Constraining New Physics with Colliders and Neutrinos

In this work, we examine how neutrino and collider experiments can each and together put constraints on new physics more stringently than ever. Constraints arise in three ways. First, possible new theoretical frameworks are reviewed and analyzed for the compatibility with collider experiments. We study alternate theories such as the superconnection formalism and non-commutative geometry (NCG) and show how these can be put to test, if any collider excess were to show up. In this case, we use the previous diboson and diphoton statistical excess as examples to do the analysis. Second, we parametrize low energy new physics in the neutrino sector in terms of non-standard interactions (NSI), which are constrained by past and proposed future neutrino experiments. As an example, we show the capability of resolving such NSI with the OscSNS, a detector proposed for Oak Ridge National Lab and derive interesting new constraints on NSI at very low energy (≲ 50 MeV). Apart from this, in order to better understand the NSI matter effect in long baseline experiments such as the future DUNE experiment, we derive a new compact formula to describe the effect analytically, which provides a clear physical picture of our understanding of the NSI matter effect compared to numerical computations. Last, we discuss the possibility of combining neutrino and collider data to get a better understanding of where the new physics is hidden. In particular, we study a model that produces sizable NSI to show how they can be constrained by past collider data, which covers a distinct region of the model parameter space from the DUNE experiment. In combining the two, we show that neutrino experiments are complementary to collider searches in ruling out models such as the ones that utilize a light mediator particle. More general procedures in constructing such models relevant to neutrino experiments are also described.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Department dc:contributor.department

Physics

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Sun, Chen

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Takeuchi, Tatsu

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Sharpe, Eric R.
• Piilonen, Leo E.
• Minic, Djordje

• New Physics
• Collider
• Neutrino
• Noncommutative Geometry

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:12019

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/77923