Many astronomical observations, including rotational curve measurements of stars and the analysis of the cosmic microwave background, suggest the existence of an invisible matter density content in the Universe, commonly called Dark Matter (DM). Possibly, DM could be of particle nature, where Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) could be a viable DM candidate. The cubic-kilometer sized IceCube neutrino observatory located at the Earth’s South Pole can search indirectly for the existence of DM by detecting neutrino signals from WIMP self-annihilation in the Galactic center (GC) and the Galactic halo (GH). Two main physics analyses were developed and conducted to search indirectly for WIMP self-annihilation in the Milky Way’s GC and GH. Signal hypotheses for different WIMP annihilation channels, WIMP masses and DM halo profiles were tested. The results of both analyses were compatible with the background-only hypothesis for all tested signal hypotheses. Thus, upper limits at the 90% confidence level (C.L.) on the thermally averaged DM self-annihilation cross-section, &lt;σΑv&gt;, were set. Dedicated atmospheric muon veto techniques have been developed for the GC search making such an IceCube analysis possible for the first time. The GC analysis utilized data from 319.7 days of live-time of the IceCube detector running in its 79-string configuration during 2010 and 2011, whereas the GH analysis utilized pre-existing data samples developed for point-like neutrino sources with a live-time of 1701.9 days between 2008 and 2013. The most stringent upper limits on &lt;σΑv&gt; were obtained for WIMP annihilation directly into a pair of neutrinos assuming a Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) DM halo profile. Conducting the GC and GH analyses for this annihilation channel an upper limit on &lt;σΑv&gt; as low as 4.0 · 10-24 cm3 s-1 and 4.5 · 10-24 cm3 s-1 is set for a 65 GeV and 500 GeV massive WIMP, respectively. These galactic indirect neutrino searches for DM are complementary to the indirect gamma-ray DM searches usually performed on extra-galactic targets like spheroidal dwarf galaxies. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Manuscript.</p>

In the presented diploma thesis we study the reconstruction of the top antitop system in proton-proton colisions with central mass energy 7 TeV de- livered by LHC accelerator at CERN to the ATLAS experiment. ALPGEN and MC@NLO generators are described as two main method of top antitop pairs simulations. We compare events simulated by generators to data from LHC. The background and selection criteria are summarized. Next we de- scribed various methods of the top antitop reconstruction. Finally the Z particle was also studied. 1

O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi obter a produção das partículas estranhas K0, e em colisões entre íons pesados relativísticos para ÖsNN = 62.4 GeV, bem como estudar o comportamento sistemático dessa produção em função da energia. Para isso, utilizamos os dados provenientes da colisão de íons pesados relativísticos obtidos pelo experimento STAR do RHIC. O objetivo deste trabalho também foi o de estudar dois estágios específicos da evolução do fireball formado nessas colisões: os chamados freeze-out químico e térmico. Estes estágios (ou fases) foram estudadas a partir das razões entre diversas partículas e da distribuição de momento transversal das mesmas, comparando os resultados com previsões e ajustes de modelos térmicos, a fim de avaliar possíveis efeitos da formação de um Plasma de Quarks e Gluons (QGP) em equilíbrio térmico sobre os hádrons medidos pelo experimento. O freeze-out químico foi estudado a partir das razões entre abundâncias de partículas produzidas na colisão, que foram comparadas a ajustes de um modelo térmico que trata o fireball como um gás de hádrons em equilíbrio (THERMUS) e aos resultados de um modelo que não assume esse equilíbrio (SHM). Com essa abordagem, verificamos que o modelo THERMUS ajusta bem os dados experimentais para uma ampla faixa de energias de colisão, principalmente para 62.4 GeV. Os parâmetros termodinâmicos obtidos foram estudados em função da energia para verificarmos se há um comportamento suave do sistema ou mudanças abruptas. O estudo indicou que esse comportamento é suave com a energia. Ainda neste estudo do freeze-out químico, comparamos os resultados do modelo THERMUS com os resultados do modelo que considera o não ? equilíbrio químico, o SHM. Nesta comparação, a razão apresentou um comportamento interessante, sugerindo que a energias mais baixas o sistema se comporta conforme a prescrição do modelo SHM, enquanto que o modelo que considera o fireball como um gás de hádrons em equilíbrio, novamente, demonstrou melhor compatibilidade a energias mais altas, reafirmando aqui a indicação de uma possível formação de um sistema termalizado. O freeze-out cinético/térmico foi estudado com os espectros de momento transversal, considerando um modelo fenomenológico inspirado na hidrodinâmica. Os resultados mostram que eventos mais centrais apresentam uma velocidade de expansão maior e uma temperatura menor, condizente com uma fonte que tem um gradiente de pressão maior. Também foi observado que a partícula ? apresenta sempre uma temperatura maior que as outras partículas (p, ?, ?) indicando um desacoplamento anterior dessas partículas em relação às outras. Finalmente, estudamos a utilização do SVT para a reconstrução de V0s, procurando compreender a maneira correta de se utilizar este detector na análise. Os resultados mostram que a utilização desse detector pode levar a uma melhora na eficiência e na pureza durante a reconstrução dessas partículas. / The main goal of this work was to measure the production of the singly strange particles, such as K0, and in Au+Au collisions at ?sNN = 62.4 GeV, inserting these results in a systematic energy scan study. The data were obtained from the STAR detector, one of the RHIC experiments. In addition, we have used the particle production in these collision to study two specific stages of the fireball evolution: the chemical and kinetic freeze-outs. These two stages were studied comparing the ratio between different particles (strange or not) and also the transverse momentum distribution with thermal models fits in order to check possible effects of equilibrated Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP) in the hadron production. The chemical freeze-out was studied comparing the ratios between particles produced in the collision with two different thermal models: one which assumes a equilibrated hadron gas (THERMUS) and another one which assumes a possible non-equilibrated system (SHM). The experimental data were well described by the THERMUS model fit in a great range of energy collisions, mainly at 62.4 GeV. The thermodynamic parameters had been studied as function of the energy in order to verify if it has a smooth or abrupt behavior. The result indicated that this behavior is very smooth with energy. We also compared these results with SHM\'s predictions and, in this comparison, the ratio presented an interesting behavior, suggesting that at low energies the fireball consists of a non-equilibrated system, such as described by SHM model, whereas the model that considers the fireball as a equilibrated hadron gas. The kinetic freeze-out was studied with the transverse momentum spectra using a hydrodynamics inspired model. The results indicate that for the most central events there is a higher expanding velocity and a lower freeze-out temperature. It was also observed that for the particle, the freeze-out temperature is higher than the one for other particles (?, K, p) indicating an earlier decoupling of these particles from the fireball. Finally, we have studied the inclusion for the SVT in the V0 reconstruction analysis, trying to optimize this detector usage in the analysis. The results show that the inclusion of this detector in the analysis can improve the efficiency and purity of the V0 reconstruction in the STAR experiment.

Este trabalho descreve a construção e testes de um calorímetro eletromagnético de criptônio liquido utilizando uma geometria projetiva na forma de acordeom para os absorvedores eletrodos. Testes do calorímetro com feixes de elétrons de energia entre 20 e 200 GeV, realizados na linha de feixe H4 do acelerador SPS do CERN, apontam para uma resolução em energia de 5.63/(E[GeV] )0.26)% e uma não linearidade integral máxima de +/- 0,3%. O calorímetro é dividido longitudinalmente em 3 seções, sendo a primeira altamente segmentada transversalmente em uma direção, formando um pre-shower integrado ao calorímetro. A posição de incidência da partícula no calorímetro pode ser determinada com uma resolução de 2.16/(E[GeV] )0,19 7.93 / E[GeV])mm no pre-shower e o ângulo de incidência da partícula (utilizando a informação de posição das outras seções) com uma resolução de (32.01/(E[GeV] ) 0.95 44 /E[GeV])mrad. Os sinais do calorímetro permitem a realização de medidas de tempo com uma resolução de 290ps com elétrons de 120 GeV. Também são apresentados e discutidos o efeito da presença de material inativo na resolução em energia, a resposta do calorímetro a múons e os resultados da comparação entre simulações de Monte Carlo com medidas feitas com feixes de partículas. Por fim, é feito um estudo comparativo da resolução em energia obtida com este calorímetro e com um calorímetro de argônio liquido de geometria semelhante. / This work describes the construction and tests of a liquid krypton electromagnetic calorimeter employing an accordion shaped projective geometry for the absorbers and electrodes. The tests of the calorimeter using electron beams of energy ranging from 20 to 200 GeV and a muon beam of 225 GeV, from the H4 beam line of the CERN SPS, showed an energy resolution of 5,63/(E[GeV] ) 0.26)% and a maximum integral non-linearity of +/- 0.3%. the calorimeter is divided longitudinally in 3 sections, the first one being highly segmented on the transversal direction, operating as a pre-shower integrated on the calorimeter. The position of incidence for a particle in the calorimeter can be determined with a resolution of (2.16/E[GeV] 0.19 7.93 /E[GeV])mm on the pre-shower and the angle of incidence (using the position information from all sections) with a resolution of (32.01/E[GeV] 0.95 44 /E[GeV])mrad. The calorimeter signal allow timing measurements to be performed with a resolution of 290ps for 120 GeV electrons. It is also presented and discussed the energy resolution behavior in the presence of dead material in front of the calorimeter, the calorimeter response to muons and the comparison between the results from data and Monte Carlo calculations. Finally, it is presented a comparative study between the energy resolution of this calorimeter and a liquid argon calorimeter employing a similar accordion shaped geometry.

O modelo padrão da física de partículas descreve com sucesso as interações eletrofracas e fortes da natureza, pois suas previsões estão de acordo com os dados experimentais. Nesse trabalho estudamos a fenomenologia desse modelo para aprodução de léptons da quarta geração. Argumentamos que embora as seções de choque para esses processos sejam pequenas, da ordem de 30fb, eles são a melhor alternativa para observar uma quarta geração de férmions acoplada com os modos excitados dos bósons de KK, sendo a observação desse sinal necessária para corroborar esse modelo de quebra da simetria eletrofraca. / In this paper we study the phenomenology of this model for the production of leptons of the fourth generation. We argue that although the cross sections for these processes are small, or order 30fb, they are the best way to see a fourth generation of fermions coupled with the modes of excited bosons KK, and the observation of this signal required to support this model electroweak symmetry breaking.

Within the inflationary paradigm, our patch of the universe near the end of inflation is highly homogeneous and isotropic as necessitated by cosmic microwave background observations. This patch, however, is also in a cold and non-thermal state. A successful model of an inflationary primordial universe should account for how the universe transitioned from an inflationary to a radiation-dominated, hot, thermal phase required for the production of light elements via big-bang nucleosynthesis. It is desirable for such a model also to include a mechanism for the generation of the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry and perhaps a primordial mechanism for the generation of cosmic magnetic fields. The transition from an inflationary to a radiation-dominated, thermal phase (reheating) is likely to be phenomenologically rich. Reheating could include explosive particle production and various other non-perturbative, non-linear and non-equilibrium phenomena. Reheating can leave its own observational signatures in the form of gravitational waves and non-Gaussianities. Importantly, reheating can also affect the observational predictions of the preceding phase of inflation. Reheating remains an active field of research, with significant gaps in our understanding of the process. This thesis is an attempt to improve our understanding of the period following inflation, including reheating, through an exploration and analysis of realistic post-inflationary models with the aid of detailed numerical simulations. The focus of the studies is on aspects of the models with potential observational implications. In Part I of this thesis, we provide an overview of inflation and its end, concentrating on our current understanding of reheating and the challenges we face in trying to constrain reheating observationally. In Part II, we consider the post-inflationary expansion history in a broad class of observationally-favoured single-field models of inflation. Generally, the ambiguity in the expansion history of reheating can cause significant uncertainty in predictions for inflationary observables such as the spectral index, n_s, and the tensor-to-scalar ratio, r. The work in this part considers the full non-linear evolution of the inflaton during the initial stages of reheating and places bounds on the post-inflationary expansion history when perturbative couplings of the inflaton to other relativistic fields are included. In Part III, we investigate non-perturbative particle production and non-linear dynamics after inflation in models where the inflaton is charged under global/local symmetries. We first explore the effects of the non-linear inflaton dynamics for the generation of matter-antimatter asymmetry in the case where a global U(1) symmetry of the inflaton is weakly broken. We find a parameter range in which the model successfully predicts the observed baryon-to-photon ratio. We then consider the particle production during and after inflation in models with a charged inflaton under Abelian, U(1), and non-Abelian, SU(2) and U(1) x SU(2), gauge symmetries. Finally, we present a novel algorithm for evolving the full set of coupled, non-linear equations describing the U(1) charged inflaton and accompanying gauge fields on a lattice in an expanding universe. The novel feature here is that the gauge constraints are satisfied to machine precision when the gravitational dynamics are self-consistently included at the background level, and there are no restrictions on the order of the time-integrators.

O Grande Colisor de Hádrons (Large Hadron Collider - LHC) é um acelerador de prótons e íons pesados localizado no CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire). Em um de seus experimentos, ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment ), está sendo projetado um detector dedicado a explorar os aspectos únicos de colisões núcleo-núcleo. A principal finalidade do ALICE é estudar a formação de um novo estado da matéria, o plasma de quarks e glúon. Para isto devem-se ter medidas precisas de hádrons, elétrons, múons e fótons produzidos em colisões chumbo-chumbo. Assim está sendo proposto um calorímetro frontal (Foward Calorimeter - FoCal) como um upgrade para o ALICE. A função deste calorímetro é o estudo das funções de distribuição de pártons (Partons distribuction Functions - PDF) no regime de pequenos valores do x de Bjorken. Nesta região é esperado que estas PDFs tenham um comportamento não linear devido ao processo de saturação de glúons. Para o estudo desta região é necessária a medida de fótons diretos produzidos na colisão. Estes, por sua vez, ficam mascarados pelo fundo de fótons provenientes do decaimento de píon, o que leva a uma necessidade de suas identificações. Com isto surge a oportunidade para a utilização do método de clusterização que é uma ferramenta de mineração de dados. Este trabalho contribuiu para o desenvolvimento inicial de um algoritmo de clusterização para o calorímetro FoCal. / The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a CERN\'s accelerator that collides protons and heavy ions. One of its experiments, ALICE, is building a new detector to explore new aspects of heavy ions collisions. The Alice\'s main goal is to study the formation of quark-gluon plasma (QGP). To do that it\'s necessary to get accurate data on hadrons, electrons, muons and gammas created in lead-lead collision. So, to accomplish that a new calorimeter is in study to scan the foward region of experiment, the Foward Calorimeter (FoCal). It\'s proposed to study Parton Distribution Functions (PDFs) in a regime of very small Bjorken-x, where it is expected that the PDFs evolve non-linearly due to the high gluon densities, a phenomena referred to as gluon saturation.But to do that it\'s required to measure the direct gammas created on collision. These fotons are blended on by fotons descendant of pion. So there\'s a need to separate it from the direct gammas. One way to solve this problem is to use clustering methods (a type of mining data algorithm). This work helped on early stages of development that clustering algorithm.

This project contributes to the research and development studies towards successful commissioning of the SuperKEKB electron-positron collider. This accelerator and storage rings complex aims at delivering the high-luminosity collisions of beams of electrons and positrons needed for the Belle II experiment. Such beams produce parasitic radiation—called “machine-induced backgrounds”, or simply “beam backgrounds” — that have detrimental effects on the experimental apparatus performance and durability. The Beast II effort is dedicated to measuring the beam backgrounds, and aims at testing the predictive power of the background models that were used in various phases of the Belle II design. A second objective is to ensure that the environment is safe for the detector prior to installing it around the beam lines. A major component of beam backgrounds consists of electromagnetic radiation. This study focusses on measuring this radiation at the location of the Belle II electromagnetic calorimeter. The measurements were achieved by placing scintillator crystals at positions representative of the Belle II calorimeter crystals that are the closest to the beam lines, and comparing the data with predictions for different operating parameters of the accelerator. Different phenomena related to machine backgrounds were observed: vacuum scrubbing, the electron-cloud effect, injection-related noise, beam-gas scattering and Touschek losses. Studies on the positron ring showed average background levels 13.5 +/- 3.5 times larger than simulation, whereas that ratio reached O(100-1000) for the electron ring. In the latter, the large uncertainty on the pressure measurements and the gas constituents limit the predictive power of the measurements. Radiation shields were also designed, fabricated, delivered and installed in the detector to protect the electromagnetic calorimeter from radiation coming from the beam lines. / Graduate

A física de altas energias, mais especificamente o estudo de colisões entre de íons pesados relativísticos tem como objetivo o estudo do comportamento de quarks e glúons em condições extremas de temperatura, pressão e densidade. Tais condições levam à formação de um novo estado da matéria chamado Plasma de Quarks e Glúons (QGP, do inglês Quark-Gluon Plasma). Medidas de observáveis globais tem sido usadas como uma importante ferramenta para a caracterização desse novo estado. Entre esses observáveis, a energia transversal por unidade de rapidez (dET/dy) das partículas emitidas em uma colisão entre íons pesados pode ser usada como evidência da formação do QGP. Este trabalho propõe um procedimento para obtenção da energia transversal eletromagnética, que é um importante componente da energia transversal total, em colisões Pb-Pb no experimento ALICE no LHC. O estudo foi feito através de simulações de Monte Carlo e validou o procedimento proposto com uma diferença sistemática em função da centralidade em torno de 2%. / High energy physics with heavy ion collisions studies quarks and gluons under extreme conditions of temperature, pressure and density. Such conditions lead to the formation of a new state of matter called the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). The measurement of global observables have been used as an important tool for the characterization of this new state. Among these observables, the transverse energy per unit of rapidity (dET/dy) from particles emitted in a heavy ion collision can be used as evidence of QGP formation. The work proposes a procedure to obtain the transverse electromagnetic energy, an important component of total transverse energy, in Pb-Pb collisions measured by the LHC-ALICE experiment. The study was done using Monte Carlo simulations, and validated the proposed procedure with a systematic difference as function of the centrality around 2%.

This thesis documents two studies of the neutral charm meson system using the LHCb detector, and gives an overview of the numerous changes made to the LHCb software trigger in advance of Run 2 of the LHC. In the first analysis, amplitude models are applied to studies of the resonance structure in D⁰ &rarr; K⁰_SK^−&pi;⁺ and D⁰ &rarr; K⁰_SK⁺&pi;^− decays using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb^−1, collected during Run 1 of the LHC. Relative magnitude and phase information is determined, and coherence factors and related observables are computed for both the whole phase space and a restricted region of 100 MeV/c² around the K&ast;(892)^± resonance. Two formulations for the K&pi; S-wave are used, both of which give a good description of the data. The ratio of branching fractions B (D⁰&rarr; K⁰_SK⁺&pi;^−) /B (D⁰&rarr; K⁰_SK^−&pi;⁺) is measured to be 0.655 ± 0.004 (stat) ± 0.006 (syst) over the full phase space and 0.370 ± 0.003 (stat) ± 0.012 (syst) in the restricted region. A search for CP violation is performed using the amplitude models and no significant effect is found. Predictions from SU(3) flavour symmetry for K&ast;(892)K amplitudes of different charges are compared with the amplitude model results, and marginal agreement is found. The second study estimates the sensitivity to D⁰–D⁰ mixing and indirect CP violation parameters that can be achieved using a model-independent technique and the samples of D⁰&rarr; K⁰_SK⁺K^− decays recorded by LHCb in Run 1 and Run 2 of the LHC. These studies show that constraints on these parameters could be significantly improved by an analysis of the anticipated Run 2 dataset.