Muon-induced baryon number violation

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Fox, Patrick J., Hostert, Matheus, Menzo, Tony, Pospelov, Maxim, Zupan, Jure
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Fox, Patrick J.
Hostert, Matheus
Menzo, Tony
Pospelov, Maxim
Zupan, Jure
author_facet Fox, Patrick J.
Hostert, Matheus
Menzo, Tony
Pospelov, Maxim
Zupan, Jure
contents The search for charged-lepton flavor violation in muon capture on nuclei is a powerful probe of heavy new physics. A smoking gun signal for $μ\rightarrow e$ conversion is a monochromatic electron with energy almost equal to the muon mass. We show that light new physics can mimic this signature and that it can also lead to electrons above the $μ\rightarrow e$ signal peak. A concrete example of such light new physics is $μ^- $-nucleon annihilation into a light dark sector, which can produce an energetic $e^-$ as well as $e^+e^-$ byproducts. Due to the size of the muon mass, the exotic muon capture process can be kinematically allowed, while the otherwise stringent constraints, e.g., from proton decay, are kinematically forbidden. We also discuss other relevant constraints, including those from the stability of nuclei and muon capture in the interior of neutron stars.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2407_03450
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Muon-induced baryon number violation
Fox, Patrick J.
Hostert, Matheus
Menzo, Tony
Pospelov, Maxim
Zupan, Jure
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Experiment
The search for charged-lepton flavor violation in muon capture on nuclei is a powerful probe of heavy new physics. A smoking gun signal for $μ\rightarrow e$ conversion is a monochromatic electron with energy almost equal to the muon mass. We show that light new physics can mimic this signature and that it can also lead to electrons above the $μ\rightarrow e$ signal peak. A concrete example of such light new physics is $μ^- $-nucleon annihilation into a light dark sector, which can produce an energetic $e^-$ as well as $e^+e^-$ byproducts. Due to the size of the muon mass, the exotic muon capture process can be kinematically allowed, while the otherwise stringent constraints, e.g., from proton decay, are kinematically forbidden. We also discuss other relevant constraints, including those from the stability of nuclei and muon capture in the interior of neutron stars.
title Muon-induced baryon number violation
topic High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Experiment
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.03450