Mirror Matter in Ortho-positronium Decay Searches Using the J-PET Detector
J. Mędrala-Sowa, E. Perez del Rio, P. Moskal
published in: Acta Phys. Pol. B Proc. Suppl. 17 (2024) 7-A8
Positronium (Ps), governed by Quantum Electrodynamics (QED), provides a rich domain for exploring fundamental physics. Monte Carlo simulations of its decay provide insights into various aspects of particle physics. The development of J-PET, an innovative tomography system at the Jagiellonian University using high-resolution scintillator detectors, facilitates interdisciplinary studies encompassing fundamental physics tests, medical research, and quantum entanglement measurements but also enhances our capacity to investigate positronium decays in pursuit of potential dark matter (DM) candidates, a lingering enigma within the current Standard Model (SM) framework. In our research, we employ the J-PET detector to study ortho-positronium (o-Ps) decays as a part of our ongoing quest for the discovery of DM. Our primary goal is to explore mirror matter, which seeks to restore parity invariance and is proposed as a candidate for the Universe?s DM. Our study aims to push the boundaries of precision measurement in the decay width of o-Ps to three gamma quanta, contributing to our understanding of the elusive nature of dark matter. The article presents the preliminary lifetime distribution of o-Ps as a search for mirror matter obtained from data collected during a portion of a long-term measurement conducted with the J-PET detector in 2020. The long-term aim of the study is to achieve 10^-6 lifetime sensitivity.
Feasibility studies of dark photon searches with the J-PET detector
J. Mędrala-Sowa, E. Perez del Rio, W. Krzemień
published in: Acta Phys. Pol. B Proc. Suppl. 17 (2024) 1-A5
The positronium, a bound state of electron and positron, is a unique system to perform highly precise tests, due to no hadronic background and precise Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) predictions. Being a system of lepton and antilepton, its properties are precisely described by QED in the Standard Model (SM). The final events topology can be simulated using Monte Carlo techniques. The J-PET detector is a multi-purpose, large acceptance system that is very well-suitable to the studies of positronium decay due to its excellent angular (1?) and timing resolutions. We present preliminary results on the feasibility of searching for Dark Matter (DM) candidates in the decay o-Ps -> invisible with the J-PET, which is wellsuited for the detection of positronium-decay products. Toy Monte Carlo simulations have been prepared to incorporate DM decay models to the oPs decay expectations in order to assess the detector capabilities to search for such an elusive component of our Universe.
abstractSymposium on new trends in Nuclear and Medical Physics