[Aperitivo Scientifico] The X17 puzzle

by Michele Viviani (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

Friday 3 Dec 2021, 11:30 → 13:30 Europe/Rome

Aula Piano 2 (D028/D029/D030) (DIFA (Berti Pichat))

Zoom Room:
https://cern.zoom.us/j/61372856796?pwd=TzRUTkVxRExNY0x3c051N0ZqcEtFdz09

Abstract:

A spectacular anomaly has been recently observed in the emission of electron-positron pairs in the 7Li(p,e+e-)8Be and 3H(p, e+e-)4He reactions. This anomaly has been interpreted as the signature of a particle, not foreseen in the Standard Model, with mass 16.8 MeV (hereafter called the X17 boson). Various theoretical speculations have been advanced as, for example, that the X17 boson could be either a mediator of a fifth force, characterized by a strong coupling suppression of protons compared to neutrons, or that could be an axion-like-particle. This scenario could explain, at least partially, the long standing anomaly of the magnetic moment of muon found experimentally. In order to test these hypothesis, it is important to properly treat the nuclear dynamics. In this talk, we present the results of a theoretical study of the 3H(p, e+e-)4He and 3He(n, e+e-)4He reactions, and discuss how the different scenarios agree with the available experimental data. We also present the current experimental activities trying to solve this puzzle, as, for example, that being developed by the n_TOF collaboration at CERN.

bolo21.pdf