Search

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 dimuon 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform an extensive survey of nonstandard Higgs decays that are consistent with the 125 GeV Higgs-like resonance. Our aim is to motivate a large set of new experimental analyses on the existing and forthcoming data from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The explicit search for exotic Higgs decays presents a largely untapped discovery opportunity for the LHC collaborations, as such decays may be easily missed by other searches. We emphasize that the Higgs is uniquely sensitive to the potential existence of new weakly coupled particles and provide a unified discussion of a large class of both simplified and complete models that give rise to characteristic patterns of exotic Higgs decays. We assess the status of exotic Higgs decays after LHC run I. In many cases we are able to set new nontrivial constraints by reinterpreting existing experimental analyses. We point out that improvements are possible with dedicated analyses and perform some preliminary collider studies. We prioritize the analyses according to their theoretical motivation and their experimental feasibility. This document is accompanied by a Web site that will be continuously updated with further information [http://exotichiggs.physics.sunysb.edu]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medium-energy electron beam-dump experiments provide an intense source of secondary muons. These particles can be used to search for muon-coupling light dark scalars that may explain the (g-2)μ anomaly. We applied this idea to the SLAC E137 experiment deriving new exclusion limits and evaluated the expected sensitivity for the planned Jefferson Lab BDX experiment (in case of a null result report). The calculation is based on numerical simulations that include a realistic description of secondary muons generation in the dump, dark scalar production, propagation, and decay, and, finally, the decay product (electrons, positrons, or photons) interaction with the detector. For both experiments, exclusion limits were extended to cover a broader area in the scalar-to-muon coupling vs scalar mass parameter space. This study demonstrates that electron beam-dump experiments have an enhanced sensitivity to new physics in processes that are usually studied using proton beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]