Search

We present the results of a missing-energy search for Light Dark Matter which has a new interaction with ordinary matter transmitted by a vector boson, called dark photon $A^\prime$. For the first time, this search is performed with a positron beam by using the significantly enhanced production of $A^\prime$ in the resonant annihilation of positrons with atomic electrons of the target nuclei, followed by the invisible decay of $A^\prime$ into dark matter. No events were found in the signal region with $(10.1 \pm 0.1)~\times~10^{9}$ positrons on target with 100 GeV energy. This allowed us to set new exclusion limits that, relative to the collected statistics, prove the power of this experimental technique. This measurement is a crucial first step toward a future exploration program with positron beams, whose estimated sensitivity is here presented., Comment: Version submitted to PRL

Thermal dark matter models with particle $\chi$ masses below the electroweak scale can provide an explanation for the observed relic dark matter density. This would imply the existence of a new feeble interaction between the dark and ordinary matter. We report on a new search for the sub-GeV $\chi$ production through the interaction mediated by a new vector boson, called the dark photon $A'$, in collisions of 100 GeV electrons with the active target of the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS. With $9.37\times10^{11}$ electrons on target collected during 2016-2022 runs NA64 probes for the first time the well-motivated region of parameter space of benchmark thermal scalar and fermionic dark matter models. No evidence for dark matter production has been found. This allows us to set the most sensitive limits on the $A'$ couplings to photons for masses $m_{A'} \lesssim 0.35$ GeV, and to exclude scalar and Majorana dark matter with the $\chi-A'$ coupling $\alpha_D \leq 0.1$ for masses $0.001 \lesssim m_\chi \lesssim 0.1$ GeV and $3m_\chi \leq m_{A'}$., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1906.00176

In this study, we present the measurement of the intrinsic hadronic contamination at the CERN SPS H4 beamline configured to transport electrons and positrons at 100 GeV/c momentum. The analysis was performed using data collected by the NA64-$e$ experiment in 2022. Our study is based on calorimetric measurements, exploiting the different interaction mechanisms of electrons and hadrons in the NA64-ECAL and NA64-HCAL detectors. We determined the intrinsic hadronic contamination by comparing the results obtained using the nominal electron/positron beamline configuration with those obtained in a dedicated setup, in which only hadrons impinged on the detector. The significant differences in the experimental signatures of electrons and hadrons motivated our approach, resulting in a small and well-controlled systematic uncertainty for the measurement. Our study allowed us to precisely determine the intrinsic hadronic contamination, which represents a crucial parameter for the NA64 experiment in which the hadron contaminants may result in non-trivial backgrounds. Moreover, we performed dedicated Monte Carlo simulations for the hadron production induced by the primary T2 target. We found a good agreement between measurements and simulation results, confirming the validity of the applied methodology and our evaluation of the intrinsic hadronic contamination.

The extension of Standard Model made by inclusion of additional $U(1)$ gauge $L_\mu-L_\tau$ symmetry can explain the difference between the measured and the predicted value of the muon magnetic moment and solve the tension in $B$ meson decays. This model predicts the existence of a new, light $Z^\prime$ vector boson, predominantly coupled to second and third generation leptons, whose interaction with electrons is due to a loop mechanism involving muons and taus. In this work, we present a rigorous evaluation of the upper limits in the $Z^\prime$ parameter space, obtained from the analysis of the data collected by the NA64-$e$ experiment at CERN SPS, that performed a search for light dark matter with $2.84\times10^{11}$ electrons impinging with 100 GeV on an active thick target. The resulting limits, despite being included in a region already investigated by neutrino experiments,touch the muon $g-2$ preferred band for values of the $Z^\prime$ mass of order of 1 MeV. The sensitivity projections for the future high-statistics NA64-$e$ runs demonstrate the power of the electrons/positron beam approach in this theoretical scenario., Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures. This version was accepted for publication

We report the results of a search for a new vector boson ($A'$) decaying into two dark matter particles $\chi_1 \chi_2$ of different mass. The heavier $\chi_2$ particle subsequently decays to $\chi_1$ and $A' \to e^- e^+$. For a sufficiently large mass splitting, this model can explain in terms of new physics the recently confirmed discrepancy observed in the muon anomalous magnetic moment at Fermilab. Remarkably, it also predicts the observed yield of thermal dark matter relic abundance. A detailed Monte-Carlo simulation was used to determine the signal yield and detection efficiency for this channel in the NA64 setup. The results were obtained re-analyzing the previous NA64 searches for an invisible decay $A'\to \chi \overline{\chi}$ and axion-like or pseudo-scalar particles $a \to \gamma \gamma$. With this method, we exclude a significant portion of the parameter space justifying the muon g-2 anomaly and being compatible with the observed dark matter relic density for $A'$ masses from 2$m_e$ up to 390 MeV and mixing parameter $\epsilon$ between $3\times10^{-5}$ and $2\times10^{-2}$.

We report the results of a search for a light pseudoscalar particle $a$ that couples to electrons and decays to $e^+e^-$ performed using the high-energy CERN SPS H4 electron beam. If such pseudoscalar with a mass $\simeq 17$ MeV exists, it could explain the ATOMKI anomaly. We used the NA64 data samples collected in the "visible mode" configuration with total statistics corresponding to $8.4\times 10^{10}$ electrons on target (EOT) in 2017 and 2018. In order to increase sensitivity to small coupling parameter $\epsilon$ we used also the data collected in 2016-2018 in the "invisible mode" configuration of NA64 with a total statistics corresponding to $2.84\times 10^{11}$ EOT. A thorough analysis of both these data samples in the sense of background and efficiency estimations was already performed and reported in our previous papers devoted to the search for light vector particles and axion-like particles (ALP). In this work we recalculate the signal yields, which are different due to different cross section and life time of a pseudoscalar particle $a$, and perform a new statistical analysis. As a result, the region of the two dimensional parameter space $m_a - \epsilon$ in the mass range from 1 to 17.1 MeV is excluded. At the mass of the ATOMKI anomaly the values of $\epsilon$ in the range $2.1 \times 10^{-4} < \epsilon < 3.2 \times 10^{-4}$ are excluded., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures

We performed a search for a new generic $X$ boson, which could be a scalar ($S$), pseudoscalar ($P$), vector ($V$) or an axial vector ($A$) particle produced in the 100 GeV electron scattering off nuclei, $e^- Z \to e^- Z X$, followed by its invisible decay in the NA64 experiment at CERN. No evidence for such process was found in the full NA64 data set of $2.84\times 10^{11}$ electrons on target. We place new bounds on the $S, P, V, A$ coupling strengths to electrons, and set constraints on their contributions to the electron anomalous magnetic moment $a_e$, $|\Delta a_{X}| \lesssim 10^{-15} - 10^{-13}$ for the $X$ mass region $m_X\lesssim 1$ GeV. These results are an order of magnitude more sensitive compared to the current accuracy on $a_e$ from the electron $g-2$ experiments and recent high-precision determination of the fine structure constant., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures

We carried out a model-independent search for light scalar (s) and pseudoscalar axionlike (a) particles that couple to two photons by using the high-energy CERN SPS H4 electron beam. The new particles, if they exist, could be produced through the Primakoff effect in interactions of hard bremsstrahlung photons generated by 100 GeV electrons in the NA64 active dump with virtual photons provided by the nuclei of the dump. The a(s) would penetrate the downstream HCAL module, serving as shielding, and would be observed either through their $a(s)\to\gamma \gamma$ decay in the rest of the HCAL detector or as events with large missing energy if the a(s) decays downstream of the HCAL. This method allows for the probing the a(s) parameter space, including those from generic axion models, inaccessible to previous experiments. No evidence of such processes has been found from the analysis of the data corresponding to $2.84\times10^{11}$ electrons on target allowing to set new limits on the $a(s)\gamma\gamma$-coupling strength for a(s) masses below 55 MeV., Comment: This publication is dedicated to the memory of our colleague Danila Tlisov. 7 pages, 5 figures, revised version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett

The improved results on a direct search for a new X(16.7 MeV) boson which could explain the anomalous excess of $e^+e^-$ pairs observed in the excited 8Be nucleus decays ("Berillium anomaly") are reported. Due to its coupling to electrons, the X boson could be produced in the bremsstrahlung reaction e-Z -> e-ZX by a high-energy beam of electrons incident on active target in the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS and observed through its subsequent decay into $e^+e^-$ pair. No evidence for such decays was found from the combined analysis of the data samples with total statistics corresponding to 8.4\times 10^{10} electrons on target collected in 2017 and 2018. This allows to set the new limits on the $X$--$e^-$ coupling in the range 1.2 \times 10^{-4} < \epsilon_e < 6.8 \times 10^{-4}, excluding part of the parameter space favored by the Berillium anomaly. We also set new bounds on the mixing strength of photons with dark photons (A') from non-observation of the decay $A' \to e^+e^-$ of the bremsstrahlung A' with a mass below 24 MeV., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, 1 table. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1803.07748

A search for sub-GeV dark matter production mediated by a new vector boson $A'$, called dark photon, is performed by the NA64 experiment in missing energy events from 100 GeV electron interactions in an active beam dump at the CERN SPS. From the analysis of the data collected in the years 2016, 2017, and 2018 with $2.84\times10^{11}$ electrons on target no evidence of such a process has been found. The most stringent constraints on the $A'$ mixing strength with photons and the parameter space for the scalar and fermionic dark matter in the mass range $\lesssim 0.2$ GeV are derived, thus demonstrating the power of the active beam dump approach for the dark matter search., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1710.00971, arXiv:1610.02988

Recently we derived a soft-wall AdS-Schwarzschild approach at small temperatures for the description of hadrons with integer spin and adjustable number of constituents (mesons, tetraquarks, dibaryons, etc.). In the present paper we extend our formalism to states with half-integer spin (baryons, pentaquarks, etc.), presenting analytical results for the temperature dependence of their masses and form factors., Comment: 7 pages. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1902.01312

We derive a holographic soft-wall approach in five dimensional AdS-Schwarzschild space for the description of mesons at finite temperature. In this first application we consider the small temperature limit and derive analytical expression for the mass spectrum of mesons with adjustable quantum numbers $n$ (radial number), $L$ (angular orbital momentum) and $J$ (total angular momentum). We explicitly separate the contribution at zero temperature and the leading order temperature correction. The temperature corrections arise from the temperature dependence of the dilaton parameter (which is the parameter of spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry related to the pseudoscalar meson decay constant) and the warping of the AdS metric due to temperature. We extend our results to any hadron with integer spin (tetraquarks, dibaryons, etc.). We present numerical analysis for the temperature dependence of meson masses and form factors., Comment: 12 pages

We report the first results on a direct search for a new 16.7 MeV boson (X) which could explain the anomalous excess of e+e- pairs observed in the excited Be-8 nucleus decays. Due to its coupling to electrons, the X could be produced in the bremsstrahlung reaction e- Z -> e- Z X by a 100 GeV e- beam incident on an active target in the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS and observed through the subsequent decay into an e+e- pair. With 5.4\times 10^{10} electrons on target, no evidence for such decays was found, allowing to set first limits on the X-e^- coupling in the range 1.3\times 10^{-4} < \epsilon_e < 4.2\times 10^{-4} excluding part of the allowed parameter space. We also set new bounds on the mixing strength of photons with dark photons (A') from non-observation of the decay A'->e+e- of the bremsstrahlung A' with a mass <~ 23 MeV., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. Title changed as suggested by Journal; references added; version published in Phys. Rev. Lett

A search is performed for a new sub-GeV vector boson ($A'$) mediated production of Dark Matter ($\chi$) in the fixed-target experiment, NA64, at the CERN SPS. The $A'$, called dark photon, could be generated in the reaction $ e^- Z \to e^- Z A'$ of 100 GeV electrons dumped against an active target which is followed by the prompt invisible decay $A' \to \chi \overline{\chi}$. The experimental signature of this process would be an event with an isolated electron and large missing energy in the detector. From the analysis of the data sample collected in 2016 corresponding to $4.3\times10^{10}$ electrons on target no evidence of such a process has been found. New stringent constraints on the $A'$ mixing strength with photons, $10^{-5}\lesssim \epsilon \lesssim 10^{-2}$, for the $A'$ mass range $m_{A'} \lesssim 1$ GeV are derived. For models considering scalar and fermionic thermal Dark Matter interacting with the visible sector through the vector portal the 90% C.L. limits $10^{-11}\lesssim y \lesssim 10^{-6}$ on the dark-matter parameter $y = \epsilon^2 \alpha_D (\frac{m_\chi}{m_{A'}})^4 $ are obtained for the dark coupling constant $\alpha_D = 0.5$ and dark-matter masses $0.001 \lesssim m_\chi \lesssim 0.5 $ GeV. The lower limits $\alpha_D \gtrsim 10^{-3} $ for pseudo-Dirac Dark Matter in the mass region $m_\chi \lesssim 0.05 $ GeV are more stringent than the corresponding bounds from beam dump experiments. The results are obtained by using tree level, exact calculations of the $A'$ production cross-sections, which turn out to be significantly smaller compared to the one obtained in the Weizs\"{a}cker-Williams approximation for the mass region $m_{A'} \gtrsim 0.1$ GeV., Comment: 22 pages, 17 figures, version accepted for publication in PRD

We report on a direct search for sub-GeV dark photons (A') which might be produced in the reaction e^- Z \to e^- Z A' via kinetic mixing with photons by 100 GeV electrons incident on an active target in the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS. The A's would decay invisibly into dark matter particles resulting in events with large missing energy. No evidence for such decays was found with 2.75\cdot 10^{9} electrons on target. We set new limits on the \gamma-A' mixing strength and exclude the invisible A' with a mass < 100 MeV as an explanation of the muon g_\mu-2 anomaly., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; Typos corrected, references added

A semiclassical approximation approach based on the Maslov complex germ method is considered in detail for the 1D nonlocal Fisher-Kolmogorov-Petrovskii-Piskunov equation under the supposition of weak diffusion. In terms of the semiclassical formalism developed, the original nonlinear equation is reduced to an associated linear partial differential equation and some algebraic equations for the coefficients of the linear equation with a given accuracy of the asymptotic parameter. The solutions of the nonlinear equation are constructed from the solutions of both the linear equation and the algebraic equations. The solutions of the linear problem are found with the use of symmetry operators. A countable family of the leading terms of the semiclassical asymptotics is constructed in explicit form. The semiclassical asymptotics are valid by construction in a finite time interval. We construct asymptotics which are different from the semiclassical ones and can describe evolution of the solutions of the Fisher-Kolmogorov-Petrovskii-Piskunov equation at large times. In the example considered, an initial unimodal distribution becomes multimodal, which can be treated as an example of a space structure., Comment: 28 pages, version accepted for publication in Int. J. Geom. Methods Mod. Phys

We have investigated the pattern formation in systems described by the nonlocal Fisher--Kolmogorov--Petrovskii--Piskunov equation for the cases where the dimension of the pattern concentration area is less than that of independent variables space. We have obtained a system of integro-differential equations which describe the dynamics of the concentration area and the semiclassically limited distribution of a pattern in the class of trajectory concentrated functions. Also, asymptotic large-time solutions have been obtained that describe the semiclassically limited distribution of a quasi-steady-state pattern on the concentration manifold. The approach is illustrated by an example for which the analytical solution is in good agreement with the prediction of a numerical simulation., Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures

We consider the symmetry properties of an integro-differential multidimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation with a nonlocal nonlinear (cubic) term in the context of symmetry analysis using the formalism of semiclassical asymptotics. This yields a semiclassically reduced nonlocal Gross-Pitaevskii equation, which can be treated as a nearly linear equation, to determine the principal term of the semiclassical asymptotic solution. Our main result is an approach which allows one to construct a class of symmetry operators for the reduced Gross-Pitaevskii equation. These symmetry operators are determined by linear relations including intertwining operators and additional algebraic conditions. The basic ideas are illustrated with a 1D reduced Gross-Pitaevskii equation. The symmetry operators are found explicitly, and the corresponding families of exact solutions are obtained.

The Cauchy problem for the Gross--Pitaevsky equation with quadratic nonlocal nonlinearity is reduced to a similar problem for the correspondent linear equation. The relation between symmetry operators of the linear and nonlinear Gross--Pitaevsky equations is considered.

The Cauchy problem for the Fokker-Plank-Kolmogorov equation with a nonlocal nonlinear drift term is reduced to a similar problem for the correspondent linear equation. The relation between symmetry operators of the linear and nonlinear Fokker-Plank-Kolmogorov equations is considered. Illustrative examples of the one-dimensional symmetry operators are presented., Comment: This is a contribution to the Vadim Kuznetsov Memorial Issue on Integrable Systems and Related Topics, published in SIGMA (Symmetry, Integrability and Geometry: Methods and Applications) at http://www.emis.de/journals/SIGMA/

For the nonlocal $T$-periodic Gross-Pitaevsky operator, formal solutions of the Floquet problem asymptotic in small parameter $\hbar$, $\hbar\to0$, up to $O(\hbar^{3/2})$ have been constructed. The quasi-energy spectral series found correspond to the closed phase trajectories of the Hamilton-Ehrenfest system which are stable in the linear approximation. The monodromy operator of this equation has been constructed to within $\hat O(\hbar^{3/2})$ in the class of trajectory-concentrated functions. The Aharonov-Anandan phases have been calculated for the quasi-energy states., Comment: 17 pages

A countable set of asymptotic space -- localized solutions is constructed by the complex germ method in the adiabatic approximation for 3D Hartree type equations with a quadratic potential. The asymptotic parameter is 1/T, where $T\gg1$ is the adiabatic evolution time. A generalization of the Berry phase of the linear Schr\"odinger equation is formulated for the Hartree type equation. For the solutions constructed, the Berry phases are found in explicit form., Comment: 15 pages, no figures

Following Ehrenfest's approach, the problem of quantum-classical correspondence can be treated in the class of trajectory-coherent functions that approximate as $\h\to 0$ a quantum-mechanical state. This idea leads to a family of systems of ordinary differential equations, called Ehrenfest M-systems (M=0,1,2,...), formally equivalent to the semiclassical approximation for the linear Schroedinger equation. In this paper a similar approach is undertaken for a nonlinear Hartree-type equation with a smooth integral kernel. It is demonstrated how quantum characteristics can be retrieved directly from the corresponding Ehrenfest systems, without solving the quantum equation: the semiclassical asymptotics for the spectrum are obtained from the rest point solution. One of the key steps is derivation of a modified nonlinear superposition principle valid in the class of trajectory-coherent quantum states., Comment: 24 pages

A countable set of asymptotic space -- localized solutions is constructed by the complex germ method in the adiabatic approximation for the nonstationary Gross -- Pitaevskii equation with nonlocal nonlinearity and a quadratic potential. The asymptotic parameter is 1/T, where $T\gg1$ is the adiabatic evolution time. A generalization of the Berry phase of the linear Schr\"odinger equation is formulated for the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. For the solutions constructed, the Berry phases are found in explicit form., Comment: 13 pages, no figures

Based on the ideology of the Maslov's complex germ theory, a method has been developed for finding an exact solution of the Cauchy problem for a Hartree-type equation with a quadratic potential in the class of semiclassically concentrated functions. The nonlinear evolution operator has been obtained in explicit form in the class of semiclassically concentrated functions. Parametric families of symmetry operators have been found for the Hartree-type equation. With the help of symmetry operators, families of exact solutions of the equation have been constructed. Exact expressions are obtained for the quasi-energies and their respective states. The Aharonov-Anandan geometric phases are found in explicit form for the quasi-energy states., Comment: 23 peges

The general construction of quasi-classically concentrated solutions to the Hartree-type equation, based on the complex WKB-Maslov method, is presented. The formal solutions of the Cauchy problem for this equation, asymptotic in small parameter \h (\h\to0), are constructed with a power accuracy of O(\h^{N/2}), where N is any natural number. In constructing the quasi-classically concentrated solutions, a set of Hamilton-Ehrenfest equations (equations for middle or centered moments) is essentially used. The nonlinear superposition principle has been formulated for the class of quasi-classically concentrated solutions of the Hartree-type equations. The results obtained are exemplified by the one-dimensional equation Hartree-type with a Gaussian potential.Comments: 6 pages, 4 figures, LaTeX Report no: Subj-class: Accelerator Physics, Comment: 36 pages, LaTeX-2e

A concept of semiclassically concentrated solutions is formulated for the multidimensional nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation (NLSE) with an external field. These solutions are considered as multidimensional solitary waves. The center of mass of such a solution is shown to move along with the bicharacteristics of the basic symbol of the corresponding linear Schr\"odinger equation. The leading term of the asymptotic WKB-solution is constructed for the multidimensional NLSE. Special cases are considered for the standard one-dimensional NLSE and for NLSE in cylindrical coordinates.

High approximations of semiclassical trajectory-coherent states (TCS) and of semiclassical Green function (in the class of semiclassically concentrated states) for the Dirac operator with anomalous Pauli interaction are obtained. For Schrodinger and Dirac operators trajectory-coherent representations are constructed up to any precision with respect to h, h-->0., Comment: Submitted to Ann. Phys. (NY), 27 pages AMS- LaTEX, no figures

The first order quantum correction to the power of spontaneous radiation of electrons in an arbitrary two-component periodic magnetic field was obtained. The phenomenon of selfpolarization of the spin of electrons in a process of spontaneous radiation was also studied. By electron's motion in a spiral magnetic undulator, the quantitative characteristics of selfpolarization (the polarization degree and the relaxation time) are different from corresponding ones in synchrotron radiation. The limiting cases of near-axis and ultrarelativistic approximation were considered., Comment: 18 pages, AMS-LATEX, no figures. Int. J. Mod. Phys. B (to sub.)