Diogo Boito, Maarten Golterman, Kim Maltman, Santiago Peris

SciPost Phys. Proc. 1, 053 (2019) · published 22 February 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

We discuss sum-rule determinations of $\alpha_s$ from non-strange hadronic $\tau$-decay data. We investigate, in particular, the reliability of the assumptions underlying the ``truncated OPE strategy,'' which specifies a certain treatment of non-perturbative contributions, and which was employed in Refs.~\cite{Pich,Aleph, Opal}. Here, we test this strategy by applying the strategy to the $R$-ratio obtained from $e^+e^-$ data, which extend beyond the $\tau$ mass, and demonstrate that the assumptions underlying this strategy are not, in general, valid. We then present a brief overview of new results on the form of duality-violating non-perturbative contributions, which are conspicuously present in the experimentally determined spectral functions. As we show, with the current precision claimed for the extraction of $\alpha_s$, including a representation of duality violations is unavoidable if one wishes to avoid uncontrolled theoretical errors.

Ann-Kathrin Perrevoort on behalf of the Mu3e Collaboration

SciPost Phys. Proc. 1, 052 (2019) · published 22 February 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

The upcoming Mu3e experiment aims to search for the lepton flavour violating decay $\mu^+ \to e^+ e^- e^+$ with an unprecedented final sensitivity of one signal decay in $10^{16}$ observed muon decays by making use of an innovative experimental design based on novel ultra-thin silicon pixel sensors. In a first phase, the experiment is operated at an existing muon beam line with rates of up to $10^8$ muons per second. Detailed simulation studies confirm the feasibility of background-free operation and project single event sensitivities in the order of $10^{-15}$ for signal decays modelled in an effective field theory approach. The precise tracking of the decay electrons and large geometric and momentum acceptance of Mu3e enable searches for physics beyond the Standard Model in further signatures. Examples of which are searches for lepton flavour violating two-body decays of the muon into an electron and an undetected boson as well as for electron-positron resonances in $\mu^+ \to e^+ e^- e^+ \bar{\nu}_\mu \nu_e$ which could result for instance from a dark photon decay. The Mu3e experiment is expected to be competitive in all of these channels already in phase I.

Natsuki Teshima on behalf of the DeeMe Collaboration

SciPost Phys. Proc. 1, 051 (2019) · published 22 February 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

In the DeeMe experiment, approximately $70\ \mathrm{GHz/mm^{2}}$ prompt-charged particles will hit the multi-wire proportional chambers (MWPCs) before signal electrons come. To avoid the space charge effect, we developed fast HV-switching MWPCs in order to control the gas gain dynamically. All four of the MWPCs were manufactured. Last year, the circuit of readout amplifiers is slightly modified to further improve the efficiency of the detector, and we also started to investigate other possible choices of the gas mixture. In this article, the development of the detectors and results of performance tests will be presented.

Soham Bhattacharya on behalf of The CMS Collaboration

SciPost Phys. Proc. 1, 050 (2019) · published 22 February 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

We present the algorithm and performance of tau reconstruction at the CMS experiment, while highlighting a dedicated reconstruction algorithm that uses calorimeter hits instead of tracks to reconstruct taus with high transverse momentum. Describing the standard Hadrons-Plus-Strips (HPS) algorithm and its dependence on track reconstruction and shower modelling, we present the calorimetric tau (calo-tau) reconstruction that uses minimal track information for high $ p_{T} $ taus. The pros and cons of these algorithms are discussed along with their performance and potential uses. It is found that the calo-tau algorithm outperforms the HPS algorithm in the high efficiency region. This study is work in progress, and is an attempt to tune the reconstruction for high $ p_{T} $ taus. The calo-tau algorithm is not yet an official tau reconstruction algorithm for CMS.

Diogo Boito, Pere Masjuan, Fabio Oliani

SciPost Phys. Proc. 1, 049 (2019) · published 22 February 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

One of the main sources of theoretical uncertainty in the extraction of the strong coupling from hadronic tau decays stems from the renormalization group improvement of the series. Perturbative series in QCD are divergent but are (most likely) asymptotic expansions. One needs knowledge about higher orders to be able to choose the optimal renormalization-scale setting procedure. Here, we discuss the use of Pad\'e approximants as a model-independent and robust method to extract information about the higher-order terms. We show that in hadronic \boldmath $\tau$ decays the fixed-order expansion, known as fixed-order perturbation theory (FOPT), is the most reliable mainstream method to set the scale. This fully corroborates previous conclusions based on the available knowledge about the leading renormalon singularities of the perturbative series.