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

An Improved Limit on Invisible Decays of Positronium

The results of a new search for positronium decays into invisible final states are reported. Convincing detection of this decay mode would be a strong evid ence for new physics beyond the Standard Model (SM): for example the existence of extra--dimensions, of milli-charged particles, of new light gauge bosons or of mirror particles. Mirror matter could be a relevant dark matter candidate. In this paper the setup and the results of a new experiment are presented. In a collected sample of about $(6.31\pm0.28) \times 10^6$ orthopositronium decay s, no evidence for invisible decays in an energy window [0,80] keV was found and an upper limit on the branching ratio of orthopositronium \invdecay could be set: \binvdecay<4.2\times 10^{-7} (90% C.L.) Our results provide a limit on the photon mirror-photon mixing strength $\epsilon \leq 1.55\times 10^{-7}$ (90% C.L.) and rule out particles lighter than the electron mass with a fraction $Q_x \leq 3.4 \times 10^{-5}$ of the electron charge. Furthermore, upper limits on the branching ratios for the decay of parapositronium $Br(p-Ps\to invisible)\leq 4.3 \times 10^{-7}$ (90% C.L.) and the direct annihilation $Br(e^+e^-\to invisible)\leq 2.1 \times 10^{-8}$ (90% C.L.) could be set.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, added references, fixed limit on millicharged particles and changed two plots accordingl

Virtual and Soft Pair Corrections to Polarized Muon Decay Spectrum

Radiative corrections to the muon decay spectrum due to soft and virtual electron--positron pairs are calculated.Comment: 10pp, 2 PS figs, details of calculations are adde

Decay of polarized muon at rest as a source of polarized neutrino beam

In this paper, we indicate the theoretical possibility of using the decay of polarized muons at rest as a source of the transversely polarized electron antineutrino beam. Such a beam can be used to probe new effects beyond standard model. We mean here new tests concerning CP violation, Lorentz structure and chirality structure of the charged current weak interactions. The main goal is to show how the energy and angular distribution of the electron antineutrinos in the muon rest frame depends on the transverse components of the antineutrino beam polarization. Our analysis is model-independent and consistent with the current upper limits on the non-standard couplings. The results are presented in a limit of infinitesimally small mass for all particles produced in the decay.Comment: elsart style, 11 pages, 2 eps figures, submitted do publicatio

Matter effects in the D0-D0bar system

We discuss the impact of matter effects in the D0-D0bar system. We show that such effects could, in principle, be measured, but that they cannot be used to probe the mass difference x_D or the lifetime difference y_D. This occurs because the mixing effects and the matter effects decouple at short times. We also comment briefly on the B systems.Comment: 6 pages, RevTe

Physics with Low-Energy Muons at a Neutrino Factory Complex

The physics potential of an intense source of low-energy muons is studied. Such a source is a necessary stage towards building the neutrino factories and muon colliders which are being considered at present. The CERN Neutrino Factory could deliver muon beams with intensities 3-4 orders of magnitude higher than available now, with large freedom in the choice of the time structure. Low-energy muon physics contributes to many fields of basic research, including rare muon decays, i.e., decays that do not conserve muon number, measurements of fundamental constants, the muon anomalous magnetic moment, determination of the Lorentz structure of the weak interaction, QED tests, CPT tests, proton and nuclear charge distributions (even for short-lived isotopes), and condensed matter physics. In studying the experimental programme, we analyse the present limitations, list the requirements on the new muon beams, and describe some ideas on how to implement these beam lines in a CERN neutrino factory complex

P and T Odd Asymmetries in Lepton Flavor Violating Tau Decays

We calculated the differential cross sections of the processes in which one of the pair created tau particles at an e^+ e^- collider decays into lepton flavor violating final states e.g. tau -> mu gamma, tau -> 3 mu, tau -> mu ee. Using the correlations between angular distributions of both sides of tau decays, we can obtain information on parity and CP violations of lepton flavor non-conserving interactions. The formulae derived here are useful in distinguishing different models, since each model of physics beyond the standard model predicts different angular correlations. We also calculate angular distributions of the major background process to tau -> l gamma search, namely tau -> l nu \bar{\nu} gamma, and discuss usefulness of the angular correlation for background suppression.Comment: 31 pages, 5 figure

Search for Time-Reversal Violation in the beta-Decay of Polarized 8Li Nuclei

The transverse polarization of electrons emitted in the beta-decay of polarized 8Li nuclei has been measured. For the time reversal violating triple correlation parameter we find R = (0.9 +- 2.2)x10^{-3}. This result is in agreement with the standard model and yields improved constraints on exotic tensor contributions to the weak interaction. It also provides a new limit on the mass of a possible scalar leptoquark, m_{LQ} > 560 GeV/c^2 (90% C.L.).Comment: Submitted to Physical Review Letters, 4 pages, 3 figures, uses revtex

Search for the Lepton Number Violating Process nu_mu-bar e^- -> mu^- nu_e-bar

The NuTeV experiment at Fermilab has used a sign-selected neutrino beam to perform a search for the lepton number violating process nu_mu-bar e^- -> mu^- nu_e-bar, and to measure the cross-section of the Standard Model inverse muon decay process nu_mu e^- -> mu^- nu_e. NuTeV measures the inverse muon decay asymptotic cross-section sigma/E to be 13.8 +/- 1.2 +/- 1.4 x 10^-42 cm^2/GeV. The experiment also observes no evidence for lepton number violation and places one of the most restrictive limits on the LNV/IMD cross-section ratio at < 1.7% at 90% C.L. for V-A couplings and < 0.6% for scalar couplings.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables. Submitted to Physics Review Letter

Signals of extra gauge bosons and exotic leptons in SU(6)L⊗_{L}\otimesU(1)Y_{Y}

We study some of the consequences of the SU(6)$_{L}\otimes$U(1)$_{Y}$ model of unification of electroweak interactions and families with a horizontal gauge group SU(2)$_{H}$, paying special attention to processes with flavor changing neutral currents. We compute at tree level the decays $K^{+}\longrightarrow \pi^{+}\mu^{+}e^{-}$, $K_L^0\longrightarrow \mu^{+}e^{-}$ and $\mu^{-} \longrightarrow e^{-} \bar{\nu_e} \nu_\mu$ from which we obtain lower bounds for the mass of the horizontal gauge boson associated with FCNC. Finally we obtain limits on the mixing between ordinary and exotic charged leptons