Searches for Exotic Baryon Number-Violating Processes at Super-Kamiokande

Oct 4, 2016
118 pages
Supervisor:
Thesis: PhD
  • UC, Irvine
(2016)
  • Published: Oct 4, 2016
Experiments:

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Abstract:
Various theoretical considerations suggest that baryon number should be violated. Nu- cleon decay, which typically appears within the context of unified theories, would provide a definitive signature of baryon number violation. In this dissertation, we report on the search results for p Ñ e`X, p Ñ μ` (where X is an invisible, massless particle), n Ñ νγ, p Ñ e`νν, p Ñ μ`νν, np Ñ e`ν, np Ñ μ`ν and np Ñ τ`ν nucleon and dinucleon decays at the Super-Kamiokande experiment. Some of these searches are novel. Using data from a combined exposure of 273.4 kton ̈years and a χ2 spectral fitting technique, a search for these decays yields a result consistent with no signal. Accordingly, lower limits on the par- tial lifetimes of τpÑe`X ą 7.9 ˆ 1032 years, τnÑνγ ą 5.5 ˆ 1032 years, τpÑμ`X ą 4.1 ˆ 1032 years, τpÑe` ν ν ą 1.7 ˆ 1032 years, τpÑμ` ν ν ą 2.2 ˆ 1032 years, τnpÑe` ν ą 2.6 ˆ 1032 years, τnpÑμ`ν ą 2.0 ˆ 1032 years and τnpÑτ`ν ą 3.0 ˆ 1031 years at a 90% confidence level are obtained. These results provide stringent test of new physics and also limit the parameter space of models that allow for such processes.
  • baryon number
  • Cherenkov detectors
  • Grand Unification
  • nucleon decay
  • thesis
  • tau: lifetime
  • baryon number: violation
  • particle: massless
  • baryon: exotic
  • KAMIOKANDE