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The Kaon direct CP violation $Re(\epsilon'_K/\epsilon_K)$ below the experimental data of a $2\sigma$ in the standard model, which is calculated by the RBC-UKQCD lattice and large $N_c$ dual QCD, indicates the necessity of a new physics effect. In order to resolve the insufficient $Re(\epsilon'_K/\epsilon_K)$, we study the charged-Higgs contributions in a generic two-Higgs-doublet model. If we assume that the origin of the CP-violation phase is uniquely from the Kobayashi-Maskawa (KM) phase, when the constraints from the $B$- and $K$-meson mixings, $B\to X_s \gamma$, and Kaon indirect CP violating parameter $\epsilon_K$ are simultaneously taken into account, it is found that the Kaon direct CP violation through the charged-Higgs effects can reach $Re(\epsilon'_K/\epsilon_K)_{H^\pm}\sim 8 \times 10^{-4}$. Moreover, with the constrained values of parameters, the branching ratios of the rare $K\to \pi \nu \bar\nu$ decays can be $BR(K^+\to \pi^+ \nu \bar\nu)\sim 14 \times 10^{-11}$ and $BR(K_L\to \pi^0 \nu \bar\nu)\sim 3.6 \times 10^{-11}$, where the results can be tested by the NA62 experiment at CERN and KOTO experiment at J-PARC, respectively.

Compact stellar objects such as neutron stars (NS) are ideal places for capturing dark matter (DM) particles. We study the effect of self-interacting DM (SIDM) captured by the nearby NS that can reheat NS to an appreciated surface temperature. Recently, DM self-interaction was considered as an negligible effect due to its small geometric cross section in NS. However, we will demonstrate when DM-nucleon cross section $\sigma_{\chi n}$ is much smaller than the current direct search limits, DM self-interaction will dominate the capture process. As a result of small $\sigma_{\chi n}$, DM will not thermalize with NS and its decoupled temperature $T_{\chi}^{\rm dec}$ is as high as a certain temperature of NS in the early evolution stage. In particular, a higher $T_{\chi}^{\rm dec}$ will induce a larger DM thermal radius. It increases DM self-capture rate and leads to the stronger DM annihilation rate. The energy injection to NS will be more thus reheat the star. Such effect results from DM self-interaction but it behaves as DM having a relatively large $\sigma_{\chi n}$. The NS temperatures are produced from the interplays between DM-nucleon and DM-DM interactions. In certain parameter region, there are two possible solutions that will generate the same NS temperature. We will also show that the reheating NS surface temperature by SIDM cannot be arbitrary high. It saturates at hundreds of Kelvins depending on the DM mass. The corresponding blackbody peak wavelength is potentially detectable in the future telescopes.

Non-resonant production of Higgs-pair via heavy intermediate states may be a distinctive signature for extended discrete symmetries when accompaied by large missing transvers energy. We discuss $T$-parity as an example of such symmetry within the Littlest Higgs Model, where a new heavy gauge boson $Z'$, the $T$-odd partner of SM $Z$-boson, predominately decays into to a Higgs boson and a dark matter candidate $\chi$. In essence, $T$-parity stablises simultaneously both the Higgs mass and the dark matter. Production via $pp\rightarrow Z' Z'\rightarrow 2h 2\chi$ may therefore yield important clues about symmetries connecting the Higgs and dark sectors. This paper makes a case for the search for this channel at the LHC by studying its discovery potential. It is demonstrated that in situations where a large $Z'-\chi$ mass gap results in a boosted topology, the jet-substructure technique can be leveraged to reach the required significance for discovery in the $2h\rightarrow 2\gamma2b$ decay mode.

We comprehensively study the charged-Higgs contributions to the leptonic $B^-_q \to \ell \bar \nu$ ($q=u,c$) and semileptonic $\bar B \to X_q \ell \bar\nu$ ($X_u=\pi, \rho; X_c=D,D^*$) decays in the type-III two-Higgs-doublet model (2HDM). We employ the Cheng-Sher ansatz to suppress the tree-level flavor-changing neutral currents (FCNCs) in the quark sector. When the strict constraints from the $\Delta B=2$ and $b\to s \gamma$ processes are considered, parameters $\chi^u_{tq}$ from the quark couplings and $\chi^\ell_\ell$ from the lepton couplings dictate the leptonic and semileptonic $B$ decays. It is found that when the measured $B^-_u\to \tau \bar \nu$ and indirect bound of $B^-_c \to \tau \bar \nu$ obtained by LEP1 data are taken into account, $R(D)$ and $R(\pi)$ can have broadly allowed ranges; however, the values of $R(\rho)$ and $R(D^*)$ are limited to approximately the standard model (SM) results. We also find that the same behaviors also occur in the $\tau$-lepton polarizations and forward-backward asymmetries ($A^{X_q,\tau}_{FB}$) of the semileptonic decays, with the exception of $A^{D^*,\tau}_{FB}$, for which the deviation from the SM due to the charged-Higgs effect is still sizable. In addition, the $q^2$-dependent $A^{\pi,\tau}_{FB}$ and $A^{D,\tau}_{FB}$ can be very sensitive to the charged-Higgs effects and have completely different shapes from the SM.

We study in this Letter the origin of the confinement in QCD by analyzing the colour charge of physics states. We derive the colour charge operator in QCD and compare it with the electromagnetic charge operator in QED. It shows that the two charges have very similar structure, but the dynamical properties of the gauge fields are different. The difference between the behaviours of the gauge boson propagator at zero momentum for QCD and that for QED guarantees that there occurs colour confinement in QCD but there is no confinement in QED. We give then a universal relation between the confinement and the dynamical property of QCD and reveals the origin of the colour confinement, which can be demonstrated as the dynamical effect of QCD or more explicitly the dynamical mass generation of the gluon.

We introduce dark matter (DM) evolution process in the Sun under a two-component DM (2DM) scenario. Both DM species $\chi$ and $\xi$ with masses heavier than 1 GeV are considered. In this picture, both species could be captured by the Sun through DM-nucleus scattering and DM self-scatterings, e.g. $\chi\chi$ and $\xi\xi$ collisions. In addition, the heterogeneous self-scattering due to $\chi$ and $\xi$ collision is essentially possible in any 2DM models. This new introduced scattering naturally weaves the evolution processes of the two DM species that was assumed to evolve independently. Moreover, the heterogeneous self-scattering enhances the number of DM being captured in the Sun mutually. This effect significantly exists in a broad range of DM mass spectrum. We have studied this phenomena and its implication for the solar-captured DM annihilation rate. It would be crucial to the DM indirect detection when the two masses are close. General formalism of the 2DM evolution in the Sun as well as its kinematics are studied.

WIMP-nucleon scattering is analyzed at order $1/M$ in Heavy WIMP Effective Theory. The $1/M$ power corrections, where $M\gg m_W$ is the WIMP mass, distinguish between different underlying UV models with the same universal limit and their impact on direct detection rates can be enhanced relative to naive expectations due to generic amplitude-level cancellations at leading order. The necessary one- and two-loop matching calculations onto the low-energy effective theory for WIMP interactions with Standard Model quarks and gluons are performed for the case of an electroweak SU(2) triplet WIMP, considering both the cases of elementary fermions and composite scalars. The low-velocity WIMP-nucleon scattering cross section is evaluated and compared with current experimental limits and projected future sensitivities. Our results provide the most robust prediction for electroweak triplet Majorana fermion dark matter direct detection rates; for this case, a cancellation between two sources of power corrections yields a small total $1/M$ correction, and a total cross section close to the universal limit for $M \gtrsim {\rm few} \times 100\,{\rm GeV}$. For the SU(2) composite scalar, the $1/M$ corrections introduce dependence on underlying strong dynamics. Using a leading chiral logarithm evaluation, the total $1/M$ correction has a larger magnitude and uncertainty than in the fermionic case, with a sign that further suppresses the total cross section. These examples provide definite targets for future direct detection experiments and motivate large scale detectors capable of probing to the neutrino floor in the TeV mass regime.

Fast simulation tools are highly appreciated in particle physics phenomenology studies, especially in the exploration of the physics potential of future experimental facilities. The Circular Electron Positron Collider is a proposed Higgs and Z factory that can precisely measure the Higgs boson properties and the electroweak precision observables. A fast-simulation toolkit dedicated to the CEPC detector has been developed using Delphes. The comparison shows that this fast simulation tool is highly consistent with the full simulation, on a set of benchmark distributions. Therefore, we recommend this fast simulation toolkit for CEPC phenomenological investigations.

We propose a modified version of the Faddeev-Popov quantization approach for non-Abelian gauge field theory to avoid the Gribov ambiguity. We show that by means of introducing a new method to insert the correct identity into the Yang-Mills generating functional and considering the identity generated by an integral through a subgroup of the gauge group, the problem of the Gribov ambiguity can be removed naturally. Meanwhile by implementing the method to deal with the absolute value of the Faddeev-Popov determinant introduced by Ghiotti and collaborators, we lift the Jacobian determinant together with the absolute value and obtain a local Lagrangian. The new Lagrangian have a nilpotent symmetry which can be viewed as an analogue of the BRST symmetry.

We explain the $e^+ e^-$ excess observed by the DAMPE Collaboration using a dark matter model based upon the Higgs triplet model and an additional hidden $SU(2)_X$ gauge symmetry. Two of the $SU(2)_X$ gauge bosons are stable due to a residual discrete symmetry and serve as the dark matter candidate. We search the parameter space for regions that can explain the observed relic abundance, and compute the flux of $e^+ e^-$ coming from a nearby dark matter subhalo. With the inclusion of background cosmic rays, we show that the model can render a good fit to the entire energy spectrum covering the AMS-02, Fermi-LAT and DAMPE data.

A continuum approach to the three valence-quark bound-state problem in quantum field theory is used to perform a comparative study of the four lightest $(I=1/2,J^P = 1/2^\pm)$ baryon isospin-doublets in order to elucidate their structural similarities and differences. Such analyses predict the presence of nonpointlike, electromagnetically-active quark-quark (diquark) correlations within all baryons; and in these doublets, isoscalar-scalar, isovector-pseudovector, isoscalar-pseudoscalar, and vector diquarks can all play a role. In the two lightest $(1/2,1/2^+)$ doublets, however, scalar and pseudovector diquarks are overwhelmingly dominant. The associated rest-frame wave functions are largely $S$-wave in nature; and the first excited state in this $1/2^+$ channel has the appearance of a radial excitation of the ground state. The two lightest $(1/2,1/2^-)$ doublets fit a different picture: accurate estimates of their masses are obtained by retaining only pseudovector diquarks; in their rest frames, the amplitudes describing their dressed-quark cores contain roughly equal fractions of even- and odd-parity diquarks; and the associated wave functions are predominantly $P$-wave in nature, but possess measurable $S$-wave components. Moreover, the first excited state in each negative-parity channel has little of the appearance of a radial excitation. In quantum field theory, all differences between positive- and negative-parity channels must owe to chiral symmetry breaking, which is overwhelmingly dynamical in the light-quark sector. Consequently, experiments that can validate the contrasts drawn herein between the structure of the four lightest $(1/2,1/2^\pm)$ doublets will prove valuable in testing links between emergent mass generation and observable phenomena and, plausibly, thereby revealing dynamical features of confinement.

In this paper we consider spin-3/2 fields in a $D$-dimensional Reissner-Nordström black hole spacetime. As these spacetimes are not Ricci-flat, it is necessary to modify the covariant derivative to the supercovariant derivative, by including terms related to the background electromagnetic fields, so as to maintain the gauge symmetry. Using this supercovariant derivative we arrive at the corresponding Rarita-Schwinger equation in a charged black hole background. As in our previous works, we exploit the spherically symmetry of the spacetime and use the eigenspinor-vectors on an $N$-sphere to derive the radial equations for both non-transverse-traceless (non-TT) modes and TT modes. We then determine the quasi-normal mode and absorption probabilities of the associated gauge-invariant variables using the WKB approximation and the asymptotic iteration method. We then concentrate on how these quantities change with the charge of the black hole, especially when they reach the extremal limits.

LHCb observes the $B^+_c \to D^0 K^+$ decay with $R_{D^0 K} = f_c/f_u \times {\cal B}(B^+_c \to D^0 K^+)=(9.3^{+2.8}_{-2.5} \pm 0.6)\times 10^{-7}$. The corresponding branching ratio (BR) of the decay can be estimated as ${\cal B}(B^+_c \to D^0 K^+) \approx (10.01 \pm 3.40)\times 10^{-5}$; however, the theoretical estimates vary from $\sim 10^{-7}$ to $\sim 5\times 10^{-5}$. We phenomenologically investigate the $B^+_c \to (D^0 K^+, D^0 \pi^+)$ decays through the analysis of $B\to KK$, $B^+_u\to D^+ K^0$, and $B_d \to D^-_s K^+$. With the form factor of $f^{B_c D}_0\approx 0.2$, it is found that the tree-annihilation contribution dominates the $B^+_c \to D^0 K^+$ decay, and when ${\cal B}(B^+_u \to D^+ K^0) \approx (1-3.1) \times 10^{-7}$ is required, we obtain ${\cal B}(B^+_c \to D^0 K^+)\approx (4.4- 9) \times 10^{-5}$, and the magnitude of CP asymmetry is lower than approximately $10\%$. Although the $B^+_c \to D^0 \pi^+$ decay is dominated by the tree-transition effect, the tree-annihilation also makes an important contribution, where its effect could be around $70\%$ of the tree-transition. It is found that when ${\cal B}(B^+_c \to D^0 K^+)\approx (4.4- 9) \times 10^{-5}$ is taken, the BR and CP asymmetry for $B^+_c \to D^0 \pi^+$ with the common values of parameters can be ${\cal B}(B^+_c \to D^0 \pi^+)\approx (4.9-8)\times 10^{-6}$ and of the order of one, respectively. Moreover, we conclude ${\cal B}(B^+_c \to D^+ K^0)\approx {\cal B}(B^+_c \to D^0 K^+)$, and the BRs for $B^+_c \to K^+ \bar K^0$ and $B^+_c \to J/\Psi \pi^+$ are $(6.99 \pm 1.34) \times 10^{-7}$ and $(7.7 \pm 1.1)\times 10^{-4}$, respectively.

Recent experimental results provided by the CMS and LHCb, Belle and BaBar collaborations are showing a tension with the SM predictions in $R_{K^{(*)}}$, which might call for an explanation from new physics. In this work, we examine this tension in the type-III two-Higgs doublet models. We focus on the contributions of charged Higgs boson to the observable(s) $R_{K^{(*)}}$ and other rare processes $\Delta M_q$ ($q=s,d$), $B \to X_s \gamma$ $B_s \to \mu^+ \mu^{-}$ and $B_q \to X_s \mu^+ \mu^{-}$, which are governed by the same effective Hamiltonian. It is found that regions of large $\tan\beta$ and light charged Higgs mass $m_{H^\pm}$ can explain the measured value of $R_{K^{(*)}}$ and accommodate other B physics data as well. In contrast, the type-II two-Higgs doublet model can not.

The Eddington-inspired-Born-Infeld (EiBI) model is reformulated within the mimetic approach. In the presence of a mimetic field, the model contains non-trivial vacuum solutions which could be free of spacetime singularity because of the Born-Infeld nature of the theory. We study a realistic primordial vacuum universe and prove the existence of regular solutions, such as primordial inflationary solutions of de Sitter type or bouncing solutions. Besides, the linear instabilities present in the EiBI model are found to be avoidable for some interesting bouncing solutions in which the physical metric as well as the auxiliary metric are regular at the background level.

Recently there has been interest in the correlation between R(D*) and the branching ratio (BR) of $B_c \to \tau \nu$ in models with a charged scalar H^\pm. Any enhancement of R(D*) by $H^\pm$ alone (in order to agree with current data) also enhances $BR(B_c \to \tau \nu$), for which there has been no direct search at hadron colliders. We show that LEP data taken at the Z peak requires BR($B_c \to \tau \nu$) < 10%, and this constraint is significantly stronger than the recent constraint BR($B_c \to \tau \nu$) < 30% from considering the lifetime of B_c. In order to respect this new constraint, any explanation of the R(D) and R(D*) anomaly in terms of $H^\pm$ alone would require the future measurements of R(D*) to be even closer to the Standard Model prediction. A stronger limit on BR($B_c \to \tau \nu$) (or its first measurement) would be obtained if the L3 collaboration used all its data taken at the Z peak.

We study the prospective sensitivity to CP-violating Two Higgs Doublet Models from the 14 TeV LHC and future electric dipole moment (EDM) experiments. We concentrate on the search for a resonant heavy Higgs that decays to a $Z$ boson and a SM-like Higgs h, leading to the $Z(\ell\ell)h(b\bar{b})$ final state. The prospective LHC reach is analyzed using the Boosted Decision Tree method. We illustrate the complementarity between the LHC and low energy EDM measurements and study the dependence of the physics reach on the degree of deviation from the alignment limit. In all cases, we find that there exists a large part of parameter space that is sensitive to both EDMs and LHC searches.

This white paper summarizes the workshop "U.S. Cosmic Visions: New Ideas in Dark Matter" held at University of Maryland on March 23-25, 2017.

The $Z'$-gauge boson in an $U(1)_{L_\mu-L_\tau}$ gauge symmetry has two interesting features: one is its vector couplings to the charged leptons, and the other is the decoupling from the electron. Based on these properties, we investigate the feasibility to simultaneously resolve the $R_{K^{(*)}} = BR(B\to K^{(*)} \mu^+ \mu^-)/BR(B\to K^{(*)} e^+ e^-)$ and $R_{D^{(*)}} = BR(\bar B\to D^{(*)} \tau \bar\nu_\tau)/BR(\bar B\to D^{(*)} \ell \bar\nu_\ell)$ anomalies in an $U(1)_{L_\mu-L_\tau}$ model, where the former is expected to arise from the $Z'$-penguin-induced $b\to s \mu^+ \mu^-$ process and the latter from the tree-level $b\to c \tau \bar\nu_\tau$ decay. In order to achieve the intended purpose, we employ one vector-like doublet lepton and one singlet scalar leptoquark (LQ), in which the new particles all carry the $U(1)_{L_\mu-L_\tau}$ charges; the $b\to sZ'$ effective interaction is generated from the vector-like lepton and LQ loop, and the $b\to c \tau \bar\nu_\tau$ decay is induced from the LQ. When the constraints from the $b\to s \gamma$, $B^+\to K^+ \nu \bar\nu$, $B^-_c\to \tau \bar \nu_\tau$, $\Delta F=2$, and $\tau\to \mu \ell \bar \ell$ processes are included, it is found that $R_D$ and $R_{D^*}$ can be enhanced to fit the experimental data, and the Wilson coefficient $C_9$ from the LQ-loop can reach $C^{LQ,\mu}_9\sim -1$, which can explain the $R_{K}$ and $R_{K^*}$ anomalies. In addition, in this simple model, the Higgs lepton-flavor violating $h\to \mu \tau$ decay can occur at the tree level, and its branching ratio can be as large as the current experimental upper limit.

Vector-boson fusion (VBF) is a clean probe of the electroweak-symmetry breaking (EWSB), which inevitably suffers from some level of contamination due to the gluon fusion (ggF). In addition to the jet variables used in the current experimental analysis, we analyze a few more jet-shape variables defined by the girth and integrated jet-shape. Taking $H\to W W^* \to e \nu \mu \nu$ and $H \to \gamma\gamma$ as examples, we perform the analysis with a new technique of 2-step boosted-decision-tree method, which significantly reduces the contamination of the ggF in the VBF sample, thus, providing a clean environment in probing the EWSB sector.

We study the origin of neutrino mass through lepton-number violation and spontaneous $U(1)_{L_\mu-L_\tau}$ symmetry breaking. To accomplish the purpose, in addition to the $U(1)_{L_\mu-L_\tau}$ extension of the standard model, we include one Higgs triplet, two singlet scalars, and two vector-like doublet leptons. To reduce the number of free parameters, we employ the Frampton-Glashow-Marfatia (FGM) two-zero texture neutrino mass matrix as a theoretical input. It is found that when some particular Yukawa couplings vanish, a FGM pattern can be realized in the model. Besides the explanation of neutrino data, we can also obtain the absolute value of neutrino mass $m_j$; and their sum can satisfy the upper bound from the cosmological measurement with $\sum_j |m_j| < 0.17$ eV. Moreover, the effective Majorana neutrino mass for neutrinoless double-beta decay is below the current upper limit, and is obtained as $\langle m_{\beta \beta} \rangle =(0.34,\, 2.3)\times 10^{-2}$ eV. It is found that the doubly charged Higgs $H^{\pm\pm}$ decaying to the right-handed $\mu^\pm \tau^\pm$ is induced from a dimension-6 operator and not highly suppressed, and its branching ratio is compatible with the $H^{\pm \pm}\to W^\pm W^\pm$ decay when the vacuum expectation value of Higgs triplet is $O(0.1)$ GeV.

Solutions to the electroweak hierarchy problem typically introduce a new symmetry to stabilize the quadratic ultraviolet sensitivity in the self-energy of the Higgs boson. The new symmetry is either broken softly or collectively, as for example in supersymmetric and little Higgs theories. At low energies such theories contain naturalness partners of the Standard Model fields which are responsible for canceling the quadratic divergence in the squared Higgs mass. Post the discovery of any partner-like particles, we propose to test the aforementioned cancellation by measuring relevant Higgs couplings. Using the fermionic top partners in little Higgs theories as an illustration, we construct a simplified model for naturalness and initiate a study on testing naturalness. After electroweak symmetry breaking, naturalness in the top sector requires $a_T = - \lambda_t^2$ at leading order, where $\lambda_t$ and $a_T$ are the Higgs couplings to a pair of top quarks and top partners, respectively. Using a multivariate method of Boosted Decision Tree to tag boosted particles in the Standard Model, we show that, with a luminosity of 30 $ab^{-1}$ at a 100 TeV $pp$-collider, naturalness could be tested with a precision of 10 % for a top partner mass up to 2.5 TeV.

The Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC) is a future Higgs factory proposed by the Chinese high energy physics community. It will operate at a center-of-mass energy of 240-250 GeV. The CEPC will accumulate an integrated luminosity of 5 ab$^{\rm{-1}}$ in ten years' operation. With GEANT4-based full simulation samples for CEPC, Higgs boson decaying into electron pair is studied at the CEPC. The upper limit of ${\cal B}(H \rightarrow e^+ e^-)$ could reach 0.024\% at 95\% confidence level. The signal process is generated by MadGraph, with Initial State Radiation (ISR) implemented, as a first step to adjust MadGraph for a electron positron Collider.

We describe a calculation of the spectrum of flavour-SU(3) octet and decuplet baryons, their parity partners, and the radial excitations of these systems, made using a symmetry-preserving treatment of a vector-vector contact interaction as the foundation for the relevant few-body equations. Dynamical chiral symmetry breaking generates nonpointlike diquarks within these baryons and hence, using the contact interaction, flavour-antitriplet scalar, pseudoscalar and vector, and flavour-sextet axial-vector quark-quark correlations can all play an active role. The model yields reasonable masses for all systems studied, and Faddeev amplitudes for ground states and associated parity partners that sketch a realistic picture of their internal structure: ground-state, even parity baryons are constituted, almost exclusively, from like-parity diquark correlations; but orbital angular momentum plays an important role in the rest-frame wave functions of odd-parity baryons, whose Faddeev amplitudes are dominated by odd-parity diquarks.

We analyze the collider signatures of the real singlet extension of the Standard Model in regions consistent with a strong first-order electroweak phase transition and a singlet-like scalar heavier than the Standard Model-like Higgs. A definitive correlation exists between the strength of the phase transition and the trilinear coupling of the Higgs to two singlet-like scalars, and hence between the phase transition and non-resonant scalar pair production involving the singlet at colliders. We study the prospects for observing these processes at the LHC and a future 100 TeV $pp$ collider, focusing particularly on double singlet production. We also discuss correlations between the strength of the electroweak phase transition and other observables at hadron and future lepton colliders. Searches for non-resonant singlet-like scalar pair production at 100 TeV would provide a sensitive probe of the electroweak phase transition in this model, complementing resonant di-Higgs searches and precision measurements. Our study illustrates a strategy for systematically exploring the phenomenologically viable parameter space of this model, which we hope will be useful for future work.

$L_\mu -L_\tau$ gauge boson ($Z'$) with a mass in the MeV to GeV region can resolve not only the muon $g-2$ excess, but also the gap in the high-energy cosmic neutrino spectrum at IceCube. It was recently proposed that such a light gauge boson can be detected during the Belle II experiment with a luminosity of 50 ab$^{-1}$ by the $e^+ e^- \to \gamma +\slashed{E}$ process through the kinetic mixing with the photon, where the missing energy $\slashed{E}$ is from the $Z' \to \bar\nu \nu$ decays. We study the phenomenological implications when a pair of singlet vector-like leptons carrying different $L_\mu - L_\tau$ charges are included, and a complex singlet scalar ($\phi_S$) is introduced to accomplish the spontaneous $U(1)_{L_\mu -L_\tau}$ symmetry breaking. It is found that the extension leads to several phenomena of interest, including (i) branching ratio (BR) for $h\to \mu \tau$ can be of the order of $10^{-3}$; (ii) $\phi_S$-mediated muon $g-2$ can be of the order of $10\times 10^{-10}$; (iii) BR for $\tau \to \mu \phi^*_S\to \mu Z'Z'$ can be $10^{-8}$, and (iv) kinetic mixing between the $Z'$ boson and photon is sensitive to the relative heavy lepton masses. The predicted BRs for $\tau\to (3\mu+\slashed{E}, 5\mu$) through the leptonic $Z'$ decays can reach a level of $10^{-9}$, in which the results fall within the sensitivity of the Belle II in the search for the rare tau decays.

The proton is composed of quarks and gluons, bound by the most elusive mechanism of strong interaction called confinement. In this work, the dynamics of quarks and gluons are investigated using deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS): produced by a multi-GeV electron, a highly virtual photon scatters off the proton which subsequently radiates a high energy photon. Similarly to holography, measuring not only the magnitude but also the phase of the DVCS amplitude allows to perform 3D images of the internal structure of the proton. The phase is made accessible through the quantum-mechanical interference of DVCS with the Bethe-Heitler (BH) process, in which the final photon is emitted by the electron rather than the proton. We report herein the first full determination of the BH-DVCS interference by exploiting the distinct energy dependences of the DVCS and BH amplitudes. In the high energy regime where the scattering process is expected to occur off a single quark in the proton, these accurate measurements show an intriguing sensitivity to gluons, the carriers of the strong interaction.

Heavy vector-like quarks (VLQs) appear in many models of beyond the Standard Model physics. Direct experimental searches require these new quarks to be heavy, $\gsim$ 800-1000 GeV. We perform a global fit of the parameters of simple VLQ models in minimal representations of $SU(2)_L$ to precision data and Higgs rates. An interesting connection between anomalous $Z b {\overline {b}}$ interactions and Higgs physics in VLQ models is discussed. Finally, we present our analysis in an effective field theory (EFT) framework and show that the parameters of VLQ models are already highly constrained. Exact and approximate analytical formulas for the $S$ and $T$ parameters in the VLQ models we consider are posted at https://quark.phy.bnl.gov/Digital_Data_Archive/dawson/vlq_17/ as Mathematica files.

We study the influence of a charged-Higgs on the excess of branching fraction ratio, $R_M = BR(\bar B \to M \tau \bar\nu_\tau)/BR(\bar B \to M \ell \bar \nu_\ell)$ $(M=D, D^*)$, in a generic two-Higgs-doublet model. In order to investigate the lepton polarization, the detailed decay amplitudes with lepton helicity are given. When the charged-Higgs is used to resolve excesses, it is found that two independent Yukawa couplings are needed to explain the $R_D$ and $R_{D^*}$ anomalies. We show that when the upper limit of $BR(B_c \to \tau \bar \nu_\tau)<30\%$ is included, $R_D$ can be significantly enhanced while $R_{D^*}<0.27$. With the $BR(B_c\to \tau \bar \nu_\tau)$ constraint, we find that the $\tau$-lepton polarizations can be still affected by the charged-Higgs effects, where the standard model (SM) predictions are obtained as: $P^\tau_{D} \approx 0.324$ and $P^\tau_{D^*}\approx -0.500$, and they can be enhanced to be $P^\tau_{D} \approx 0.5$ and $P^\tau_{D^*} \approx -0.41$ by the charged-Higgs. The integrated lepton froward-backward asymmetry (FBA) is also studied, where the SM result is $\bar A^{D^{(*)},\tau}_{FB} \approx -0.359(0.064)$, and they can be enhanced (decreased) to be $\bar A^{D^{(*)},\tau}_{FB} \approx -0.33 (0.02)$.

In this study, we investigate muon $g-2$, $R_{K^{(*)}}$, and $R_{D^{(*)}}$ anomalies in a specific model with one doublet, one triplet, and one singlet scalar leptoquark (LQ). When the strict limits from the $\ell' \to \ell \gamma$, $\Delta B=2$, $B_{s}\to \mu^+ \mu^-$, and $B^+ \to K^+ \nu \bar\nu$ processes are considered, it is difficult to use one scalar LQ to explain all of the anomalies due to the strong correlations among the constraints and observables. After ignoring the constraints and small couplings, the muon $g-2$ can be explained by the doublet LQ alone due to the $m_t$ enhancement, whereas the measured and unexpected smaller $R_{K^{(*)}}$ requires the combined effects of the doublet and triplet LQs, and the $R_D$ and $R_{D^*}$ excesses depend on the singlet LQ through scalar- and tensor-type interactions.

In order for a Sullivan-like process to provide reliable access to a meson target as $t$ becomes spacelike, the pole associated with that meson should remain the dominant feature of the quark-antiquark scattering matrix and the wave function describing the related correlation must evolve slowly and smoothly. Using continuum methods for the strong-interaction bound-state problem, we explore and delineate the circumstances under which these conditions are satisfied: for the pion, this requires $-t \lesssim 0.6\,$GeV$^2$, whereas $-t\lesssim 0.9\,$GeV$^2$ will suffice for the kaon. These results should prove useful in evaluating the potential of numerous experiments at existing and proposed facilities.

A persistence of several anomalies in muon physics, such as the muon anomalous magnetic moment and the muonic hydrogen Lamb shift, hints at new light particles beyond the Standard Model. We address a subset of these models that have a new light scalar state with sizable couplings to muons and suppressed couplings to electrons. A novel way to search for such particles would be through muon beam-dump experiments by (1) missing momentum searches; (2) searches for decays with displaced vertices. The muon beams available at CERN and Fermilab present attractive opportunities for exploring the new scalar with a mass below the di-muon threshold, and potentially covering a range of relevant candidate models. For the models considered in this paper, both types of signals, muon missing momentum and anomalous energy deposition at a distance, can probe a substantial fraction of the unexplored parameter space of the new light scalar, including a region that can explain the muon anomalous magnetic moment discrepancy.

Higgs bosons pair production is well known for its sensitivity to probing the sign and size of Higgs boson self coupling, providing a way to determine whether there is an extended Higgs sector. The Georgi-Machacek (GM) model extends the Standard Model (SM) with an $SU(2)_L$ triplet scalar field that has one real and one complex components. The Higgs self coupling now has a wider range than that in the SM, with even the possibility of a sign flip. The new heavy singlet Higgs boson $H^{0}_{1}$ can contribute to s-channel production of the $hh$ pairs. In this work, we study non-resonant/resonant Higgs boson pair productions $p p \rightarrow hh$ and $p p \rightarrow H^{0}_{1} \rightarrow hh$, focusing exclusively on the contribution of $H^0_1$. We show the sensitivity for Higgs boson pair production searches at the 13-TeV LHC with the luminosities of $3.2,\ 30$ and $100$~fb$^{-1}$.

The scenario of the compressed mass spectrum between heavy quark and dark matter is a challenge for LHC searches. However, the elastic scattering cross section between dark matter and nuclei in dark matter direct detection experiments can be enhanced with nearly degenerate masses between heavy quarks and dark matter. In this paper, we illustrate such scenario with a vector dark matter, using the latest result from LUX 2016. The mass constraints on heavy quarks can be more stringent than current limits from LHC, unless the coupling strength is very small. However, the compress mass spectrum with allowed tiny coupling strength makes the decay lifetime of heavy quarks longer than the time scale of QCD hadronization.

The experiment of Krasznahorkay \textitet al observed the transition of a $\rm{^{8}Be}$ excited state to its ground state and accompanied by an emission of $e^{+}e^{-}$ pair with 17 MeV invariant mass. This 6.8$\sigma$ anomaly can be fitted by a new light gauge boson. We consider the new particle as a $U(1)$ gauge boson, $Z'$, which plays as a portal linking dark sector and visible sector. In particular, we study the new $U(1)$ gauge symmetry as a hidden or non-hidden group separately. The generic hidden $U(1)$ model, referred to as dark $Z$ model, is excluded by imposing various experimental constraints. On the other hand, a non-hidden $Z'$ is allowed due to additional interactions between $Z'$ and Standard Model fermions. We also study the implication of the dark matter direct search on such a scenario. We found the search for the DM-nucleon scattering excludes the range of DM mass above 500 MeV. However, the DM-electron scattering for MeV-scale DM is still allowed by current constraints for non-hidden $U(1)$ models. It is possible to test the underlying $U(1)$ portal model by the future Si and Ge detectors with $5e^{-}$ threshold charges.

A charged Higgs in the type II two-Higgs-doublet model (THDM) has been bounded to be above a few hundred GeV by the radiative $B$ decays. A Higgs triplet extension of the THDM not only provides an origin of neutrino masses and a completely new doubly-charged Higgs decay pattern, but it also achieves a light-charged Higgs with a mass of ${\cal O}(100)$ GeV through the new scalar couplings in the scalar potential. It was found that these light-charged Higgs decays depend on its mass $m_{H^\pm}$, $\tan\beta$, and mixing effect $\sin\theta_\pm$: at $\tan\beta =1$, if $m_{H^\pm} > m_W + m_Z$, $\bar b b W^\pm$, $W^\pm Z$, and $\tau \nu$ are the main decay modes; however, if $m_{H^\pm} < m_W + m_Z$, the main decay modes are then $\bar b b W$ and $\tau \nu$, and at $\tan\beta=30$, the $\tau \nu$ mode dominates the other decays. When $m_t > m_{H^\pm} + m_b$, we found that the ATLAS and CMS recent upper bounds on the product of $BR(t\to H^+ b)BR(H^+\to \tau^+ \nu)$ can be directly applied and will give a strict constraint on the correlation of $m_{H^\pm}$ and $\sin\theta_\pm$. If the upper bound of $BR(t\to H^+ b)BR(H^+\to \tau^+ \nu)$ is satisfied (escaped) for $m_t > (<) m_{H^\pm} + m_b$, it was found that the significance of discovering the charged Higgs through $H^\pm \to W^\pm Z$ is much lower than that through $H^\pm \to \bar b b W^\pm$. With a luminosity of 100 fb$^{-1}$ at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV and including the experimental bounds, the significance of the $H^\pm \to \bar b b W^\pm$ signal can reach around $6.2 (2.4)\sigma$ for $m_{H^\pm} <(>) m_W + m_Z$.

We analyze the prospects for detection of light sub-GeV dark matter produced in experiments designed to study the properties of neutrinos, such as MiniBooNE, T2K, SHiP, DUNE etc. We present an improved production model, when dark matter couples to hadronic states via a dark photon or baryonic vector mediator, incorporating bremsstrahlung of the dark vector. In addition to elastic scattering, we also study signatures of light dark matter undergoing deep inelastic or quasi-elastic NC$\pi^0$-like scattering in the detector producing neutral pions, which for certain experiments may provide the best sensitivity. An extensive appendix provides documentation for a publicly available simulation tool \tt BdNMC that can be applied to determine the hidden sector dark matter production and scattering rate at a range of proton fixed target experiments.

The quantum effects close to the classical big rip singularity within the Eddington-inspired-Born-Infeld theory (EiBI) are investigated through quantum geometrodynamics. It is the first time that this approach is applied to a modified theory constructed upon Palatini formalism. The Wheeler-DeWitt (WDW) equation is obtained and solved based on an alternative action proposed in Ref.[1], under two different factor ordering choices. This action is dynamically equivalent to the original EiBI action while it is free of square root of the spacetime curvature. We consider a homogeneous, isotropic and spatially flat universe, which is assumed to be dominated by a phantom perfect fluid whose equation of state is a constant. We obtain exact solutions of the WDW equation based on some specific conditions. In more general cases, we propose a qualitative argument with the help of a Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) approximation to get further solutions. Besides, we also construct an effective WDW equation by simply promoting the classical Friedmann equations. We find that for all the approaches considered, the DeWitt condition hinting singularity avoidance is satisfied. Therefore the big rip singularity can be avoided through the quantum approach within the EiBI theory.

We study the production of a light gauge boson in $K^- \to \pi^- X$ decay, where the associated new charge current is not conserved. It is found that the process can be generated by the tree-level $W$-boson annihilation and loop-induced $s\to dX$. We find that it strongly depends on the $SU(3)$ limit or the unique gauge coupling to the quarks, whether the decay amplitude of $K^-\to \pi^- X$ in the $W$-boson annihilation is suppressed by $m^2_X \epsilon_X \cdot p_K$; however, no such suppression is found via the loop-induced $s\to d X$. The constraints on the relevant couplings are studied.

We discuss a minimal solution to the long-standing $(g-2)_\mu$ anomaly in a simple extension of the Standard Model with an extra $Z'$ vector boson that has only flavor off-diagonal couplings to the second and third generation of leptons, i.e. $\mu, \tau, \nu_\mu, \nu_\tau$ and their antiparticles. A simplified model realization, as well as various collider and low-energy constraints on this model, are discussed. We find that the $(g-2)_\mu$-favored region for a $Z'$ lighter than the tau lepton is totally excluded, while a heavier $Z'$ solution is still allowed. Some testable implications of this scenario in future experiments, such as lepton-flavor universality-violating tau decays at Belle 2, and a new four-lepton signature involving same-sign di-muons and di-taus at HL-LHC and FCC-ee, are pointed out. A characteristic resonant absorption feature in the high-energy neutrino spectrum might also be observed by neutrino telescopes like IceCube and KM3NeT.

More than $3\sigma$ deviations from the standard model are observed in the angular observable $P'_5$ of $B\to K^* \mu^+ \mu^-$ and muon $g-2$. To resolve these anomalies, we extend the standard model by adding two leptoquarks. It is found that the signal strength of the diphoton Higgs decay can exhibit a significant deviation from unity and is within the data errors. Although $\ell_i \to \ell_j \gamma$ puts severe bounds on some couplings, it is found that the excesses of $P'_5$ and muon $g-2$ can still be explained and can be accommodated to the measurement of $B_s\to \mu^+ \mu^-$ in this model. In addition, the leptoquark effects can also explain the LHCb measurement of $R_K = BR(B^+ \to K^+ \mu^+\mu^-)/BR(B^+ \to K^+ e^+e^-)=0.745^{+0.090}_{-0.074} \pm 0.036$, which shows a $2.6\sigma$ deviation from the standard model prediction.

This report summarises the physics opportunities for the study of Higgs bosons and the dynamics of electroweak symmetry breaking at the 100 TeV pp collider.

We investigate the implications of a minimal $SU(2)$ gauge symmetry extension of the standard model at the LHC. To achieve the spontaneous symmetry breaking, a heavy Higgs doublet of the $SU(2)$ is introduced. To obtain an anomaly free model and the decays of new charged gauge bosons, we include a vector-like quark doublet. We also employ a real scalar boson to dictate the heavy Higgs production via the gluon-gluon fusion processes. It is found that the new gauge coupling and the masses of new gauge bosons can be strictly bounded by the electroweak $\rho$-parameter and dilepton resonance experiments at the LHC. It is found that due to the new charged gauge boson enhancement, the cross sections for a heavy scalar boson to diphoton channel measured by ATLAS and CMS can be easily satisfied when the values of Yukawa couplings are properly taken. Furthermore, by adopting event simulation, we find that the significance of $pp\to (\gamma \gamma)_H+{\rm jet}$, where the diphoton is from the heavy Higgs decay, can be over $4\sigma$ when the luminosity is above 60 fb$^{-1}$.

This report summarises the physics opportunities in the search and study of physics beyond the Standard Model at a 100 TeV pp collider.

Weakly-coupled models for the 750 GeV diphoton resonance often invoke new particles carrying both color and/or electric charges to mediate loop-induced couplings of the resonance to two gluons and two photons. The new colored particles may not be stable and could decay into final states containing standard model particles. We consider an electroweak doublet of vector-like quarks (VLQs) carrying electric charges of 5/3 and 2/3, respectively, which mediate the loop-induced couplings of the 750 GeV resonance. If the VLQ has a mass at around 1 TeV, it naturally gives rise to the observed diphoton signal strength while all couplings remain perturbative up to a high scale. At the same time, if the charge-5/3 VLQ decays into final states containing top quark and W boson, it would contribute to the multilepton excesses observed in both Run 1 and Run 2 data. It is also possible to incorporate a dark matter candidate in the decay final states to explain the observed relic density.

Higgs portal interactions provide a simple mechanism for addressing two open problems in cosmology: dark matter and the baryon asymmetry. In the latter instance, Higgs portal interactions may contain the ingredients for a strong first order electroweak phase transition as well as new CP-violating interactions as needed for electroweak baryogenesis. These interactions may also allow for a viable dark matter candidate. We survey the opportunities for probing the Higgs portal as it relates to these questions in cosmology at the LHC and possible future colliders.

Two triplet vector-like quarks (VLQs) with hypercharges of $Y=2/3, -1/3$ and one singlet scalar boson are embedded in the standard model (SM) to resolve the 750 GeV diphoton excess. The constraints on the tree-level Higgs- and $Z$-mediated flavor-changing neutral currents are discussed in detail. Besides the resolution of excess, it is found that the signal strength of diphoton Higgs decay can have a $10\%$ deviation from the SM prediction and that the upper limits of the branching ratios for rare top-quark decays are $BR(t\to c (h, Z)) < (6.8, 0.48) \times 10^{-5}$. We find that the production cross section of a single VLQ by electroweak processes is larger than that of VLQ-pair by QCD processes. To explore the signals of the heavy VLQs at the LHC, we throughly analyze the production of single $X_{\pm 5/3}$ and $Y_{\mp 4/3}$ via $q_i q'_j$ annihilations in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV. It is found that the electroweak production cross sections for $d X_{5/3}$, $u Y_{-4/3} $, and $d Y_{4/3} $ channels with $m_X=m_Y=1$ TeV can be $84.3$, $72.3$, and $157.8$ fb, respectively; and the dominant decay modes are $X_{5/3} \to (c,t) W^+$ and $Y_{-4/3} \to (s,b) W^-$. With adopting kinematic cuts, the significance for $pp\to d W^+ t$ channel can be over $5\sigma$.

Preliminary ATLAS and CMS results from the first 13 TeV LHC run have encountered an intriguing excess of events in the diphoton channel around the invariant mass of 750 GeV. We investigate a possibility that the current excess is due to a heavy resonance decaying to light metastable states, which in turn give displaced decays to very highly collimated $e^+e^-$ pairs. Such decays may pass the photon selection criteria, and successfully mimic the diphoton events, especially at low counts. We investigate two classes of such models, characterized by the following underlying production and decay chains: $gg \to S\to A'A'\to (e^+e^-)(e^+e^-)$ and $q\bar q \to Z' \to sa\to (e^+e^-)(e^+e^-)$, where at the first step a heavy scalar, $S$, or vector, $Z'$, resonances are produced that decay to light metastable vectors, $A'$, or (pseudo-)scalars, $s$ and $a$. Setting the parameters of the models to explain the existing excess, and taking the ATLAS detector geometry into account, we marginalize over the properties of heavy resonances in order to derive the expected lifetimes and couplings of metastable light resonances. We observe that in the case of $A'$, the suggested range of masses and mixing angles $\epsilon$ is within reach of several new-generation intensity frontier experiments.

The Higgs-portal lepton flavor violation is studied in a vectorlike lepton model. For evading the constraints from rare $Z\to \ell^\pm_i \ell^\mp_j$ decays, we introduce two triplet vectorlike leptons, $(1,3)_{-1}$ and $(1,3)_{0}$. The resultant branching ratio for $h\to \mu \tau$ can be up to $10^{-4}$ when the constraints from the invisible $Z$ decays are applied. As a result, the signal strength for $\tau\tau$ channel has a $12\%$ deviation from the standard model prediction, while the muon $g-2$ is two-order of magnitude smaller than the data and $BR(\tau\to \mu \gamma)$ is of order of $10^{-12}$. A predicted doubly charged lepton in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV is analyzed and it is found that the interesting production channels are $pp\to (\Psi^{--}_{1} \Psi^{++}_1, \Psi^{\pm\pm}_1 \Psi^\mp_1)$. Both single and pair production cross sections of $\Psi^{++}_1$ are comparable and can be a few hundred fb. The main decay channels for the doubly charged lepton are $\Psi^{\pm\pm} \to \ell^\pm W^\pm$ and for the heavy singly charged lepton are $\Psi^\pm_1 \to \nu W^\pm, \ell^\pm Z$. The numerical analysis is given at $13$ TeV LHC with $100$ fb$^{-1}$ luminosity.

We describe expressions for pion and kaon dressed-quark distribution functions that incorporate contributions from gluons which bind quarks into these mesons and hence overcome a flaw of the commonly used handbag approximation. The distributions therewith obtained are purely valence in character, ensuring that dressed-quarks carry all a meson's momentum at a characteristic hadronic scale and vanishing as $(1-x)^2$ when Bjorken-$x\to 1$. Comparing such distributions within the pion and kaon, it is apparent that the size of SU(3)-flavour symmetry breaking in meson parton distribution functions is modulated by the flavour dependence of dynamical chiral symmetry breaking. Corrections to these leading-order formulae may be divided into two classes, responsible for shifting dressed-quark momentum into glue and sea-quarks. Working with available empirical information, we build an algebraic framework that is capable of expressing the principal impact of both classes of corrections. This enables a realistic comparison with experiment which allows us to identify and highlight basic features of measurable pion and kaon valence-quark distributions. We find that whereas roughly two-thirds of the pion's light-front momentum is carried by valence dressed-quarks at a characteristic hadronic scale, this fraction rises to 95% in the kaon; evolving distributions with these features to a scale typical of available Drell-Yan data produces a kaon-to-pion ratio of u-quark distributions that is in agreement with the single existing data set; and predict a u-quark distribution within the pion that agrees with a modern reappraisal of $\pi N$ Drell-Yan data. Precise new data are essential in order to validate this reappraisal and because a single modest-quality measurement of the kaon-to-pion ratio cannot be considered definitive.

We study the Littlest Higgs model with T-parity (LHT) in the process of $pp \to W_H^+W_H^- \to W^+W^- A_H A_H$ at the 14 TeV LHC. With the $W$-jet tagging technique, we demonstrate that the bulk of the model parameter space can be probed at the level of more than $5\sigma$ in the signature of two fat $W$-jets plus large missing energy. Furthermore, we propose a novel strategy of measuring the principle parameter $f$ that is crucial to testify the LHT model and to fix mass spectrum, including dark matter particle. Our proposal can be easily incorporated into current experimental program of diboson searches at the LHC Run-II.

ATLAS and CMS recently show the first results from run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV. A resonant bump at a mass of around 750 GeV in the diphoton invariant mass spectrum is indicated and the corresponding diphoton production cross section is around 3-10 fb. Motivated by the LHC diphoton excess, we propose that the possible resonance candidate is a Higgs singlet. To produce the Higgs singlet via gluon-gluon fusion process, we embed the Higgs singlet in the framework of vector-like triplet quark (VLTQ) model. As a result, the Higgs singlet decaying to diphoton final state is via VLTQ loops. Using the enhanced number of new quarks and new Yukawa couplings of the VLTQs and Higgs singlet, we successfully explain the diphoton production cross section. We find that the width of the Higgs singlet is below 1 GeV, its production cross section can be of order of 1 pb at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, and the branching ratio for it decaying to diphoton is around $0.017$ and is insensitive to the masses of VLTQs and new Yukawa couplings. We find a strong correlation between the Higgs Yukawa couplings to $s$-$b$ and $c$-$t$; the resulted branching ratio for $t \to c h$ can be $1.1\times 10^{-4}$ when the constraint from $B_s$ oscillation is applied. With the constrained parameter values, the signal strength for the SM Higgs decaying to diphoton is $\mu_{\gamma\gamma}< 1.18$, which is consistent with the current measurements at ATLAS and CMS.

Inspired by a significance of $2.4\sigma$ in $h\to \mu \tau$ decay observed by CMS at $\sqrt{s} = 8$ TeV, we investigate the Higgs lepton flavor violating effects in the generic two-Higgs-doublet model (GTHDM), where the lepton flavor changing neutral currents are induced at tree level and arisen from Yukawa sector. We revisit the constraints for GTHDM by considering theoretical requirements, precision measurements of $\delta \rho$ and oblique parameters $S$, $T$, $U$ and Higgs measurements. The bounds from Higgs data now play the major role. With the values of parameters that simultaneously satisfy the Higgs bounds and the excess of Higgs coupling to $\mu$-$\tau$ at CMS, we find that the tree-level $\tau\to 3\mu$ and loop-induced $\tau\to \mu \gamma$ could be consistent with current experimental upper limits; the discrepancy in muon $g-2$ between experiment and standard model prediction could be solved; and an interesting relation between muon $g-2$ and branching ratio (BR) for $\mu\to e \gamma$ is found. The GTHM results that the ratio $BR(h\to e\tau)/BR(h\to \mu \tau)$ should be smaller than $10^{-4}$ in order of magnitude. Additionally, we also study the rare decay $Z\to \mu \tau$ and get $BR(Z\to \mu\tau)< 10^{-6}$.

A light scalar $\phi$ with mass $\lesssim 1$ GeV and muonic coupling $\mathcal{O}(10^{-3})$ would explain the 3.5 $\sigma$ discrepancy between the Standard Model (SM) muon $g-2$ prediction and experiment. Such a scalar can be associated with a light remnant of the Higgs mechanism in the "dark" sector. We suggest $\phi\to l^+l^-$ bump hunting in $\mu\to e\nu\bar\nu\phi$, $\mu^-p\to\nu_\mu n\phi$ (muon capture), and $K^\pm\to \mu^\pm\nu\phi$ decays as direct probes of this scenario. In a general setup, a potentially observable muon electric dipole moment $\lesssim 10^{-23}\ e \cdot\textrm{cm}$ and lepton flavor violating decays $\tau\to\mu (e) \phi$ or $\mu \to e \phi$ can also arise. Depending on parameters, a deviation in BR($H\to\mu^+\mu^-$) from SM expectations, due to Higgs coupling misalignment, can result. We illustrate how the requisite interactions can be mediated by weak scale vector-like leptons that typically lie within the reach of future LHC measurements.

Multiple analyses from ATLAS and CMS collaborations, including searches for ttH production, supersymmetric particles and vector-like quarks, observed excesses in the same-sign dilepton channel containing b-jets and missing transverse energy in the LHC Run 1 data. In the context of little Higgs theories with T parity, we explain these excesses using vector-like T-odd quarks decaying into a top quark, a W boson and the lightest T-odd particle (LTP). For heavy vector-like quarks, decay topologies containing the LTP have not been searched for at the LHC. The bounds on the masses of the T-odd quarks can be estimated in a simplified model approach by adapting the search limits for top/bottom squarks in supersymmetry. Assuming a realistic decay branching fraction, a benchmark with a 750 GeV T-odd b-prime quark is proposed. We also comment on the possibility to fit excesses in different analyses in a common framework.

The quartic self-coupling of the Standard Model Higgs boson can only be measured by observing the triple-Higgs production process, but it is challenging for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Run 2 or International Linear Collider (ILC) at a few TeV because of its extremely small production rate. In this paper, we present a detailed Monte Carlo simulation study of the triple-Higgs production through gluon fusion at a 100 TeV hadron collider and explore the feasibility of observing this production mode. We focus on the decay channel $HHH\rightarrow b\bar{b}b\bar{b}\gamma\gamma$, investigating detector effects and optimizing the kinematic cuts to discriminate the signal from the backgrounds. Our study shows that, in order to observe the Standard Model triple-Higgs signal, the integrated luminosity of a 100 TeV hadron collider should be greater than $1.8\times 10^4$ ab$^{-1}$. We also explore the dependence of the cross section upon the trilinear ($\lambda_3$) and quartic ($\lambda_4$) self-couplings of the Higgs. We find that, through a search in the triple-Higgs production, the parameters $\lambda_3$ and $\lambda_4$ can be restricted to the ranges $[-1, 5]$ and $[-20, 30]$, respectively. We also examine how new physics can change the production rate of triple-Higgs events. For example, in the singlet extension of the Standard Model, we find that the triple-Higgs production rate can be increased by a factor of $\mathcal{O}(10)$.

A confining, symmetry-preserving, Dyson-Schwinger equation treatment of a vector-vector contact interaction is used to formulate Faddeev equations for the nucleon and Delta-baryon in which the kernel involves dynamical dressed-quark exchange and whose solutions therefore provide momentum-dependent Faddeev amplitudes. These solutions are compared with those obtained in the static approximation and with a QCD-kindred formulation of the Faddeev kernel. They are also used to compute a range of nucleon properties, amongst them: the proton's sigma-term; the large Bjorken-x values of separate ratios of unpolarised and longitudinally-polarised valence u- and d-quark parton distribution functions; and the proton's tensor charges, which enable one to directly determine the effect of dressed-quark electric dipole moments (EDMs) on neutron and proton EDMs.

Diboson resonance with mass of $1.8-2$ TeV is reported successively by CMS and ATLAS experiments in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV. We investigate the potentiality of Higgs singlet as the TeV resonance. The challenges of low production cross section and high width for a fundamental scalar could be got over by three factors: (1) larger Yukawa couplings, (2) larger number of heavy quarks and (3) smaller mixing angle with standard model Higgs. We find that the required factors could be realized in the framework of two vector-like triplet quarks (VLTQs) and the resulting production cross section and decay fraction of heavy Higgs $\sigma(pp\to H )\times {\rm BR}(H\to W^+ W^- + ZZ)$ can be of ${\cal O}(10)$ fb when masses of new heavy quarks are 1 TeV, the values of Yukawa couplings are around $3$ and the mixing angle is $\sin\theta \sim 0.11$. Furthermore, we study the product of VLTQ-pair production cross section and the BRs of VLTQ decays, and find that the cross sections in the decay channels, such as $u_{4,5} \to b W^+$, $d_5 \to t W^-$ and $d_4 \to b h(Z)$ could be $7-17$ fb at 13 TeV LHC.

We study the constraints of the generic two-Higgs-doublet model (2HDM) type-III and the impacts of the new Yukawa couplings. For comparisons, we revisit the analysis in the 2HDM type-II. To understand the influence of all involving free parameters and to realize their correlations, we employ $\chi$-square fitting approach by including theoretical and experimental constraints, such as S, T, and U oblique parameters, the production of standard model Higgs and its decay to $\gamma\gamma$, $WW^*/ZZ^*$, $\tau^+\tau^-$, etc. The errors of analysis are taken at $68\%$, $95.5\%$, and $99.7\%$ confidence levels. Due to the new Yukawa couplings being associated with $\cos(\beta-\alpha)$ and $\sin(\beta -\alpha)$, we find that the allowed regions for $\sin\alpha$ and $\tan\beta$ in the type-III model can be broader when the dictated parameter $\chi_F$ is positive; however, for negative $\chi_F$, the limits are stricter than those in the type-II model. By using the constrained parameters, we find that the deviation from the SM in the $h\to Z\gamma$ can be of ${\cal O}(10\%)$. Additionally, we also study the top-quark flavor-changing processes induced at the tree level in the type-III model and find that when all current experimental data are considered, we get $Br(t\to c(h, H) )< 10^{-3}$ for $m_h=125.36$ and $m_H=150$ GeV and $Br(t\to cA)$ slightly exceeds $10^{-3}$ for $m_A =130$ GeV.

We study the thermal transport occurring in the system of solar captured dark matter (DM) and explore its impact on the DM indirect search signal. We particularly focus on the scenario of self-interacting DM (SIDM). The flows of energies in and out of the system are caused by solar captures via DM-nucleon and DM-DM scatterings, the energy dissipation via DM annihilation, and the heat exchange between DM and solar nuclei. We examine the DM temperature evolution and demonstrate that the DM temperature can be higher than the core temperature of the Sun if the DM-nucleon cross section is sufficiently small such that the energy flow due to DM self-interaction becomes relatively important. We argue that the correct DM temperature should be used for accurately predicting the DM annihilation rate, which is relevant to the DM indirect detection.

We explore CP violating aspects in the Higgs sector of models where new vectorlike quarks carry Yukawa couplings mainly to the third generation quarks of the Standard Model. We point out that in the simplest model, Higgs CP violating interactions only exist in the hWW channel. At low energy, we find that rare B decays can place similarly strong constraints as those from electric dipole moments on the source of CP violation. These observations offer a new handle to discriminate from other Higgs CP violating scenarios such as scalar sector extensions of the Standard Model, and imply an interesting future interplay among limits from different experiments.

In this paper we introduce a new approach to identify a bottom quark-antiquark pair inside a single jet with high transverse momentum by using the jet substructure in the center-of-mass frame of the jet. We demonstrate that the method can be used to discriminate the boosted heavy particles decaying to a $b\bar{b}$ final state from QCD jets. Applications to searches for the standard model Higgs boson ($H$) decaying to $b\bar{b}$ when produced in association with a weak vector boson are also discussed.

Diboson resonance with mass around 2 TeV in the dijet invariant mass spectrum is reported by ATLAS experiment in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV. We propose that the candidate of resonance is a heavy neutral Higgs $H^0$ or charged Higgs $H^\pm$ and use the extended two-Higgs-doublet (THD) to demonstrate the potentiality. We find that the large Yukawa coupling to the first generation of quarks can be realized in THD and the required value for producing the right resonance production cross section is of ${\cal O}(0.06-0.2)$. Besides $WW/ZZ$ channels, we find that if the mass of pseudoscalar $A^0$ satisfies the jet mass tagging condition $|m_j - m_{Z/W}|< 13$ GeV, the diboson excess could be also caused by $ZA^0$ or $WA^0$ channel.

A Higgs portal dark matter model for explaining the gamma-ray excess from the galactic center can be realized with the extension of local $SU(2)_X$ gauge symmetry with one quadruplet. Due to the residual $Z_3$ discrete symmetry of $SU(2)_X$, the new gauge bosons are the stable dark matter candidates. Due to the mixture of the standard model Higgs doublet and the introduced quadruplet, dark matter could annihilate into the standard model particles through the Higgs portal and new scalar portal. We study the discovery significance of the vector dark matter at the Large Hadron Collider. The involved parameters are consistent with the constraints from relic density and direct detection and with the data of the galactic center gamma-ray excess. With $\sqrt{s}=14$ TeV and luminosities of $100$ and $300$ fb$^{-1}$, we find that a discovery significance of $S/\sqrt{B}=5$ can be easily reached if the production of dark matter is through the invisible decays of the Higgs boson and a new scalar boson.

In this paper, a modified Eddington-inspired-Born-Infeld (EiBI) theory with a pure trace term $g_{\mu\nu}R$ being added to the determinantal action is analysed from a cosmological point of view. It corresponds to the most general action constructed from a rank two tensor that contains up to first order terms in curvature. This term can equally be seen as a conformal factor multiplying the metric $g_{\mu\nu}$. This very interesting type of amendment has not been considered within the Palatini formalism despite the large amount of works on the Born-Infeld-inspired theory of gravity. This model can provide smooth bouncing solutions which were not allowed in the EiBI model for the same EiBI coupling. Most interestingly, for a radiation filled universe there are some regions of the parameter space that can naturally lead to a de Sitter inflationary stage without the need of any exotic matter field. Finally, in this model we discover a new type of cosmic "quasi-sudden" singularity, where the cosmic time derivative of the Hubble rate becomes very large but finite at a finite cosmic time.

The halo dark matter (DM) can be gravitationally captured by the Sun. For self-interacting DM (SIDM), we show that the number of DM trapped inside the Sun remains unsuppressed even if the DM-nucleon cross section is negligible. We consider a SIDM model where $U(1)$ gauge symmetry is introduced to account for the DM self-interaction. Such a model naturally leads to isospin violation for DM-nucleon interaction, although isospin symmetry is still allowed as a special case. We show that the detection of neutrino signature from DM annihilation in the Sun can probe those SIDM parameter ranges not reachable by direct detections. Those parameter ranges are either the region with a very small $m_{\chi}$ or the region opened up due to isospin violations.

We propose a dark matter explanation to simultaneously account for the excess of antiproton-to-proton and positron power spectra observed in the AMS-02 experiment while having the right dark matter relic abundance and satisfying the current direct search bounds. We extend the Higgs triplet model with a hidden gauge symmetry of $SU(2)_X$ that is broken to $Z_3$ by a quadruplet scalar field, rendering the associated gauge bosons stable weakly-interacting massive particle dark matter candidates. By coupling the complex Higgs triplet and the $SU(2)_X$ quadruplet, the dark matter candidates can annihilate into triplet Higgs bosons each of which in turn decays into lepton or gauge boson final states. Such a mechanism gives rise to correct excess of positrons and antiprotons with an appropriate choice of the triplet vacuum expectation value. Besides, the model provides a link between neutrino mass and dark matter phenomenology.

We compute all kaon and pion parton distribution amplitudes (PDAs) to twist-three and find that only the pseudotensor PDA can reasonably be approximated by its conformal limit expression. At terrestrially accessible energy scales, the twist-two and pseudoscalar twist-three PDAs differ significantly from those functions commonly associated with their forms in QCD's conformal limit. In all amplitudes studied, SU(3) flavour-symmetry breaking is typically a 13% effect. This scale is determined by nonperturbative dynamics; namely, the current-quark-mass dependence of dynamical chiral symmetry breaking. The heavier-quark is favoured by this distortion, for example, support is shifted to the s-quark in the negative kaon. It appears, therefore, that at energy scales accessible with existing and foreseeable facilities, one may obtain reliable expectations for experimental outcomes by using these "strongly dressed" PDAs in formulae for hard exclusive processes. Following this procedure, any discrepancies between experiment and theory will be significantly smaller than those produced by using the conformal-limit PDAs. Moreover, the magnitude of any disagreement will either be a better estimate of higher-order, higher-twist effects or provide more realistic constraints on the Standard Model.

We analyze the constraints on a CP-violating, flavor conserving, two Higgs doublet model from the measurements of Higgs properties and from the search for heavy Higgs bosons at LHC, and show that the stronger limits typically come from the heavy Higgs search channels. The limits on CP violation arising from the Higgs sector measurements are complementary to those from EDM measurements. Combining all current constraints from low energy to colliders, we set generic upper bounds on the CP violating angle which parametrizes the CP odd component in the 126 GeV Higgs boson.

We report the measurement of beam-target double-spin asymmetries ($A_\text{LT}$) in the inclusive production of identified hadrons, $\vec{e}~$+$~^3\text{He}^{\uparrow}\rightarrow h+X$, using a longitudinally polarized 5.9 GeV electron beam and a transversely polarized $^3\rm{He}$ target. Hadrons ($\pi^{\pm}$, $K^{\pm}$ and proton) were detected at 16$^{\circ}$ with an average momentum $<$$P_h$$>$=2.35 GeV/c and a transverse momentum ($p_{T}$) coverage from 0.60 to 0.68 GeV/c. Asymmetries from the $^3\text{He}$ target were observed to be non-zero for $\pi^{\pm}$ production when the target was polarized transversely in the horizontal plane. The $\pi^{+}$ and $\pi^{-}$ asymmetries have opposite signs, analogous to the behavior of $A_\text{LT}$ in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering.