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1. Measurement of the very rare K+ → $$ {\pi}^{+}\nu \overline{\nu} $$ decay

   https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP06(2021)093  

   Cortina Gil, E. ; Kleimenova, A. ; Minucci, E. ; Padolski, S. ; Petrov, P. ; Shaikhiev, A. ; Volpe, R. ; Numao, T. ; Petrov, Y. ; Velghe, B. ; et al ( June 2021 , Journal of High Energy Physics)

   A bstract The NA62 experiment reports the branching ratio measurement $$ \mathrm{BR}\left({K}^{+}\to {\pi}^{+}\nu \overline{\nu}\right)=\left({10.6}_{-3.4}^{+4.0}\left|{}_{\mathrm{stat}}\right.\pm {0.9}_{\mathrm{syst}}\right)\times {10}^{-11} $$ BR K + → π + ν ν ¯ = 10.6 − 3.4 + 4.0 stat ± 0.9 syst × 10 − 11 at 68% CL, based on the observation of 20 signal candidates with an expected background of 7.0 events from the total data sample collected at the CERN SPS during 2016–2018. This provides evidence for the very rare K + → $$ {\pi}^{+}\nu \overline{\nu} $$ π + ν ν ¯ decay, observed with a significance of 3.4 σ . The experiment achieves a single event sensitivity of (0 . 839 ± 0 . 054) × 10 − 11 , corresponding to 10.0 events assuming the Standard Model branching ratio of (8 . 4 ± 1 . 0) × 10 − 11 . This measurement is also used to set limits on BR( K + → π + X ), where X is a scalar or pseudo-scalar particle. Details are given of the analysis of the 2018 data sample, which corresponds to about 80% of the total data sample. 

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2. An investigation of the very rare $$ {K}^{+}\to {\pi}^{+}\nu \overline{\nu} $$ decay

   https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP11(2020)042  

   Cortina Gil, E. ; Kleimenova, A. ; Minucci, E. ; Padolski, S. ; Petrov, P. ; Shaikhiev, A. ; Volpe, R. ; Numao, T. ; Velghe, B. ; Bryman, D. ; et al ( November 2020 , Journal of High Energy Physics)

   null (Ed.)

   A bstract The NA62 experiment reports an investigation of the $$ {K}^{+}\to {\pi}^{+}\nu \overline{\nu} $$ K + → π + ν ν ¯ mode from a sample of K + decays collected in 2017 at the CERN SPS. The experiment has achieved a single event sensitivity of (0 . 389 ± 0 . 024) × 10 − 10 , corresponding to 2.2 events assuming the Standard Model branching ratio of (8 . 4 ± 1 . 0) × 10 − 11 . Two signal candidates are observed with an expected background of 1.5 events. Combined with the result of a similar analysis conducted by NA62 on a smaller data set recorded in 2016, the collaboration now reports an upper limit of 1 . 78 × 10 − 10 for the $$ {K}^{+}\to {\pi}^{+}\nu \overline{\nu} $$ K + → π + ν ν ¯ branching ratio at 90% CL. This, together with the corresponding 68% CL measurement of ( $$ {0.48}_{-0.48}^{+0.72} $$ 0.48 − 0.48 + 0.72 ) × 10 − 10 , are currently the most precise results worldwide, and are able to constrain some New Physics models that predict large enhancements still allowed by previous measurements. 

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3. Search for a feebly interacting particle X in the decay K+ → π+X

   https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP03(2021)058  

   Cortina Gil, E. ; Kleimenova, A. ; Minucci, E. ; Padolski, S. ; Petrov, P. ; Shaikhiev, A. ; Volpe, R. ; Numao, T. ; Velghe, B. ; Bryman, D. ; et al ( March 2021 , Journal of High Energy Physics)

   null (Ed.)

   A bstract A search for the K + → π + X decay, where X is a long-lived feebly interacting particle, is performed through an interpretation of the K + → $$ {\pi}^{+}\nu \overline{\nu} $$ π + ν ν ¯ analysis of data collected in 2017 by the NA62 experiment at CERN. Two ranges of X masses, 0–110 MeV /c 2 and 154–260 MeV /c 2 , and lifetimes above 100 ps are considered. The limits set on the branching ratio, BR( K + → π + X ), are competitive with previously reported searches in the first mass range, and improve on current limits in the second mass range by more than an order of magnitude. 

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4. K → μ+μ− beyond the standard model

   https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP03(2022)048  

   Dery, Avital ; Ghosh, Mitrajyoti ( March 2022 , Journal of High Energy Physics)

   A bstract We analyze the New Physics sensitivity of a recently proposed method to measure the CP-violating $$ \mathcal{B} $$ B ( K S → μ + μ − ) ℓ =0 decay rate using K S − K L interference. We present our findings both in a model-independent EFT approach as well as within several simple NP scenarios. We discuss the relation with associated observables, most notably $$ \mathcal{B} $$ B ( K L → π 0 $$ \nu \overline{\nu} $$ ν ν ¯ ). We find that simple NP models can significantly enhance $$ \mathcal{B} $$ B ( K S → μ + μ − ) ℓ =0 , making this mode a very promising probe of physics beyond the standard model in the kaon sector. 

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5. Search for double-beta decay of $$\mathrm {^{130}Te}$$ to the $$0^+$$ states of $$\mathrm {^{130}Xe}$$ with CUORE

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09317-z  

   Adams, D. Q. ; Alduino, C. ; Alfonso, K. ; Avignone, F. T. ; Azzolini, O. ; Bari, G. ; Bellini, F. ; Benato, G. ; Biassoni, M. ; Branca, A. ; et al ( July 2021 , The European Physical Journal C)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract The CUORE experiment is a large bolometric array searching for the lepton number violating neutrino-less double beta decay ( $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0 ν β β ) in the isotope $$\mathrm {^{130}Te}$$ 130 Te . In this work we present the latest results on two searches for the double beta decay (DBD) of $$\mathrm {^{130}Te}$$ 130 Te to the first $$0^{+}_2$$ 0 2 + excited state of $$\mathrm {^{130}Xe}$$ 130 Xe : the $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0 ν β β decay and the Standard Model-allowed two-neutrinos double beta decay ( $$2\nu \beta \beta $$ 2 ν β β ). Both searches are based on a 372.5 kg $$\times $$ × yr TeO $$_2$$ 2 exposure. The de-excitation gamma rays emitted by the excited Xe nucleus in the final state yield a unique signature, which can be searched for with low background by studying coincident events in two or more bolometers. The closely packed arrangement of the CUORE crystals constitutes a significant advantage in this regard. The median limit setting sensitivities at 90% Credible Interval (C.I.) of the given searches were estimated as $$\mathrm {S^{0\nu }_{1/2} = 5.6 \times 10^{24} \, \mathrm {yr}}$$ S 1 / 2 0 ν = 5.6 × 10 24 yr for the $${0\nu \beta \beta }$$ 0 ν β β decay and $$\mathrm {S^{2\nu }_{1/2} = 2.1 \times 10^{24} \, \mathrm {yr}}$$ S 1 / 2 2 ν = 2.1 × 10 24 yr for the $${2\nu \beta \beta }$$ 2 ν β β decay. No significant evidence for either of the decay modes was observed and a Bayesian lower bound at $$90\%$$ 90 % C.I. on the decay half lives is obtained as: $$\mathrm {(T_{1/2})^{0\nu }_{0^+_2} > 5.9 \times 10^{24} \, \mathrm {yr}}$$ ( T 1 / 2 ) 0 2 + 0 ν > 5.9 × 10 24 yr for the $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0 ν β β mode and $$\mathrm {(T_{1/2})^{2\nu }_{0^+_2} > 1.3 \times 10^{24} \, \mathrm {yr}}$$ ( T 1 / 2 ) 0 2 + 2 ν > 1.3 × 10 24 yr for the $$2\nu \beta \beta $$ 2 ν β β mode. These represent the most stringent limits on the DBD of $$^{130}$$ 130 Te to excited states and improve by a factor $$\sim 5$$ ∼ 5 the previous results on this process. 

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