NMSSM Higgs Discovery at the LHC

We demonstrate that Higgs discovery at the LHC is possible in the context of the NMSSM even for those scenarios such that the only strongly produced Higgs boson is a very SM-like CP-even scalar which decays almost entirely to a pair of relatvely light CP-odd states. In combination with other search channels, we are on the verge of demonstrating that detection of at least one of the NMSSM Higgs bosons is guaranteed at the LHC for accumulated luminosity of $300 {\rm fb}^{-1}$.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, to appear in the Proceedings of the Les Houches Workshop 2003: ``Physics at TeV Colliders'

Reinforcing the no-lose theorem for NMSSM Higgs discovery at the LHC

We show the potential of the LHC to detect a CP-even Higgs boson of the NMSSM, $h_1$ or $h_2$, decaying into two rather light CP-odd Higgs bosons, $a_1$, by exploiting the production mode based on Higgs-strahlung off $b$-quarks, i.e., the channel $pp\to b\bar b h_{1,2}$. We also consider the case of $h_2\to h_1 h_1$ decays. It is found that these decays have dominant BRs over large regions of the NMSSM parameter space where tan$\beta$ is large, a condition which also favours the $pp\to b\bar b h_{1,2}$ production rates. Further decays of the light Higgs boson pairs ($a_1$ and $h_1$) into photon, muon, tau and $b$ final states are also considered. The overall production and decay rates for these processes at inclusive level are sizable and should help extracting at least one Higgs boson signal over the NMSSM parameter space.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures, added comments and corrected typo

The sustained post-outburst brightness of Nova Per 2018, the evolved companion, and the long orbital period

Nova Per 2018 (= V392 Per) halted the decline from maximum when it was 2mag brighter than quiescence and since 2019 has been stable at such a plateau. The ejecta have already fully diluted into the interstellar space. We obtained BVRIgrizY photometry and optical spectroscopy of V392 Per during the plateau phase and compared it with equivalent data gathered prior to the nova outburst. We find the companion star to be a G9 IV/III and the orbital period to be 3.4118 days, making V392 Per the longest known period for a classical nova. The location of V392 Per on the theoretical isochrones is intermediate between that of classical novae and novae erupting within symbiotic binaries, in a sense bridging the gap. The reddening is derived to be E(B-V)=0.72 and the fitting to isochrones returns a 3.6 Gyr age for the system and 1.35 Msun, 5.3 Rsun, and 15 Lsun for the companion. The huge Ne overabundance in the ejecta and the very fast decline from nova maximum both point to a massive white dwarf (M(WD) >= 1.1-1.2 Msun). The system is viewed close to pole-on conditions and the current plateau phase is caused by irradiation of the CS by the WD still burning at the surface.Comment: published in Astron.Astrophys. 639, L1

Exploring Sensitivity to NMSSM Signatures with Low Missing Transverse Energy at the LHC

We examine scenarios in the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM), where pair-produced squarks and gluinos decay via two cascades, each ending in a stable neutralino as Lightest Supersymmetric Particle (LSP) and a Standard Model (SM)-like Higgs boson, with mass spectra such that the missing transverse energy, $E_{T}^{\text{miss}}$, is very small. Performing two-dimensional parameter scans and focusing on the hadronic $H\rightarrow b\bar{b}$ decay giving a $b\bar{b}b\bar{b} + E_{T}^{\text{miss}}$ final state we explore the sensitivity of a current LHC general-purpose jets+$E_{T}^{\text{miss}}$ analysis to such scenarios.Comment: 17 pages, 17 figures, 6 table

A second black hole candidate in a M31 globular cluster is identified with XMM-Newton

We use arguments developed in previous work to identify a second black hole candidate associated with a M31 globular cluster, Bo 144, on the basis of X-ray spectral and timing properties. The 2002 XMM-Newton observation of the associated X-ray source (hereafter XBo 144) revealed behaviour that is common to all low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) in the low-hard state. Studies have shown that neutron star LMXBs exhibit this behaviour at 0.01-1000 keV luminosities <=10% of the Eddington limit (L_Edd). However, the unabsorbed 0.3-10 keV XBo 144 luminosity was ~0.30 L_Edd for a 1.4 M_sun neutron star, and the expected 0.01-1000 keV luminosity is 3-7 times higher. We therefore identify XBo 144 as a black hole candidate. Furthermore, it is the second black hole candidate to be consistent with formation via tidal capture of a mean sequence donor in a GC; such systems were previously though non-existent, because the donor was thought to be disrupted during the capture process.Comment: Accepted for publication in MRAS letters. Four pages, three figure

The nature and evolution of Nova Cygni 2006

AIMS: Nova Cyg 2006 has been intensively observed throughout its full outburst. We investigate the energetics and evolution of the central source and of the expanding ejecta, their chemical abundances and ionization structure, and the formation of dust. METHOD: We recorded low, medium, and/or high-resolution spectra (calibrated into accurate absolute fluxes) on 39 nights, along with 2353 photometric UBVRcIc measures on 313 nights, and complemented them with IR data from the literature. RESULTS: The nova displayed initially the normal photometric and spectroscopic evolution of a fast nova of the FeII-type. Pre-maximum, principal, diffuse-enhanced, and Orion absorption systems developed in a normal way. After the initial outburst, the nova progressively slowed its fading pace until the decline reversed and a second maximum was reached (eight months later), accompanied by large spectroscopic changes. Following the rapid decline from second maximum, the nova finally entered the nebular phase and formed optically thin dust. We computed the amount of formed dust and performed a photo-ionization analysis of the emission-line spectrum during the nebular phase, which showed a strong enrichment of the ejecta in nitrogen and oxygen, and none in neon, in agreement with theoretical predictions for the estimated 1.0 Msun white dwarf in Nova Cyg 2006. The similarities with the poorly investigated V1493 Nova Aql 1999a are discussed.Comment: in press in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Charged Higgs bosons in the Next-to MSSM (NMSSM)

The charged Higgs boson decays $H^\pm\to W^\pm A_1$ and $H^\pm\to W^\pm h_i$ are studied in the framework of the next-to Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM). It is found that the decay rate for $H^\pm\to W^\pm A_1$ can exceed the rates for the $\tau^\pm\nu$ and $tb$ channels both below and above the top-bottom threshold. The dominance of $H^\pm\to W^\pm A_1$ is most readily achieved when $A_1$ has a large doublet component and small mass. We also study the production process $pp\to H^\pm A_1$ at the LHC followed by the decay $H^\pm\to W^\pm A_1$ which leads to the signature $W^\pm A_1 A_1$. We suggest that $p p\to H^\pm A_1$ is a promising discovery channel for a light charged Higgs boson in the NMSSM with small or moderate $\tan\beta$ and dominant decay mode $H^\pm \to W^\pm A_1$. This $W^\pm A_1 A_1$ signature can also arise from the Higgsstrahlung process $pp\to W^\pm h_1$ followed by the decay $h_1\to A_1 A_1$. It is shown that there exist regions of parameter space where these processes can have comparable cross sections and we suggest that their respective signals can be distinguished at the LHC by using appropriate reconstruction methods.Comment: 20 pages, 22 eps figures, more reference adde