Final COMPASS Results on the Transverse-Spin-Dependent Azimuthal Asymmetries in the Pion-Induced Drell-Yan Process.

The COMPASS Collaboration performed measurements of the Drell-Yan process in 2015 and 2018 using a 190 GeV/c π^{-} beam impinging on a transversely polarized ammonia target. Combining the data of both years, we present final results on the amplitudes of five azimuthal modulations, which correspond to transverse-spin-dependent azimuthal asymmetries (TSAs) in the dimuon production cross section. Three of them probe the nucleon leading-twist Sivers, transversity, and pretzelosity transverse-momentum dependent (TMD) parton distribution functions (PDFs). The other two are induced by subleading effects. These TSAs provide unique new inputs for the study of the nucleon TMD PDFs and their universality properties. In particular, the Sivers TSA observed in this measurement is consistent with the fundamental QCD prediction of a sign change of naive time-reversal-odd TMD PDFs when comparing the Drell-Yan process with deep inelastic scattering. Also, within the context of model predictions, the observed transversity TSA is consistent with the expectation of a sign change for the Boer-Mulders function.

High-Statistics Measurement of Collins and Sivers Asymmetries for Transversely Polarized Deuterons.

New results are presented on a high-statistics measurement of Collins and Sivers asymmetries of charged hadrons produced in deep inelastic scattering of muons on a transversely polarized ^{6}LiD target. The data were taken in 2022 with the COMPASS spectrometer using the 160 GeV muon beam at CERN, statistically balancing the existing data on transversely polarized proton targets. The first results from about two-thirds of the new data have total uncertainties smaller by up to a factor of three compared to the previous deuteron measurements. Using all the COMPASS proton and deuteron results, both the transversity and the Sivers distribution functions of the u and d quark, as well as the tensor charge in the measured x range are extracted. In particular, the accuracy of the d quark results is significantly improved.

Dark-Sector Search via Pion-Produced η and η

We present the first results from a proof-of-concept search for dark sectors via invisible decays of pseudoscalar η and η^{'} mesons in the NA64h experiment at the CERN SPS. Our novel technique uses the charge-exchange reaction of 50 GeV π^{-} on nuclei of an active target as the source of neutral mesons. The η,η^{'}→invisible events would exhibit themselves via a striking signature-the complete disappearance of the incoming beam energy in the detector. No evidence for such events has been found with 2.9×10^{9} pions on target accumulated during one day of data taking. This allows us to set a stringent limit on the branching ratio Br(η^{'}→invisible)<2.1×10^{-4} improving the current bound by a factor of ≃3. We also set a limit on Br(η→invisible)<1.1×10^{-4} comparable with the existing one. These results demonstrate the great potential of our approach and provide clear guidance on how to enhance and extend the sensitivity for dark sector physics from future searches for invisible neutral meson decays.

First Results in the Search for Dark Sectors at NA64 with the CERN SPS High Energy Muon Beam.

We report the first search for dark sectors performed at the NA64 experiment employing a high energy muon beam and a missing energy-momentum technique. Muons from the M2 beamline at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron with a momentum of 160 GeV/c are directed to an active target. The signal signature consists of a single scattered muon with momentum <80 GeV/c in the final state, accompanied by missing energy, i.e., no detectable activity in the downstream calorimeters. For a total dataset of (1.98±0.02)×10^{10} muons on target, no event is observed in the expected signal region. This allows us to set new limits on the remaining (m_{Z^{'}},g_{Z^{'}}) parameter space of a new Z^{'} (L_{µ}-L_{τ}) vector boson which could explain the muon (g-2)_{µ} anomaly. Additionally, our study excludes part of the parameter space suggested by the thermal dark matter relic abundance. Our results pave the way to explore dark sectors and light dark matter with muon beams in a unique and complementary way to other experiments.

Search for Light Dark Matter with NA64 at CERN.

Thermal dark matter models with particle χ 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 χ 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 9.37×10^{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^{'}}≲0.35 GeV, and to exclude scalar and Majorana dark matter with the χ-A^{'} coupling α_{D}≤0.1 for masses 0.001≲m_{χ}≲0.1 GeV and 3m_{χ}≤m_{A^{'}}.

Search for a New B-L Z

A search for a new Z^{'} gauge boson associated with (un)broken B-L symmetry in the keV-GeV mass range is carried out for the first time using the missing-energy technique in the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS. From the analysis of the data with 3.22×10^{11} electrons on target collected during 2016-2021 runs, no signal events were found. This allows us to derive new constraints on the Z^{'}-e coupling strength, which, for the mass range 0.3≲m_{Z^{'}}≲100 MeV, are more stringent compared to those obtained from the neutrino-electron scattering data.

Constraints on New Physics in Electron g-2 from a Search for Invisible Decays of a Scalar, Pseudoscalar, Vector, and Axial Vector.

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→e^{-}ZX, followed by its invisible decay in the NA64 experiment at CERN. No evidence for such a process was found in the full NA64 dataset of 2.84×10^{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}, |Δa_{X}|≲10^{-15}-10^{-13} for the X mass region 1 MeV≲m_{X}≲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.

Triangle Singularity as the Origin of the a_{1}(1420).

The COMPASS Collaboration experiment recently discovered a new isovector resonancelike signal with axial-vector quantum numbers, the a_{1}(1420), decaying to f_{0}(980)π. With a mass too close to and a width smaller than the axial-vector ground state a_{1}(1260), it was immediately interpreted as a new light exotic meson, similar to the X, Y, Z states in the hidden-charm sector. We show that a resonancelike signal fully matching the experimental data is produced by the decay of the a_{1}(1260) resonance into K^{*}(→Kπ)K[over ¯] and subsequent rescattering through a triangle singularity into the coupled f_{0}(980)π channel. The amplitude for this process is calculated using a new approach based on dispersion relations. The triangle-singularity model is fitted to the partial-wave data of the COMPASS experiment. Despite having fewer parameters, this fit shows a slightly better quality than the one using a resonance hypothesis and thus eliminates the need for an additional resonance in order to describe the data. We thereby demonstrate for the first time in the light-meson sector that a resonancelike structure in the experimental data can be described by rescattering through a triangle singularity, providing evidence for a genuine three-body effect.

Search for Axionlike and Scalar Particles with the NA64 Experiment.

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 a shield, and would be observed either through their a(s)→γγ decay in the rest of the HCAL detector, or as events with a large missing energy if the a(s) decays downstream of the HCAL. This method allows for the probing of 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 2.84×10^{11} electrons on target, allowing us to set new limits on the a(s)γγ-coupling strength for a(s) masses below 55 MeV.

Dark Matter Search in Missing Energy Events with NA64.

A search for sub-GeV dark matter production mediated by a new vector boson A^{'}, called a 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 2.84×10^{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 ≲0.2 GeV are derived, thus demonstrating the power of the active beam dump approach for the dark matter search.

Search for a Hypothetical 16.7 MeV Gauge Boson and Dark Photons in the NA64 Experiment at CERN.

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 ^{8}Be^{*} nucleus decays. Because of its coupling to electrons, the X could be produced in the bremsstrahlung reaction e^{-}Z→e^{-}ZX by a 100 GeV e^{-} beam incident on an active target in the NA64 experiment at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron and observed through the subsequent decay into a e^{+}e^{-} pair. With 5.4×10^{10} electrons on target, no evidence for such decays was found, allowing us to set first limits on the X-e^{-} coupling in the range 1.3×10^{-4}≲ε_{e}≲4.2×10^{-4} excluding part of the allowed parameter space. We also set new bounds on the mixing strength of photons with dark photons (A^{'}) from nonobservation of the decay A^{'}→e^{+}e^{-} of the bremsstrahlung A^{'} with a mass ≲23 MeV.

Search for Invisible Decays of Sub-GeV Dark Photons in Missing-Energy Events at the CERN SPS.

We report on a direct search for sub-GeV dark photons (A^{'}), which might be produced in the reaction e^{-}Z→e^{-}ZA^{'} via kinetic mixing with photons by 100 GeV electrons incident on an active target in the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS. The dark photons would decay invisibly into dark matter particles resulting in events with large missing energy. No evidence for such decays was found with 2.75×10^{9} electrons on target. We set new limits on the γ-A^{'} mixing strength and exclude the invisible A^{'} with a mass ≲100 MeV as an explanation of the muon g_{µ}-2 anomaly.

Probing the explanation of the muon (g-2) anomaly and thermal light dark matter with the semi-visible dark photon channel.

We report the results of a search for a new vector boson ( A ' ) decaying into two dark matter particles χ 1 χ 2 of different mass. The heavier χ 2 particle subsequently decays to χ 1 and an off-shell Dark Photon A ' ∗ → 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 ' → χ χ ¯ and axion-like or pseudo-scalar particles a → γ γ . 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 ε between 3 × 10 - 5 and 2 × 10 - 2 .

Hunting down the X17 boson at the CERN SPS.

Recently, the ATOMKI experiment has reported new evidence for the excess of e + e - events with a mass ∼ 17 MeV in the nuclear transitions of 4 He, that they previously observed in measurements with 8 Be. These observations could be explained by the existence of a new vector X 17 boson. So far, the search for the decay X 17 → e + e - with the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS gave negative results. Here, we present a new technique that could be implemented in NA64 aiming to improve the sensitivity and to cover the remaining X 17 parameter space. If a signal-like event is detected, an unambiguous observation is achieved by reconstructing the invariant mass of the X 17 decay with the proposed method. To reach this goal an optimization of the X 17 production target, as well as an efficient and accurate reconstruction of two close decay tracks, is required. A dedicated analysis of the available experimental data making use of the trackers information is presented. This method provides independent confirmation of the NA64 published results [1], validating the tracking procedure. The detailed Monte Carlo study of the proposed setup and the background estimate show that the goal of the proposed search is feasible.