Leveraging the ALICE/L3 cavern for long-lived exotics

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of using the existing ALICE detector infrastructure at the HL-LHC to search for long-lived particles beyond the standard model, offering a competitive physics reach compared to other proposed detectors.

Contribution

It proposes leveraging the ALICE/L3 cavern for long-lived exotic particle searches, highlighting its potential sensitivity and advantages over other LLP detection proposals.

Findings

ALICE detector can be used for LLP searches with full event reconstruction.

Potential sensitivity exceeds or matches MATHUSLA and SHiP for certain portals.

Requires about 100 fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity at IP2.

Abstract

Run 5 of the HL-LHC era (and beyond) may provide new opportunities to search for physics beyond the standard model (BSM) at interaction point 2 (IP2). In particular, taking advantage of the existing ALICE detector and infrastructure provides an opportunity to search for displaced decays of beyond standard model long-lived particles (LLPs). While this proposal may well be preempted by ongoing ALICE physics goals, examination of its potential new physics reach provides a compelling comparison with respect to other LLP proposals. In particular, full event reconstruction and particle identification could be possible by making use of the existing L3 magnet and ALICE time projection chamber. For several well-motivated portals, the reach competes with or exceeds the sensitivity of MATHUSLA and SHiP, provided that a total integrated luminosity of approximately $100\, \text{fb}^{-1}$ could be delivered to IP2.