Search for an exotic three-body decay of orthopositronium

We report on a direct search for a three-body decay of the orthopositronium into a photon and two penetrating particles, o-Ps -> gamma + X1 + X2. The existence of this decay could explain the discrepancy between the measured and the predicted values of the orthopositronium decay rate. From the analysis of the collected data a single candidate event is found, consistent with the expected background. This allows to set an upper limit on the branching ratio < 4.4 \times 10^{-5} (at the 90% confidence level), for the photon energy in the range from 40 keV < E_gamma< 400 keV and for mass values in the kinematical range 0 gamma + X1 + X2 decay mode as the origin of the discrepancy.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Prospects of detecting massive isosinglet neutrino at LHC in the CMS detector

A possibility to search for a heavy isosinglet (sterile) neutrino using its decay mode $\nu_s \to l^{\pm} + 2 jets$ in the $S$ - channel production $pp \to W^* + X \to l^{\pm}\nu_s + X$ in the CMS experiment is studied. The only assumption about the heavy neutrino is its nonzero mixing with $\nu_e$ or $\nu_{\mu}$. The corresponding CMS discovery potential expressed in terms of the heavy neutrino mass and the mixing parameter between the heavy and light neutrino is determined. It is shown that the heavy neutrino with a mass up to 800 $GeV$ could be detected in CMS. We also investigate the production of the heavy neutrino $N_l$ mixed with $\nu_e$ and/or $\nu_{\mu}$ in the $SU_C(3) \otimes SU_L(2) \otimes SU_R(2)\otimes U(1)$ model through the reaction $pp \to W_R + X \to l^{\pm}N_l + X$ with the same heavy neutrino decay channel as above. We find that for $M_{W_R} < 3 TeV$ it is possible to discover the heavy neutrino with a mass up to $0.75 \cdot M_{W_R}$.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figure

A new experiment to search for the invisible decay of the orthopositronium

We propose an experiment to search for invisible decays of orthopositronium (o-Ps) with a 90% confidence sensitivity in the branching ratio as low as $10^{-8}$. Evidence for this decay mode would unambigously signal new physics: either the existence of extra--dimensions or fractionally charged particles or new light gauge bosons. The experimental approach and the detector components of the proposed experiment are described.Comment: Based on a talk given at Workshop on Positronium Physics, Zurich, Switzerland, 30-31 May 200

Invisible Z′Z\prime as a probe of extra dimensions at the CERN LHC

A class of extra dimensional models with a warped metric predict tunneling of a massive particle localized on our brane and escaping into additional dimensions. The experimental signature of this effect is the disappearance of the particle from our world, i.e. the particle $\to invisible$ decay. We point out that measurements of $Z\prime \to invisible$ decay width of a new heavy gauge boson $Z\prime$ at the CERN LHC can be effectively used to probe the existence of large extra dimensions. This result enhances motivations for a more sensitive search and study for this decay mode and suggests additional direction for testing extra dimensions in collider experiments.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to appear in PR

Bounds on neutrino magnetic moment tensor from solar neutrinos

Solar neutrinos with non-zero magnetic moments will contribute to the electron scattering rates in the Super-Kamiokande experiment. The magnetic moment scattering events in Super-K can be accommodated in the standard VO or MSW solutions by a change of the parameter space of mass square difference and mixing angle-but the shifted neutrino parameters obtained from Super-K will (for some values of neutrino magnetic moments) become incompatible with the fits from SNO, Gallium and Chlorine experiments. We compute the upper bounds on the Dirac and Majorana magnetic moments of solar neutrinos by simultaneously fitting all the observed solar neutrino rates. The bounds the magnetic moment matrix elements are of the order of 10^{-10} Bohr magnetron.Comment: 9 pages latex file with 6 figures; References added, typos corrected, matches version to appear in Phys Rev

Extra dimensions and invisible decay of orthopositronium

We point out that some models with infinite additional dimension(s) of Randall-Sundrum type predict the disappearance of orthopositronium (o-Ps) into additional dimension(s). The experimental signature of this effect is the o-Ps -> invisible decay of orthopositronium which may occur at a rate within three orders of magnitude of the present experimental upper limit. This result enhances existing motivations for a more sensitive search for this decay mode and suggests additional directions for testing extra dimensions in non accelerator experiments.Comment: 3 pages, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Limit on the electric charge-nonconserving μ+→invisible\mu^+ \to invisible decay

The first limit on the branching ratio of the electric charge-nonconserving invisible muon decay $Br(\mu^+ \to invisible) < 5.2 \times 10^{-3}$ is obtained from the recently reported results on new determination of the Fermi constant from muon decays. The results of a feasibility study of a new proposed experiment for a sensitive search for this decay mode at the level of a few parts in 10^{11} are presented. Constrains on the $\tau \to invisible$ decay rate are discussed. These leptonic charge-nonconserving processes may hold in four-dimensional world in models with infinite extra dimensions, thus making their searches complementary to collider experiments probing new physics.Comment: 5 pages, 2 Figure, to appear in PR

A simple explanation of the PVLAS anomaly in spontaneously broken mirror models

The PVLAS anomaly can be explained if there exist millicharged particles of mass $\stackrel{<}{\sim} 0.1$ eV and electric charge $\epsilon \sim 10^{-6} e$. We point out that such particles occur naturally in spontaneously broken mirror models. We argue that this interpretation of the PVLAS anomaly is not in conflict with astrophysical constraints due to the self interactions of the millicharged particles which lead them to be trapped within stars. This conclusion also holds for a generic paraphoton model.Comment: about 5 pages, expanded discussion, version to be published in PL