E.D. Fraser

Australia

T.M.A. Fruth

R.J. Gaitskell

A. Geffre

J. Genovesi

C. Ghag

A. Ghosh

R. Gibbons

S. Gokhale

J. Green

M.G.D. van der Grinten

J.J. Haiston

C.R. Hall

T.J. Hall

S. Han

E. Hartigan-O’Connor

S.J. Haselschwardt

M.A. Hernandez

S.A. Hertel

G. Heuermann

G.J. Homenides

M. Horn

D.Q. Huang

D. Hunt

E. Jacquet

R.S. James

J. Johnson

A.C. Kaboth

A.C. Kamaha

M. Kannichankandy

D. Khaitan

A. Khazov

I. Khurana

J. Kim

South Korea

Y.D. Kim

J. Kingston

R. Kirk

D. Kodroff

L. Korley

First Constraint on Atmospheric Millicharged Particles with the LUX-ZEPLIN Experiment

While dual-phase xenon time projection chambers have driven the sensitivity toward weakly interacting massive particles at the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>GeV</mi><mo>/</mo><msup><mi>c</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></math> to <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>TeV</mi><mo>/</mo><msup><mi>c</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></math> mass scale, the scope for sub-<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>GeV</mi><mo>/</mo><msup><mi>c</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></math> dark matter particles is hindered by a limited nuclear recoil energy detection threshold. One approach to probe for lighter candidates is to consider cases where they have been boosted by collisions with cosmic rays in the Milky Way, such that the additional kinetic energy lifts their induced signatures above the nominal threshold. In this Letter, we report first results of a search for cosmic ray-boosted dark matter (CRDM) with a combined <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mn>4.2</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>metric</mi><mtext> </mtext><mi>ton</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>yr</mi></mrow></math> exposure from the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment. We observe no excess above the expected backgrounds and establish world-leading constraints on the spin-independent CRDM-nucleon cross section as small as <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mn>3.9</mn><mo>×</mo><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>33</mn></mrow></msup><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><msup><mrow><mi>cm</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math> at 90% confidence level for sub-<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>GeV</mi><mo>/</mo><msup><mi>c</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></math> masses.

T. Hall

M.K. Kannichankandy

E.V. Korolkova

H. Kraus

S. Kravitz

L. Kreczko

V.A. Kudryavtsev

New Constraints on Cosmic Ray-Boosted Dark Matter from the LUX-ZEPLIN Experiment

Initiated by the recent observation of a flattened line shape of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>I</mi><msup><mi>J</mi><mrow><mi>P</mi><mi>C</mi></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn><msup><mn>0</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup></math> around 1.4–1.5 GeV in the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>K</mi><mi>S</mi></msub><msub><mi>K</mi><mi>S</mi></msub><msup><mi>π</mi><mn>0</mn></msup></math> invariant mass spectrum by BESIII, we make a systematic partial wave analysis of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><msub><mi>η</mi><mi>X</mi></msub><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><mi>K</mi><mover accent="true"><mi>K</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>π</mi></math> based on an isobaric approach. We demonstrate that in the scenario of the first radial excitations of the isoscalar pseudoscalar from the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>K</mi><mover accent="true"><mi>K</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>π</mi></math> threshold to about 1.6 GeV the non-trivial <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>K</mi><mi>S</mi></msub><msub><mi>K</mi><mi>S</mi></msub><msup><mi>π</mi><mn>0</mn></msup></math> invariant mass spectrum can be explained by the coupled-channel effects with the presence of the triangle singularity mechanism. It shows that a combined fit of the Dalitz plots, three-body and two-body spectra can be achieved, which suggests that the one-state solution around 1.4–1.5 GeV proposed before still holds well. In particular, we show that the coupled-channel effects between the three important quasi-two-body decay channels, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>*</mo></mrow></msup><mover accent="true"><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mrow></mover><mo>+</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">c</mi><mo>.</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">c</mi><mo>.</mo></mrow></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>κ</mi><mover accent="true"><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mrow></mover><mo>+</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">c</mi><mo>.</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">c</mi><mo>.</mo></mrow></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msub><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>980</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mi>π</mi></math>, can be well described by taking into account the one-loop corrections in the isobaric approach. This is because the isoscalar pseudoscalar states are coupled to the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>K</mi><mo>*</mo></msup><mover accent="true"><mi>K</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mo>+</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">c</mi><mo>.</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">c</mi><mo>.</mo></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msub><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>980</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mi>π</mi></math> (<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>κ</mi><mover accent="true"><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mrow></mover><mo>+</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">c</mi><mo>.</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">c</mi><mo>.</mo></mrow></math>) channels via the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>P</mi></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>S</mi></math> waves, respectively. As a consequence, the coupled-channel effects can be largely absorbed into the redefinition of the tree-level effective couplings with the transition amplitudes computed to the order of one-loop corrections. Then, the coupled-channel effects can be estimated by the contributions from the one-loop rescattering amplitudes in comparison with the tree-level ones, where we find that the rescattering contributions from the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>P</mi></math> wave into the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>S</mi></math> wave, or vice versa, are apparently suppressed in the kinematic region near threshold.

China

Yin Cheng

Lin Qiu

Qiang Zhao

Understanding the nontrivial isoscalar pseudoscalar structures in the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub><msup><mrow><mi>π</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math> spectra in the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math> radiative decay

A key search mode for axionlike particles (ALPs) that couple to charm quarks is <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><mi>a</mi></math>. Here we calculate the form factor that allows the rate of this process to be determined using lattice QCD for the first time. Our calculations use the relativistic highly improved staggered quark (HISQ) action for the valence charm quarks on gluon field configurations generated by the MILC collaboration that include <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>u</mi></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>d</mi></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>s</mi></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>c</mi></math> HISQ quarks in the sea at four values of the lattice spacing and both unphysical and physical sea quark masses. We determine the form factor as a function of ALP mass with an uncertainty of less than 2% across our full range of ALP masses from zero up to 95% of the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math> mass. This represents a substantial improvement in accuracy of the theoretical picture of this decay compared to the previously used tree-level and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="script">O</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msub><mi>α</mi><mi>s</mi></msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math> perturbation theory. We use our form factor to determine constraints on ALP masses and couplings to charm quarks and photons in several different scenarios using recent experimental data from BESIII. Our calculation paves the way for further lattice QCD input on new physics constraints from radiative decays.

Brian Colquhoun

Christine T.H. Davies

G. Peter Lepage

Sophie Renner

Constraints on axionlike particles using lattice QCD calculations of the rate for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><mi>a</mi></math>

We investigate the existence of bound states and resonances in the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ϕ</mi><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi><mo>,</mo><msub><mi>η</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi></math> systems using HAL QCD interactions for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ϕ</mi><mi>N</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mi>N</mi></math>, and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>η</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><mi>N</mi></math>. We employ the Gaussian expansion method to solve the complex-scaled Schrödinger equation and find no resonances or bound states in the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>η</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi></math> systems. We estimate the interaction between charmonium and nuclei, concluding that the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math> or <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>η</mi><mi>c</mi></msub></math> is likely to bind with <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mmultiscripts><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">H</mi></mrow><mprescripts></mprescripts><none></none><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></mmultiscripts></mrow></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mmultiscripts><mrow><mi>He</mi></mrow><mprescripts></mprescripts><none></none><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></mmultiscripts></mrow></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mmultiscripts><mrow><mi>He</mi></mrow><mprescripts></mprescripts><none></none><mrow><mn>4</mn></mrow></mmultiscripts></mrow></math>, and heavier nuclei. For the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ϕ</mi><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi></math> system, the lattice QCD <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>ϕ</mi><mi>N</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mrow><msub><mrow><mmultiscripts><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow><mprescripts></mprescripts><none></none><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></mmultiscripts></mrow><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></mrow></mrow></math> interaction is absent. We combine the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ϕ</mi><mi>p</mi></math> correlation function analysis and HAL QCD results in model A. We assume the spin-spin interactions for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mi>N</mi></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ϕ</mi><mi>N</mi></math> systems are inversely proportional to their masses in model B. Model A predicts a stronger <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ϕ</mi><mi>N</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msub><mrow><mmultiscripts><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow><mprescripts></mprescripts><none></none><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></mmultiscripts></mrow><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math> interaction and permits a two-body bound state, whereas model B suggests the interaction is attractive but too weak to form a bound state. Both models predict bound states for the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>I</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mi>J</mi><mi>P</mi></msup><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mn>0</mn><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mn>0</mn><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math> <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ϕ</mi><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi></math> systems. In model A, these states are deeply bound with binding energies exceeding 15 MeV and remain existent when considering parameter uncertainties. In contrast, these states are very loosely bound in model B, with binding energies below 1 MeV and an existent probability of about 60% when parameter uncertainties are considered. In both models, there exist very loosely bound <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>I</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mi>J</mi><mi>P</mi></msup><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mn>2</mn><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math> three-body states which resemble a <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ϕ</mi></math>-d atom with the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ϕ</mi></math> meson surrounding the deuteron, but their existence is sensitive to parameter uncertainties. No bound states or resonances are found in the isovector <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>I</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mi>J</mi><mi>P</mi></msup><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>=</mo><mn>1</mn><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math> <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ϕ</mi><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi></math> system.

Liang-Zhen Wen

Yao Ma

Germany

Lu Meng

Shi-Lin Zhu

<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ϕ</mi><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>η</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi></math> systems based on HAL QCD interactions

We calculate the cross sections for the processes <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mi>η</mi></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><msup><mi>η</mi><mo>′</mo></msup></math> at various c.m. energies <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msqrt><mi>s</mi></msqrt></math>. We first predict these cross sections by combining nonrelativistic QCD with light cone factorization. The predicted cross sections are on the order of several femtobarns for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><msup><mi>η</mi><mo>′</mo></msup></math> and less than 1 fb for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mi>η</mi></math>, which are significantly smaller than the experimental measurements. It is anticipated that the cross sections are dominated by resonant contributions when <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msqrt><mi>s</mi></msqrt></math> is close to the resonance mass. In this study, we employ the vector meson dominance model to predict these resonant contributions. The effective coupling constants between the photon and the resonance, as well as between the resonance and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mi>η</mi></math> are extracted from the data either provided by the latest Particle Data Group (PDG) or predicted by theoretical calculations. Taking the predictions from the factorization calculation as the continuum contribution, we predict the cross section of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mi>η</mi></math> through a coherent sum of contributions from various resonances and the continuum. The relative phase angles between these contributions are determined through a least-<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>χ</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></math> fit to the experimental data. We then compare our theoretical predictions with the experimental data. Additionally, we find our theoretical prediction for the cross section of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mi>η</mi></math> is significantly larger than those for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><msup><mi>η</mi><mo>′</mo></msup></math> measured by the BESIII Collaboration.

Chang-Man Gan

Jun-Kang He

Wen-Long Sang

Min-Zhen Zhou

Revisiting the line shape of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mi>η</mi></math> cross section

Within the framework of nonrelativistic-QCD factorization, we perform a comprehensive investigation of the color singlet (CS) contribution to prompt <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math> pair production at the CERN Large Hadron Collider at next-to-leading order (NLO) in <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>α</mi><mi>s</mi></msub></math>. Specifically, we compare our NLO predictions with measurements from the LHCb, CMS, and ATLAS collaborations. We find that the CS contribution itself can well describe the LHCb data in most of the experimental bins, except in the regions where the fixed-order calculation is spoiled by the emission of soft or hard-collinear gluons. In the CMS and ATLAS cases, however, the CS predictions greatly undershoot both the measured total and differential cross sections, despite sizable <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>K</mi></math> factors, of 2–3, for the total cross sections.

Zhi-Guo He

Xiao-Bo Jin

Bernd A. Kniehl

Next-to-leading-order QCD corrections to double prompt <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></mrow></math> hadroproduction

We consider the beam-charge asymmetry of the <math altimg='si1.svg'><mi>J</mi><mo stretchy='false'>/</mo><mi>&#968;</mi></math> production cross sections in <math altimg='si2.svg'><msup><mrow><mi>&#960;</mi></mrow><mrow><mo linebreak='badbreak' linebreakstyle='after'>&#8722;</mo></mrow></msup></math>- versus <math altimg='si3.svg'><msup><mrow><mi>&#960;</mi></mrow><mrow><mo linebreak='badbreak' linebreakstyle='after'>+</mo></mrow></msup></math>-induced reactions on proton or nuclear targets. We show that the <math altimg='si1.svg'><mi>J</mi><mo stretchy='false'>/</mo><mi>&#968;</mi></math> production cross section difference between <math altimg='si2.svg'><msup><mrow><mi>&#960;</mi></mrow><mrow><mo linebreak='badbreak' linebreakstyle='after'>&#8722;</mo></mrow></msup></math> and <math altimg='si3.svg'><msup><mrow><mi>&#960;</mi></mrow><mrow><mo linebreak='badbreak' linebreakstyle='after'>+</mo></mrow></msup></math> beams impinging on a proton target has a positive sign with a magnitude proportional to the product of pion's valence quark distribution, <math altimg='si16.svg'><msub><mrow><mi>V</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>&#960;</mi></mrow></msub></math>, and proton's up and down valence quark distribution difference, <math altimg='si5.svg'><msup><mrow><mi>u</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>V</mi></mrow></msup><mo linebreak='goodbreak' linebreakstyle='after'>&#8722;</mo><msup><mrow><mi>d</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>V</mi></mrow></msup></math>. The existing <math altimg='si1.svg'><mi>J</mi><mo stretchy='false'>/</mo><mi>&#968;</mi></math> production data for <math altimg='si6.svg'><msup><mrow><mi>&#960;</mi></mrow><mrow><mo linebreak='badbreak' linebreakstyle='after'>&#8722;</mo></mrow></msup><mo linebreak='goodbreak' linebreakstyle='after'>+</mo><mi>p</mi></math> and <math altimg='si7.svg'><msup><mrow><mi>&#960;</mi></mrow><mrow><mo linebreak='badbreak' linebreakstyle='after'>+</mo></mrow></msup><mo linebreak='goodbreak' linebreakstyle='after'>+</mo><mi>p</mi></math> at 39.5 and 200 GeV/c are consistent with the expected positive beam-charge asymmetry. The magnitude of the asymmetry is compared with calculations performed within two theoretical frameworks, the Color Evaporation Model (CEM) and the Non-Relativistic QCD (NRQCD) formalism. We also examine the beam-charge dependence for pion-induced <math altimg='si1.svg'><mi>J</mi><mo stretchy='false'>/</mo><mi>&#968;</mi></math> production cross sections measured on the neutron-rich platinum target, and find good agreement between the data and theory for both the negative sign and the magnitude of the beam-charge asymmetry. The comparison between data and theoretical calculations for both proton and platinum targets suggests that the beam-charge asymmetry in pion-induced <math altimg='si1.svg'><mi>J</mi><mo stretchy='false'>/</mo><mi>&#968;</mi></math> production is a viable method of accessing the valence quark distribution of the pion.

Taiwan

Wen-Chen Chang

Japan

Marco Meyer-Conde

Jen-Chieh Peng

France

Stephane Platchkov

Takahiro Sawada

Probing pion valence quark distribution with beam-charge asymmetry of pion-induced <italic>J</italic>/ <italic>&#968;</italic> production

Within the framework of nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics factorization, we calculate the next-to-leading order (NLO) perturbative QCD corrections to the form factors for the semileptonic decays of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi>B</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math> into <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math> via (axial-)vector and (axial-)tensor currents. We obtain the complete analytical results for the form factors up to NLO, and provide their asymptotic expressions in the hierarchical heavy quark limit. The NLO corrections are found to be both significant and convergent in the relatively small squared transfer momentum (<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>q</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></math>) region, while also reducing the dependence on the renormalization scale <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>μ</mi></math>. Finally, the theoretical predictions for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi>B</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math> form factors over the full <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>q</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></math> range are provided.

Qin Chang

Wei Tao

Zhen-Jun Xiao

Ruilin Zhu

Next-to-leading order QCD corrections to <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi>B</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math> form factors

Using <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>2712.4</mn><mo>±</mo><mn>14.3</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>×</mo><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mn>6</mn></mrow></msup><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>ψ</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>3686</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></mrow></math> events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, the decay <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>η</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><mi>γ</mi></mrow></math> in <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><msub><mrow><mi>η</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math> is observed. We determine the product branching fraction <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi mathvariant="script">B</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><msub><mrow><mi>η</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>×</mo><mi mathvariant="script">B</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msub><mrow><mi>η</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><mi>γ</mi><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>=</mo><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>5.23</mn><mo>±</mo><mn>0.2</mn><msub><mrow><mn>6</mn></mrow><mrow><mi>stat</mi></mrow></msub><mo>±</mo><mn>0.3</mn><msub><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow><mrow><mi>syst</mi></mrow></msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>×</mo><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>6</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math>. This result is consistent with the lattice QCD calculation <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>5.34</mn><mo>±</mo><mn>0.16</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>×</mo><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>6</mn></mrow></msup></math> from HPQCD in 2023. By using the world-average values of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi mathvariant="script">B</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><msub><mrow><mi>η</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></mrow></math> and the total decay width of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>η</mi><mi>c</mi></msub></math>, the partial decay width <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="normal">Γ</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msub><mi>η</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><mi>γ</mi><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math> is determined to be <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>11.30</mn><mo>±</mo><mn>0.5</mn><msub><mrow><mn>6</mn></mrow><mrow><mi>stat</mi></mrow></msub><mo>±</mo><mn>0.6</mn><msub><mrow><mn>6</mn></mrow><mrow><mi>syst</mi></mrow></msub><mo>±</mo><mn>1.1</mn><msub><mrow><mn>4</mn></mrow><mrow><mi>ref</mi></mrow></msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>keV</mi></mrow></math>, which deviates from the corresponding world-average value by <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mn>3.4</mn><mi>σ</mi></math>.

M. Ablikim

Russia

M.N. Achasov

Sweden

P. Adlarson

X.C. Ai

R. Aliberti

Italy

A. Amoroso

Q. An

Y. Bai

JINR

O. Bakina

Y. Ban

H.R. Bao

Poland

V. Batozskaya

Mongolia

K. Begzsuren

N. Berger

M. Berlowski

M. Bertani

D. Bettoni

F. Bianchi

E. Bianco

A. Bortone

I. Boyko

R.A. Briere

A. Brueggemann

H. Cai

M.H. Cai

X. Cai

A. Calcaterra

G.F. Cao

N. Cao

Türkiye

S.A. Cetin

Observation of the Charmonium Decay <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>η</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><mi>γ</mi></mrow></math> in <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>γ</mi><msub><mrow><mi>η</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math>