In this article, we review the status of the tension between the long-baseline accelerator neutrino experiments T2K and NO$ν$A. The tension arises mostly due to the mismatch in the appearance data of the two experiments. We explain how this tension arises based on $ν_μ\to ν_e$ and $\barν_μ\to \barν_e$ oscillation probabilities. We define the reference point of vacuum oscillation, maximal $θ_{23}$ and $δ_{CP}=0$ and compute the $ν_e/\barν_e$ appearance events for each experiment. We then study the effects of deviating the unknown parameters from the reference point and the compatibility of any given set of values of unknown parameters with the data from T2K and NO$ν$A. T2K observes a large excess in the $ν_e$ appearance event sample compared to the expected $ν_e$ events at the reference point, whereas \nova observes a moderate excess. The large excess in T2K dictates that $δ_{CP}$ be anchored at $-90^\circ$ and that $θ_{23}>π/4$ with a preference for normal hierarchy. The moderate excess at NO$ν$A leads to two degenerate solutions: A) NH, $0<δ_{CP}<180^\circ$, and $θ_{23}>π/4$; B) IH, $-180^\circ<δ_{CP}<0$, and $θ_{23}>π/4$. This is the main cause of the tension between the two experiments. We have reviewed the status of three beyond standard model (BSM) physics scenarios, (a) non-unitary mixing, (b) Lorentz invariance violation and (c) non-standard neutrino interactions, to resolve the tension.
The long baseline neutrino experiments, T2K and NOvA, have taken significant amount of data in each of the four channels: (a) $ν_μ$ disappearance, (b) $\barν_μ$ disappearance (c) $ν_e$ appearance and (d) $\barν_e$ appearance. There is a mild tension between the disappearance and the appearance data sets of T2K. A more serious tension exists between the $ν_e$ appearance data of T2K and the $ν_e / \barν_e$ appearance data of NOvA. This tension is significant enough that T2K rules out the best-fit point of NOvA at $95\%$ confidence level whereas NOvA rules out T2K best-fit point at $90\%$ confide…
The time delay measured between the images of gravitationally lensed quasars probes a combination of the angular diameter distance to the source-lens system and the mass density profile of the lens. Observational campaigns to measure such systems have reported a determination of the Hubble parameter H0 that shows significant tension with independent determination based on the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and large scale structure (LSS). We show that lens mass models that exhibit a cored component, coexisting with a cusp, probe a degenerate direction in the lens model parameter space, bein…
The majoron, a neutrinophilic pseudo-Goldstone boson conventionally arising in the context of neutrino mass models, can damp neutrino free-streaming and inject additional energy density into neutrinos prior to recombination. The combination of these effects for an eV-scale mass majoron has been shown to ameliorate the outstanding $H_0$ tension, however only if one introduces additional dark radiation at the level of $ΔN_{\rm eff} \sim 0.5$. We show here that models of low-scale leptogenesis can naturally source this dark radiation by generating a primordial population of majorons from the deca…
The $Λ$CDM cosmological model provides to first approximation a good description of the universe, but various tensions with data, most notably Hubble tension, persist. In this work we confront $Λ$CDM with the Pantheon Type Ia supernovae dataset and perform a two-parameter fit of the distance modulus for a running cut-off $z_{\textrm{max}}$. We observe that in a window between $z_{\textrm{max}} \approx 0.1$ and $z_{\textrm{max}} \approx 0.16$ there is a 1 - 2 $σ$ discrepancy with the Planck value $ω_m = 0.315 \pm 0.007$, which points to a potential matter underdensity. For high-energy theorists…
The recent results by the Fermilab Lattice and MILC collaborations on the hadronic matrix elements entering $B_{d,s}-\bar B_{d,s}$ mixing show a significant tension of the measured values of the mass differences $ΔM_{d,s}$ with their SM predictions. We review the implications of these results in the context of Constrained Minimal Flavour Violation models. In these models, the CKM elements $γ$ and $|V_{ub}|/|V_{cb}|$ can be determined from $B_{d,s}-\bar B_{d,s}$ mixing observables, yielding a prediction for $γ$ below its tree-level value. Determining subsequently $|V_{cb}|$ from the measured va…
We review the tensions with the standard three-neutrino framework for neutrino oscillation. These tensions hint at the possible existence of sterile neutrinos. We briefly describe some of the diverse ideas for probing the existence of such neutrinos in a definitive way through future experiments.
We interpret the recent hints for lepton flavor universality violation in rare $B$ meson decays. Based on a model-independent effective Hamiltonian approach, we determine regions of new physics parameter space that give a good description of the experimental data on $R_K$ and $R_{K^*}$, which is in tension with Standard Model predictions. We suggest further measurements that can help narrowing down viable new physics explanations. We stress that the measured values of $R_K$ and $R_{K^*}$ are fully compatible with new physics explanations of other anomalies in rare $B$ meson decays based on the…
The latest data from the T2K and \nova experiments show a tension in their preferred values of the oscillation parameters. In this work, we try to identify the source of the tension between the data from these two experiments. An analysis of their data from various channels (individually, and combined) shows that the tension arises primarily from the $ν_e$ appearance data, and is compounded by the $\barν_μ$ disappearance data. We provide an explanation for the tension based on parameter degeneracies. Apart from the analysis with the standard matter effect, we also analyse the data with the vac…
We point out to another indication of the black-disk limit exceeding in hadron interactions found in the recent impact parameter analysis performed by the TOTEM Collaboration at $\sqrt{s}$=8 TeV and emphasise that this observation might be interpreted as a confirmation of the reflective scattering mode appearance at the LHC energies.
After a brief review of the results of solar, atmospheric and long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments which led to the current three-neutrino mixing paradigm, we discuss indications of neutrino oscillation experiments in favor of short-baseline oscillations which require the existence of one or more sterile neutrinos. We show that the simplest possibility of existence of one sterile neutrino is not enough to fit all data of short-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments because of two tensions: a tension between neutrino and antineutrino data and a tension between appearance and disapp…
We use an up to date compilation of Tully-Fisher data to search for transitions in the evolution of the Tully-Fisher relation. Using an up to date data compilation, we find hints at $\approx 3σ$ level for a transition at critical distances $D_c \simeq 9 Mpc$ and $D_c \simeq 17 Mpc$. We split the full sample in two subsamples according to the measured galaxy distance with respect to a splitting distance $D_c$ and identify the likelihood of the best fit slope and intercept of one sample with respect to the best fit corresponding values of the other sample. For $D_c \simeq 9 Mpc$ and $D_c \simeq …
General Relativity (GR) is consistent with a wide range of experiments/observations from millimeter scales up to galactic scales and beyond. However, there are reasons to believe that GR may need to be modified because it includes singularities (it is an incomplete theory) and also it requires fine-tuning to explain the accelerating expansion of the universe through the cosmological constant. Thus, it is important to check various experiments and observations beyond the above range of scales for possible hints of deviations from the predictions of GR. If such hints are found it is important to…
Our herein described combined analysis of the latest neutrino oscillation data presented at the Neutrino2020 conference shows that previous hints for the neutrino mass ordering have significantly decreased, and normal ordering (NO) is favored only at the $1.6σ$ level. Combined with the $χ^2$ map provided by Super-Kamiokande for their atmospheric neutrino data analysis the hint for NO is at $2.7σ$. The CP conserving value $δ_\text{CP} = 180^\circ$ is within $0.6σ$ of the global best fit point. Only if we restrict to inverted mass ordering, CP violation is favored at the $\sim 3σ$ level. We disc…
We discuss the role that Higgs coupling measurements can play in differentiating supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model. Fitting current LHC data to the Higgs couplings, we find that the likelihood fit shows a preference in the direction of suppressed (enhanced) bottom (top) quark couplings. In the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model, we demonstrate that for tan beta > 1, there is tension in achieving such fermion couplings due to the structure of the Higgs quartic couplings. In anticipation of interpreting supersymmetric models with future data, we determine a single straightforwar…
In this work we investigate the possibility that dark matter and (massive) neutrinos can interact via a simple, constant cross section. Building on previous numerical efforts, we constrain this model with CMB, BAO and, in particular, Lyman-$α$ data. We find that the latter hint to a significant departure from $Λ$CDM, with a preference for an interaction strength about 3$σ$ away from zero. We trace the origin of this preference back to the additional tilt that the interacting scenario can imprint on the Lyman-$α$ flux power spectrum, solving a well-known tension in the determination of this qua…
We present an up-to-date global analysis of solar, atmospheric, reactor and accelerator neutrino data in the framework of three-neutrino oscillations. We discuss in detail the statistical significance of the observed "hint" of non-zero theta13 in the solar sector at the light of the latest experimental advances, such as the Borexino spectral data, the lower value of Gallium rate recently measured in SAGE, and the low energy threshold analysis of the combined SNO phase I and phase II. We also study the robustness of the results under changes of the inputs such as the choice of solar model fluxe…
The indications in favor of short-baseline neutrino oscillations, which require the existence of one or more sterile neutrinos, are reviewed. In the framework of 3+1 neutrino mixing, which is the simplest extension of the standard three-neutrino mixing which can partially explain the data, there is a strong tension in the interpretation of the data, mainly due to an incompatibility of the results of appearance and disappearance experiments. In the framework of 3+2 neutrino mixing, CP violation in short-baseline experiments can explain the difference between MiniBooNE neutrino and antineutrino …
Here we revisit the bag phenomenology of the deconfining phase transition to replenish it by introducing systematically the bag surface tension. Comparing the free energy of such bags and that one of the strings confining the static quark-antiquark pair, we express the string tension in terms of the bag surface tension and thermal pressure in order to estimate the bag characteristics using the lattice QCD data. Our analysis of the bag entropy density demonstrates that the surface tension coefficient is amazingly negative at the cross-over (continuous transition). This approach allows us to nat…
The updated measurements from the LHCb and SH0ES collaborations have respectively strengthened the deviations of the ratio $R_{K}$ in rare semi-leptonic $B$-meson decays and the present-day Hubble parameter $H_0$ in the Universe, implying tantalizing hints of new physics beyond the Standard Model. In this paper, we consider a simple flavor-specific two-Higgs-doublet model, where the long-standing $R_{K^{(*)}}$ anomalies can be addressed by a one-flavor right-handed neutrino. One of the intriguing predictions resulting from the parameter space for the $R_{K^{(*)}}$ resolution under flavor- and …
In light of the increasing hints of new physics at the muon $g-2$ and neutrino oscillation experiments, we consider the recently observed tension in the long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments as a potential indication of Lorentz invariance violation. For this purpose, the latest data from T2K and NO$ν$A is analysed in presence of non-minimal Lorentz invariance violation. Indeed, we find that isotropic violation in dimensions $D =$ 4, 5 and 6 can alleviate the tension in neutrino oscillation data by 0.4$-$2.4$σ$ CL significance, with the isotropic coefficient $γ^{(5)}_{ττ} =$ 3.58$\time…
At the previous Venice meeting NO-VE 2008, we discussed possible hints in favor of a nonzero value for the unknown neutrino mixing angle theta(13), emerging from the combination of solar and long-baseline reactor data, as well as from the combination of atmospheric, CHOOZ and long-baseline accelerator nu_mu->nu_mu data. Recent MINOS 2009 results in the nu_mu->nu_e appearance channel also seem to support such hints. A combination of all current oscillation data provides, as preferred range, sin^2 theta(13) = 0.02 +- 0.01 (1σ). We review several issues raised by such hints in the last year, and …
Neutrino oscillations in matter provide a unique probe of new physics. Leveraging the advent of neutrino appearance data from NOvA and T2K in recent years, we investigate the presence of CP-violating neutrino non-standard interactions in the oscillation data. We first show how to very simply approximate the expected NSI parameters to resolve differences between two long-baseline appearance experiments analytically. Then, by combining recent NOvA and T2K data, we find a tantalizing hint of CP-violating NSI preferring a new complex phase that is close to maximal: $ϕ_{eμ}$ or $ϕ_{eτ}\approx3π/2$ …
The two long-baseline experiments T2K and NO$ν$A have recently presented new findings. T2K has shown the first $\bar ν_e$ appearance data while NO$ν$A has released the first $ν_e$ appearance results. These data are of particular importance because they allow us to probe for the first time in a direct (or manifest) way the leptonic CP-violation. In fact, it is the first time that a hint of CP-violation arises from the comparison of the observations of neutrinos and antineutrinos. We consider the implications of such new results both for the standard 3-flavor framework and for the non-standard 3…
The $E_G$ statistic is a powerful probe for detecting deviations from GR by combining weak lensing (WL), real-space clustering and redshift space distortion (RSD) measurements thus probing both the lensing and the growth effective Newton constants ($G_L$ and $G_{eff}$). We construct an up to date compilation of $E_G$ statistic data including both redshift and scale dependence ($E_G(R,z)$). We combine this $E_G$ data compilation with an up to date compilation of $fσ_8$ data from RSD observations to identify the current level of tension between the Planck/$Λ$CDM standard model based on general r…
In recent years experiments revealed intriguing hints for new physics (NP) in $B$ decays involving \bctaunu and $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ transitions at the $4\,σ$ and $5\,σ$ level, respectively. In addition, there are slight disagreements in $b\to u τν$ and $b\to dμ^+μ^-$ observables. While not significant on their own, they point in the same direction. Furthermore, $V_{us}$ extracted from $τ$ decays shows a slight tension ($\approx2.5\,σ$) with its value determined from CKM unitarity. Additionally, BELLE found hints for an excess in $B_d\toτ^+τ^-$. Concerning NP explanations, the vector leptoquar…
The Standard Model (SM) of particle physics was finalized in its current form in the mid-1970s, and has been extensively tested and confirmed ever since, with the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 being the last missing piece. While no new particles have been directly discovered at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN so far, precision observables sensitive to quantum effects of new particles have accumulated intriguing hints for physics beyond the SM. All these anomalies can be interpreted from the point of view of lepton flavor universality, i.e., as hints that electrons, muons, and ta…
Recent studies suggest that dynamical dark energy (DDE) provides a better fit to the rising affluence of modern cosmological observations than the concordance model ($Λ$CDM) with a rigid cosmological constant, $Λ$. Such is the case with the running vacuum models (RVMs) and to some extent also with a simple XCDM parametrization. Apart from the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies, the most crucial datasets potentially carrying the DDE signature are: i) baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO), and ii) direct large scale structure (LSS) formation data (i.e. the observations on $f(z)σ_8(z)$…
Running into tension: primordial black holes from ultra-slow-roll inflation, spectral running, and the Hubble tension
University of Trento（特伦托大学）；Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications (TIFPA)-INFN（特伦托基础物理与应用研究所（TIFPA）-意大利国家核物理研究所）；New York University Abu Dhabi（纽约大学阿布扎比分校）
We present results of global fits of all relevant experimental data on rare $b \to s$ decays. We observe significant tensions between the Standard Model predictions and the data. After critically reviewing the possible sources of theoretical uncertainties, we find that within the Standard Model, the tensions could be explained if there are unaccounted hadronic effects much larger than our estimates. Assuming hadronic uncertainties are estimated in a sufficiently conservative way, we discuss the implications of the experimental results on new physics, both model independently as well as in the …
The current cosmological probes have provided a fantastic confirmation of the standard $Λ$ Cold Dark Matter cosmological model, that has been constrained with unprecedented accuracy. However, with the increase of the experimental sensitivity a few statistically significant tensions between different independent cosmological datasets emerged. While these tensions can be in portion the result of systematic errors, the persistence after several years of accurate analysis strongly hints at cracks in the standard cosmological scenario and the need for new physics. In this Letter of Interest we will…
Recent IceCube search results for sterile neutrino increased tension between the combined appearance and disappearance experiments. On the other hand, MiniBooNE latest data confirms at $4.9σ$ CL the short-baseline oscillation anomaly. We analyze published IceCube data based on two different active-sterile mixing schemes using one additional sterile neutrino flavor. We present exclusion regions in the parameter ranges $0.01 \le \sin^2 θ_{24} \le 0.1$ and $0.1~{\rm eV}^2 \le Δm^2_{42} \le 10~{\rm eV}^2$ for the mass-mixing and flavor-mixing schemes. Under the more conservative mass-mixing scheme…
The concept of lepton flavour universality (LFU), according to which the three lepton families are equivalent except for their masses, is a cornerstone prediction of the Standard Model (SM). LFU can be violated in models beyond the SM by new physics particles that couple preferentially to certain generations of leptons. In the last few years, hints of LFU violation have been observed in both tree-level $b\to c\ellν$ and loop-level $b\to s\ell\ell$ transitions. These measurements, combined with the tensions observed in angular observables and branching fractions of rare semileptonic $b$ decays,…
We review the status of searches for sterile neutrinos in the $\sim 1$ eV range, with an emphasis on the latest results from short baseline oscillation experiments and how they fit within sterile neutrino oscillation models. We present global fit results to a three-active-flavor plus one-sterile-flavor model (3+1), where we find an improvement of $Δχ^2=35$ for 3 additional parameters compared to a model with no sterile neutrino. This is a 5$σ$ improvement, indicating that an effect that is like that of a sterile neutrino is highly preferred by the data. However we note that separate fits to th…
Bayesian methods offer a coherent and efficient framework for implementing uncertainties into induction problems. In this article, we review how this approach applies to the analysis of dark matter direct detection experiments. In particular we discuss the exclusion limit of XENON100 and the debated hints of detection under the hypothesis of a WIMP signal. Within parameter inference, marginalizing consistently over uncertainties to extract robust posterior probability distributions, we find that the claimed tension between XENON100 and the other experiments can be partially alleviated in isosp…
The $H_0$ world cup. II. A comprehensive competition between proposed Hubble tension solutions
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität（路德维希-马克西米利安大学）；Excellence Cluster ORIGINS（ORIGINS卓越集群）；Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier (LUPM), Université de Montpellier & CNRS（蒙彼利埃大学与法国国家科学研究中心宇宙与粒子物理实验室（LUPM））；INFN–Bologna（意大利国家核物理研究所博洛尼亚分部）；INAF–Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna（意大利国家天体物理研究所博洛尼亚天文与空间科学观测站）；Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology (TTK), RWTH Aachen University（亚琛工业大学理论粒子物理学与宇宙学研究所（TTK））；Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia “Augusto Righi”, Università di Bologna（博洛尼塔大学“奥古斯托·里基”物理与天文学系）；Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics (TTP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)（卡尔斯鲁厄理工学院理论粒子物理学研究所（TTP））
In this paper we will list a few important goals that need to be addressed in the next decade, also taking into account the current discordances between the different cosmological probes, such as the disagreement in the value of the Hubble constant $H_0$, the $σ_8$--$S_8$ tension, and other less statistically significant anomalies. While these discordances can still be in part the result of systematic errors, their persistence after several years of accurate analysis strongly hints at cracks in the standard cosmological scenario and the necessity for new physics or generalisations beyond the s…
There has been a lot of recent interest in the experimental hints of CP violation in B_{d,s}^0 mixing, which would be a clear signal of beyond the standard model physics (with higher significance). We derive a new relation for the mixing parameters, which allows clearer interpretation of the data in models in which new physics enters in M_12 and/or Γ_12. Our results imply that the central value of the DØ measurement of the semileptonic CP asymmetry in B_{d,s}^0 decay is not only in conflict with the standard model, but in a stronger tension with data on ΔΓ_s than previously appreciated. This r…
Experimental hints for lepton flavor universality violation in beauty-quark decay both in neutral- and charged-current transitions require an extension of the Standard Model for which scalar leptoquarks (LQs) are the prime candidates. Besides, these same LQs can resolve the long-standing tension in the muon and the recently reported deviation in the electron $g-2$ anomalies. These tantalizing flavor anomalies have discrepancies in the range of $2.5σ-4.2σ$, indicating that the Standard Model of particle physics may finally be cracking. In this Letter, we propose a resolution to all these anomal…
