A measurement of $C\!P$ asymmetry in $D^0 \to K^0_{\rm S} K^0_{\rm S}$ decays is reported, based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions collected with the LHCb detector in 2024 at a centre-of-mass energy of $13.6\,$TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $6.2\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. The $D^0 \to K^0_{\rm S} π^+ π^-$ decay is used as calibration channel to cancel residual detection and production asymmetries. The time-integrated $C\!P$ asymmetry for the $D^0 \to K^0_{\rm S} K^0_{\rm S}$ mode is measured to be $$ {\cal A}^{C\!P} (D^0 \to K^0_{\rm S} K^0_{\rm S}) = (1.86 \pm 1.04\pm 0.41)\%, $$ where the first uncertainty is statistical, and the second is systematic. This measurement represents the most precise single-experiment determination of this quantity to date.
We report results from searches for anisotropic stochastic gravitational-wave backgrounds using data from the first three observing runs of the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. For the first time, we include Virgo data in our analysis and run our search with a new efficient pipeline called {\tt PyStoch} on data folded over one sidereal day. We use gravitational-wave radiometry (broadband and narrow band) to produce sky maps of stochastic gravitational-wave backgrounds and to search for gravitational waves from point sources. A spherical harmonic decomposition method is employed to look for gravitational-wave emission from spatially-extended sources. Neither technique found evidence of gravitational-wave signals. Hence we derive 95\% confidence-level upper limit sky maps on the gravitational-wave energy flux from broadband point sources, ranging from $F_{α, Θ} < {\rm (0.013 - 7.6)} \times 10^{-8} {\rm erg \, cm^{-2} \, s^{-1} \, Hz^{-1}},$ and on the (normalized) gravitational-wave energy density spectrum from extended sources, ranging from $Ω_{α, Θ} < {\rm (0.57 - 9.3)} \times 10^{-9} \, {\rm sr^{-1}}$, depending on direction ($Θ$) and spectral index ($α$). These l
A measurement of the CKM angle $γ$ and related strong-phase parameters is performed using a novel, model-independent approach in ${B^{\pm}\rightarrow D(\rightarrow K^{0}_{\rm S} h^{\prime+}h^{\prime-}) h^{\pm}}$ decays, where $h^{(\prime)} \equiv π, K$. The analysis uses a joint data sample of electron-positron collisions collected by the BESIII experiment at the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider II during 2010--2011 and 2021--2022, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 8 fb$^{-1}$, and proton-proton collisions collected by the LHCb experiment at the Large Hadron Collider during 2011--2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb$^{-1}$. The two datasets are analyzed simultaneously by applying per-event weights based on the amplitude variation over the $D$-decay phase space to enhance the sensitivity to $C\!P$-violating observables. The CKM angle $γ$ is determined to be $γ= (71.3\pm 5.0)^{\circ}$, which constitutes the most precise single measurement to date.
We present results from an all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves, using three different methods applied to the first eight months of LIGO data from the fourth LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration s observing run. We aim at signals potentially emitted by rotating, non-axisymmetric isolated neutron star in the Milky Way. The analysis spans a frequency range from 20 Hz to 2000 Hz and accommodates frequency derivative magnitudes up to $10^{-8}$ Hz/s. No statistically significant periodic gravitational wave signals were detected. We establish 95% confidence-level (CL) frequentist upper limits on the dimensionless strain amplitudes. The most stringent population-averaged strain upper limits reach 9.7 $\times$ $10^{-26}$ near 290 Hz, matching the best previous constraints from 250 to $\sim$1700 Hz while extending coverage to a much broader spin-down range. At higher frequencies, the new limits improve upon previous results by factors of approximately $\sim$1.6. These constraints are applied to three astrophysical scenarios: 1) the distribution of galactic neutron stars as a function of spin frequency and ellipticity; 2) the contribution of millisecond pulsars to the GeV excess near
A measurement of the CKM angle $γ$ using the decay channels $B^{\pm}\rightarrow DK^{\pm}$ and $B^{\pm}\rightarrow Dπ^{\pm}$, where the $D$ meson decays to $D\rightarrow K_{\rm S}^{0}π^{+}π^{-}$ or $D\rightarrow K_{\rm S}^{0}K^{+}K^{-}$, is performed with a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.8 fb$^{-1}$, collected during 2024 by the upgraded LHCb experiment. $C\!P$ violation is observed through a difference in the distributions of the Dalitz plot of the $D$ decay between the $B^{+}$ and $B^{-}$ mesons. The CKM angle $γ$ is determined to be $γ=(68.1\pm 6.7)^{\circ}$. Other parameters related to the examined $B$ meson decay modes are also measured. This is the first measurement of the CKM angle $γ$ using the upgraded LHCb detector.
A joint measurement is presented of the branching fractions $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-$ and $B^0\toμ^+μ^-$ in proton-proton collisions at the LHC by the CMS and LHCb experiments. The data samples were collected in 2011 at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, and in 2012 at 8 TeV. The combined analysis produces the first observation of the $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-$ decay, with a statistical significance exceeding six standard deviations, and the best measurement of its branching fraction so far. Furthermore, evidence for the $B^0\toμ^+μ^-$ decay is obtained with a statistical significance of three standard deviations. The branching fraction measurements are statistically compatible with SM predictions and impose stringent constraints on several theories beyond the SM.
An amplitude analysis of the $D_{s1}(2460)^+\to D_{s}^{+}π^{+}π^{-}$ transition is performed simultaneously in $B^{0}\to D^{-}D_{s}^{+}π^{+}π^{-}$, $B^{+}\to{\bar{D}}^{0} D_{s}^{+}π^{+}π^{-}$, and $B^{0}\to D^{*-}D_{s}^{+}π^{+}π^{-}$ decays. The study is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions recorded with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of $\sqrt{s}=7,8,$ and $13\,$TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of $9\,\rm{fb}^{-1}$. A clear double-peak structure is observed in the $m(π^{+}π^{-})$ spectrum of the $D_{s1}(2460)^{+}\to D_{s}^{+}π^{+}π^{-}$ decay. The data can be described either with a model including $f_0(500)$, $f_0(980)$ and $f_2(1270)$ resonances, in which the contributions of $f_0(980)$ and $f_2(1270)$ are unexpectedly large, or with a model including $f_0(500)$, a doubly charged open-charm tetraquark state $T_{c\bar{s}}^{++}$ and its isospin partner $T_{c\bar{s}}^{0}$. If the former is considered implausible, the $T_{c\bar{s}}$ states are observed with high significance, and the data are consistent with isospin symmetry. When imposing isospin constraints between the two $T_{c\bar{s}}$ states, their mass and width are determined to
A study of $\mathitΛ_b^0$ and $\mathitΞ_b^0$ baryon decays to the final states $pK_{\mathrm S}^0π^-$ and $pK_{\mathrm S}^0K^-$ is performed using $pp$ collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $9\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. The decays $\mathitΛ_b^0\!\to pK_{\mathrm S}^0K^-$ and $\mathitΞ_b^0\!\to pK_{\mathrm S}^0K^-$ are observed for the first time, with significances reaching eight standard deviations. The branching fractions and integrated $CP$ asymmetries are measured for the $\mathitΛ_b^0\!\to pK_{\mathrm S}^0π^-$, $\mathitΛ_b^0\!\to pK_{\mathrm S}^0K^-$, and $\mathitΞ_b^0\!\to pK_{\mathrm S}^0K^-$ decays. For the decay $\mathitΛ_b^0\!\to pK_{\mathrm S}^0π^-$, the $CP$ asymmetries are measured in different regions of the Dalitz plot. No evidence of $CP$ violation is observed.
The decays of the $B^{+}$ meson to the final state $D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ are studied in proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 9 fb$^{-1}$. The ratio of branching fractions of the $B^{+}\to D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ and $B^{0}\to D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}$ decays is measured to be $0.173\pm 0.006\pm 0.010$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. Using partially reconstructed $D^{*+}_{s}\to D^{+}_{s}γ$ and $D^{+}_{s}π^{0}$ decays, the ratio of branching fractions between the $B^{+}\to D^{*-}D^{*+}_{s}π^{+}$ and $B^{+}\to D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ decays is determined as $1.31\pm 0.07\pm 0.14$. An amplitude analysis of the $B^{+}\to D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ decay is performed for the first time, revealing dominant contributions from known excited charm resonances decaying to the $D^{*-}π^{+}$ final state. No significant evidence of exotic contributions in the $D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ or $D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}$ channels is found. The fit fraction of the scalar state $T_{c\bar{s} 0}^{\ast}(2900)^{++}$ observed in the $B^{+}\to D^{-}D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ decay is determined
The first observation of the decay $B^{+}\rightarrow p \bar{\itΛ}$ is presented, using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment between 2016 and 2018 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. The signal significance exceeds seven standard deviations. Using the $B^{+} \rightarrow K^{\mathrm{0}}_{\mathrm{S}} π^{+}$ decay as a normalization channel, the branching fraction is measured and combined with previous LHCb results based on data collected at 7 and 8 TeV in 2011 and 2012, yielding $\mathcal{B}(B^{+}\rightarrow p \bar{\itΛ})=(1.24\pm 0.17\pm 0.05\pm 0.03)\times 10^{-7}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third comes from the uncertainty on the branching fraction of the normalization channel. The $B^{+}\rightarrow p \bar{\itΛ}$ weak decay parameter is measured to be $α_B = 0.87_{-0.29}^{+0.26} \pm 0.09$, indicating the presence of comparable S-wave and P-wave decay amplitudes.
GW170817 is the very first observation of gravitational waves originating from the coalescence of two compact objects in the mass range of neutron stars, accompanied by electromagnetic counterparts, and offers an opportunity to directly probe the internal structure of neutron stars. We perform Bayesian model selection on a wide range of theoretical predictions for the neutron star equation of state. For the binary neutron star hypothesis, we find that we cannot rule out the majority of theoretical models considered. In addition, the gravitational-wave data alone does not rule out the possibility that one or both objects were low-mass black holes. We discuss the possible outcomes in the case of a binary neutron star merger, finding that all scenarios from prompt collapse to long-lived or even stable remnants are possible. For long-lived remnants, we place an upper limit of 1.9 kHz on the rotation rate. If a black hole was formed any time after merger and the coalescing stars were slowly rotating, then the maximum baryonic mass of non-rotating neutron stars is at most 3.05 $M_\odot$, and three equations of state considered here can be ruled out. We obtain a tighter limit of 2.67 $M_\
The discovery of joint sources of high-energy neutrinos and gravitational waves has been a primary target for the LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA, and IceCube observatories. The joint detection of high-energy neutrinos and gravitational waves would provide insight into cosmic processes, from the dynamics of compact object mergers and stellar collapses to the mechanisms driving relativistic outflows. The joint detection of multiple cosmic messengers can also elevate the significance of the common observation even when some or all of the constituent messengers are sub-threshold, i.e. not significant enough to declare their detection individually. Using data from the LIGO, Virgo, and IceCube observatories, including sub-threshold events, we searched for common sources of gravitational waves and high-energy neutrinos during the third observing run of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. Our search did not identify significant joint sources. We derive constraints on the rate densities of joint sources. Our results constrain the isotropic neutrino emission from gravitational-wave sources for very high values of the total energy emitted in neutrinos (> $10^{52} - 10^{54}$ erg).
A measurement of the branching fraction for the decay $\mathitΛ \to p μ^- \overlineν_μ$ is presented using $\textit{pp}$ collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The analysis is based on data recorded between 2016 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4 \ \text{fb}^{-1}$. The result is obtained using $\mathitΛ \to p π^-$ decays as a normalisation channel. The measured branching fraction is $B(\mathitΛ \to p μ^- \overlineν_μ)= (1.462 \pm 0.016 \pm 0.100 \pm 0.011 ) \times 10^{-4}$, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the limited knowledge of the normalisation mode branching fraction, respectively. This result improves the precision of the branching fraction measurement by a factor of two compared to the previous best measurement and sets a more stringent bound on lepton flavour universality in $s \to u$ quark transitions. It is consistent with previous measurements, and the extracted lepton flavour universality test observable, $R^{μe} = \frac{Γ(\mathitΛ \to p μ^- \overlineν_μ)}{Γ(\mathitΛ \to p e^- \overlineν_e)} = 0.175 \pm 0.012$, agrees with the Standard Model prediction.
A measurement of the CKM angle $γ$ is performed by applying a novel, unbinned, model-independent approach to datasets of electron-positron collisions collected by the BESIII experiment and proton-proton collisions by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 8 fb$^{-1}$ and 9 fb$^{-1}$, respectively. The $C\!P$-violating phase $γ$ is determined from ${B^{\pm}\rightarrow D(\rightarrow K_{\rm S}^{0} h^{\prime+}h^{\prime-}) h^{\pm}}$ decays in LHCb data, where $h^{(\prime)}$ is either a pion or kaon, while the corresponding strong-phase parameters are measured using doubly tagged ${D\rightarrow K_{\rm S/L}^0 h^{\prime+} h^{\prime-}}$ decays in the quantum-correlated $D\overline{D}$ system present in BESIII data. A joint fit to both datasets, which allows for a simultaneous determination of the associated $C\!P$-violating observables and strong-phase parameters, yields ${γ= (71.3\pm 5.0)^{\circ}}$. The result is the most precise to date and consistent with previous measurements and world averages.
A search for $\textit{CP}$ violation in $D^{0} \rightarrow K_{S}^{0} K^{+} π^{-} $ and $D^{0} \rightarrow K_{S}^{0} K^{-} π^{+} $ decays is reported. The search is performed using an unbinned model-independent method known as the energy test that probes local $\textit{CP}$ violation in the phase space of the decays. The data analysed correspond to an integrated luminosity of $5.4~$fb$^{-1}$ collected in proton-proton collisions by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$~TeV, amounting to approximately 950 thousand and 620 thousand signal candidates for the $D^{0} \rightarrow K_{S}^{0} K^{-} π^{+} $ and $D^{0} \rightarrow K_{S}^{0} K^{+} π^{-} $ modes, respectively. The method is validated using $D^{0} \rightarrow K^{-} π^{+} π^{-} π^{+} $ and $D^{0} \rightarrow K_{S}^{0} π^{+} π^{-} $ decays, where $\textit{CP}$-violating effects are expected to be negligible, and using background-enhanced regions of the signal decays. The results are consistent with $\textit{CP}$ symmetry in both the $D^{0} \rightarrow K_{S}^{0} K^{-} π^{+} $ and the $D^{0} \rightarrow K_{S}^{0} K^{+} π^{-} $ decays, with $p$-values for the hypothesis of no $\textit{CP}$ violation of 70% an
The $\mathitΛ_b^{0}\!\rightarrow\mathitΛ_{c}^{+}D_{s}^{-}K^{+}K^{-}$ decay is observed for the first time using the data sample from proton-proton collisions recorded at a center-of-mass energy of $13\,\text{TeV}$ with the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $6\,\text{fb}^{-1}$. The ratio of branching fraction to that of $\mathitΛ_b^{0} \!\rightarrow\mathitΛ_{c}^{+}D_{s}^{-}$ decays is measured as $0.0141 \pm 0.0019 \pm 0.0012$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. A search for hidden-charm pentaquarks with strangeness is performed in the $\mathitΛ_{c}^{+}D_{s}^{-}$ system. No evidence is found, and upper limits on the production ratio of $P_{c\bar{c}s}(4338)^0$ and $P_{c\bar{c}s}(4459)^0$ pentaquarks relative to the $\mathitΛ_{c}^{+}D_{s}^{-}$ final state are set at the $95\%$ confidence level as $0.12$ and $0.20$, respectively.
We present the results of a search for gravitational-wave transients associated with core-collapse supernova SN 2023ixf, which was observed in the galaxy Messier 101 via optical emission on 2023 May 19th, during the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA 15th Engineering Run. We define a five-day on-source window during which an accompanying gravitational-wave signal may have occurred. No gravitational waves have been identified in data when at least two gravitational-wave observatories were operating, which covered $\sim 14\%$ of this five-day window. We report the search detection efficiency for various possible gravitational-wave emission models. Considering the distance to M101 (6.7 Mpc), we derive constraints on the gravitational-wave emission mechanism of core-collapse supernovae across a broad frequency spectrum, ranging from 50 Hz to 2 kHz where we assume the gravitational-wave emission occurred when coincident data are available in the on-source window. Considering an ellipsoid model for a rotating proto-neutron star, our search is sensitive to gravitational-wave energy $1 \times 10^{-4} M_{\odot} c^2$ and luminosity $2.6 \times 10^{-4} M_{\odot} c^2/s$ for a source emitting at 82 Hz. These con
A study of the charmless baryonic decays $B^0_{(s)} \to K^0 p \bar{p}$ is presented, where $B^0_{(s)}$ denotes either a $B^0$ or a $B^0_s$ meson. The analysis is based on proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and $13~\mathrm{Tev}$, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $9~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. The decay $B^0_s \to K^0 p \bar{p}$ is observed for the first time, with a measured branching fraction of $(9.14 \pm 1.69 \pm 0.90 \pm 0.33 \pm 0.20) \times 10^{-7}$ and a significance of $5.6σ$. The uncertainties respectively account for statistical and systematic contributions, the precision of the branching fraction of the normalisation channel $B^0 \to K^0 π^{+} π^{-}$ and the fragmentation fraction ratio ${f_s}/{f_d}$. The branching fraction determined for $B^0 \to K^0 p \bar{p}$ is $(2.82 \pm 0.08 \pm 0.12 \pm 0.10) \times 10^{-6}$, which is the most precise measurement to date.
The magnetar SGR 1935+2154 is the only known Galactic source of fast radio bursts (FRBs). FRBs from SGR 1935+2154 were first detected by CHIME/FRB and STARE2 in 2020 April, after the conclusion of the LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA Collaborations' O3 observing run. Here we analyze four periods of gravitational wave (GW) data from the GEO600 detector coincident with four periods of FRB activity detected by CHIME/FRB, as well as X-ray glitches and X-ray bursts detected by NICER and NuSTAR close to the time of one of the FRBs. We do not detect any significant GW emission from any of the events. Instead, using a short-duration GW search (for bursts $\leq$ 1 s) we derive 50\% (90\%) upper limits of $10^{48}$ ($10^{49}$) erg for GWs at 300 Hz and $10^{49}$ ($10^{50}$) erg at 2 kHz, and constrain the GW-to-radio energy ratio to $\leq 10^{14} - 10^{16}$. We also derive upper limits from a long-duration search for bursts with durations between 1 and 10 s. These represent the strictest upper limits on concurrent GW emission from FRBs.
A measurement of $C\!P$-violating observables in $B^{\pm} \to D^{*} K^{\pm}$ and $B^{\pm} \to D^{*} π^{\pm}$ decays is made where the photon or neutral pion from the $D^{*} \to Dγ$ or $D^{*} \to Dπ^{0}$ decay is not reconstructed. The $D$ meson is reconstructed in the self-conjugate decay modes, $D \to K_{S}^{0} π^{+} π^{-}$ or $D \to K_{S}^{0} K^{+} K^{-}$. The distribution of signal yields in the $D$ decay phase space is analysed in a model-independent way. The measurement uses a data sample collected in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of approximately 9 fb$^{-1}$. The $B^{\pm} \to D^{*} K^{\pm}$ and $B^{\pm} \to D^{*} π^{\pm}$ $C\!P$-violating observables are interpreted in terms of hadronic parameters and the CKM angle $γ$, resulting in a measurement of $γ= (92^{+21}_{-17})^{\circ}$. The total uncertainty includes the statistical and systematic uncertainties, and the uncertainty due to external strong-phase inputs.