Limits on dark matter annihilation in prompt cusps from the isotropic gamma-ray background

Recent studies indicate that thermally produced dark matter will form highly concentrated, low-mass cusps in the early universe that often survive until the present. While these cusps contain a small fraction of the dark matter, their high density significantly increases the expected gamma-ray flux from dark matter annihilation, particularly in searches of large angular regions. We utilize 14 years of Fermi-LAT data to set strong constraints on dark matter annihilation through a detailed study of the isotropic gamma-ray background, excluding with 95% confidence dark matter annihilation to $b\bar{b}$ final states for dark matter masses below 120 GeV.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure

New physics searches with heavy-ion collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

This document summarises proposed searches for new physics accessible in the heavy-ion mode at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC), both through hadronic and ultraperipheral γγ interactions, and that have a competitive or, even, unique discovery potential compared to standard proton-proton collision studies. Illustrative examples include searches for new particles - such as axion-like pseudoscalars, radions, magnetic monopoles, new long-lived particles, dark photons, and sexaquarks as dark matter candidates - as well as new interactions, such as nonlinear or non-commutative QED extensions. We argue that such interesting possibilities constitute a well-justified scientific motivation, complementing standard quark-gluon-plasma physics studies, to continue running with ions at the LHC after the Run-4, i.e. beyond 2030, including light and intermediate-mass ion species, accumulating nucleon-nucleon integrated luminosities in the accessible fb-1 range per month

New physics searches with heavy-ion collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

This document summarises proposed searches for new physics accessible in the heavy-ion mode at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC), both through hadronic and ultraperipheral gamma gamma interactions, and that have a competitive or, even, unique discovery potential compared to standard proton-proton collision studies. Illustrative examples include searches for new particles-such as axion-like pseudoscalars, radions, magnetic monopoles, new long-lived particles, dark photons, and sexaquarks as dark matter candidates-as well as new interactions, such as nonlinear or non-commutative QED extensions. We argue that such interesting possibilities constitute a well-justified scientific motivation, complementing standard quark-gluon-plasma physics studies, to continue running with ions at the LHC after the Run-4, i.e. beyond 2030, including light and intermediate-mass ion species, accumulating nucleon-nucleon integrated luminosities in the accessible fb(-1) range per month.Peer reviewe

EuCAPT White Paper: Opportunities and Challenges for Theoretical Astroparticle Physics in the Next Decade

Astroparticle physics is undergoing a profound transformation, due to a series of extraordinary new results, such as the discovery of high-energy cosmic neutrinos with IceCube, the direct detection of gravitational waves with LIGO and Virgo, and many others. This white paper is the result of a collaborative effort that involved hundreds of theoretical astroparticle physicists and cosmologists, under the coordination of the European Consortium for Astroparticle Theory (EuCAPT). Addressed to the whole astroparticle physics community, it explores upcoming theoretical opportunities and challenges for our field of research, with particular emphasis on the possible synergies among different subfields, and the prospects for solving the most fundamental open questions with multi-messenger observations.Comment: White paper of the European Consortium for Astroparticle Theory (EuCAPT). 135 authors, 400 endorsers, 133 pages, 1382 reference

Antiproton production cross sections in cosmic rays

The cosmic-ray flux of antiprotons is measured with unprecedented accuracy bythe space-borne particle spectrometers AMS-02. Its interpretation requires acorrect description of the dominant production process for antiprotons in ourGalaxy, namely, the interaction of cosmic-ray proton and helium with theinterstellar medium. In the light of new cross section measurements by the NA61experiment of $p + p → \overline{p} + X$ and the first ever measurement of $p + He → \overline{p} + X$ by the LHCb experiment, we update the parametrization of proton-proton andproton-nucleon cross sections. By using $pp$, $p$He and $p$C data we estimate theuncertainty on the Lorentz invariant cross section for all relevant antiprotonproduction channels in the Galaxy. We use these new cross sectionparametrizations to compute the antiproton source term. The uncertainties on thetotal source term are up to $±20$% at low energies. Since this exceeds theuncertainties on the antiproton flux which is measured by AMS-02 at an accuracyof 5%, we finally quantify the necessity of new data on antiproton productioncross sections, and pin down the kinematic parameter space which should becovered by future data