Higgs Portal From The Atmosphere To Hyper-K

TL;DR

This paper proposes using the Hyper-Kamiokande detector to search for light Higgs portal scalars produced in the atmosphere, which decay into electron-positron pairs, offering a new way to explore uncharted particle physics parameter space.

Contribution

It introduces a novel atmospheric production and detection method for Higgs portal scalars using large neutrino detectors, expanding the search beyond traditional beam experiments.

Findings

Hyper-Kamiokande can probe new parameter space for light scalars.

Atmospheric production of scalars leads to detectable electron-positron pairs.

The method is complementary to existing intensity frontier experiments.

Abstract

A light Higgs portal scalar could be abundantly produced in the earth's atmosphere and decay in large-volume neutrino detectors. We point out that the Hyper-Kamiokande detector bears a strong discovery potential of probing such particles in an uncharted parameter space that is actively explored by intensity frontier experiments including rare kaon decays. The signal we propose to look for is electron-positron pair creation that manifests as a double-ring appearing from the same vertex. Most of these pairs originate from zenith angles above the Hyper-K detector's horizon. This search can be generalized to other new light states and is highly complementary to beam experiments.