On the impact of heavy meson production spectra on searches for heavy neutral leptons

TL;DR

This paper discusses how heavy meson production spectra influence the detection prospects of heavy neutral leptons, emphasizing the importance of accurate modeling in experimental sensitivity analyses.

Contribution

The paper extends the extsc{ALPiNIST} Monte Carlo framework to include Heavy Neutral Leptons, improving sensitivity evaluations for related experiments.

Findings

Enhanced simulation accuracy for Heavy Neutral Leptons

Identification of key inputs affecting experimental sensitivity

Framework applicability to various experimental setups

Abstract

Feebly Interacting Particles are a commonly considered extension to the Standard Model of Particle Physics. In many theoretical frameworks these particles can explain observed physical phenomena which are in tension with the current model. \textsc{ALPiNIST} is a simplified Monte Carlo framework aimed at evaluating past, present, and future, short and long baseline experiments for their sensitivities to different models of Axion-Like Particles. We present the extension of this framework to accommodate new classes of Feebly Interacting Particles with emphasis on Heavy Neutral Leptons. This extension is especially well motivated, solving multiple of the standing issues with the Standard Model at the same time. The fundamental importance of inputs on the resulting parameter sensitivity, and thus the need for a unified simulation set-up, is highlighted.