## 10 September, 2012

In High Energy Physics on October 16, 2012 by physthjc

1) Precision Electroweak Data

• Higgs Couplings and Precision Electroweak Data
abstract:In light of the discovery of a Higgs-like particle at the LHC, we revisit the status of the precision electroweak data, focusing on two discrepant observables: 1) the long-standing 2.4 sigma deviation in the forward-backward asymmetry of the bottom quark A_{FB}^b, and 2) the 2.3 sigma deviation in R_b, the ratio of the Z \rightarrow b \bar b partial width to the inclusive hadronic width, which is now in tension after a recent calculation including new two-loop electroweak corrections. We consider possible resolutions of these discrepancies. Taking the data at face value, the most compelling scenario is that new physics directly affects A_{FB}^b and R_b, bringing the prediction into accord with the measured values. We propose a modified `Beautiful Mirrors’ scenario which contains new vector-like quarks that mix with the b quark, modifying the Z b\bar b vertex and thus correcting A_{FB}^b and R_b. We show that this scenario can lead to modifications to the production rates of the Higgs boson in certain channels, and in particular a sizable enhancement in the diphoton channel. We also describe additional collider tests of this scenario.

## 3 September, 2012

In High Energy Physics on October 16, 2012 by physthjc

1) Dark Matter

• Constraints on Primordial Black Holes as Dark Matter Candidates from Star Formation
abstract:By considering adiabatic contraction of the dark matter (DM) during the star formation, we estimate the amount of DM trapped in stars at their birth in different astrophysical environments. If the DM consists partly of primordial black holes (PBHs), they will be trapped together with the rest of the DM and will be finally inherited by a star compact remnant — a white dwarf (WD) or a neutron star (NS), which they will destroy in a short time. Observations of WDs and NSs thus impose constraints on the abundance of PBH. We show that the best constraints come from WDs and NSs in globular clusters which exclude the DM consisting entirely of PBH in the mass range $10^{16}{\rm g} – 10^{26}{\rm g}$, the strongest constraint on the fraction $\Omega_{\rm PBH} /\Omega_{DM}\lesssim 10^{-5}$ being in the range of PBH masses $10^{17}{\rm g} – 10^{18}$ g.

## 26 September, 2012

In High Energy Physics on October 16, 2012 by physthjc

1) Neutrino Physics

• Muon conversion to electron in nuclei in type-I seesaw models
abstract: We compute the muon to electron conversion in the type-I seesaw model, as a function of the right-handed neutrino mixings and masses. The results are compared with previous computations in the literature. We determine the definite predictions resulting for the ratios between the muon to electron conversion rate for a given nucleus and the rate of two other processes which also involve a mu-e flavour transition: mu -> e gamma and mu -> eee. For a quasi-degenerate mass spectrum of right-handed neutrino masses -which is the most natural scenario leading to observable rates- those ratios depend only on the seesaw mass scale, offering a quite interesting testing ground. In the case of sterile neutrinos heavier than the electroweak scale, these ratios vanish typically for a mass scale of order a few TeV. Furthermore, the analysis performed here is also valid down to very light masses. It turns out that planned mu -> e conversion experiments would be sensitive to masses as low as 2 MeV. Taking into account other experimental constraints, we show that future mu -> e conversion experiments will be fully relevant to detect or constrain sterile neutrino scenarios in the 2 GeV-1000 TeV mass range.