Reuse & Permissions

It is not necessary to obtain permission to reuse this article or its components as it is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI are maintained. Please note that some figures may have been included with permission from other third parties. It is your responsibility to obtain the proper permission from the rights holder directly for these figures.

Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation
  • Open Access

Robust determination of antinuclei production from dark matter via weakly decaying beauty hadrons

Mattia Di Mauro1,*, Adil Jueid2,†, Jordan Koechler1,‡, and Roberto Ruiz de Austri3,§

  • *Contact author: dimauro.mattia@gmail.com
  • †Contact author: adiljueid@ibs.re.kr
  • ‡Contact author: jordan.koechler@gmail.com
  • §Contact author: rruiz@ific.uv.es

Phys. Rev. D 112, 083017 – Published 7 October, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/s6cm-45b4

Abstract

Recently, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) Collaboration presented tentative evidence for the detection of cosmic antihelion-3 (He3¯) events, alongside a comparable number of antideuterons (D¯). If confirmed, these observations could revolutionize our understanding of cosmic-ray production and propagation and/or serve as compelling indirect evidence for dark matter. Given that the detection of cosmic D¯ is already at the limit of AMS-02 sensitivity, explaining the observation of He3¯ even within the standard coalescence framework poses a significant challenge. It has recently been shown that a previously overlooked mechanism within the Standard Model of particle physics—namely, the production of antihelion via the displaced-vertex decay of Λ¯b0 baryons—could substantially enhance the He3¯ flux arising from dark matter-induced processes. In light of these challenges, we present a tuning of pythia that is consistent with LEP data on the fragmentation function of b quarks into b hadrons—a critical factor for determining the Λ¯b0 multiplicity—and with ALICE and ALEPH data for the D¯ and He3¯ spectra, which we employ to determine our coalescence model. Our refined pythia tuning, in conjunction with our coalescence model, results in a predicted branching ratio for the production of He3¯ from Λ¯b0 decays that is consistent with the recent upper limit measured by LHCb. Furthermore, our prediction indicates that the contribution of D¯ and He3¯ from beauty-hadron decays is negligible relative to the direct production from hadronization.

View figure in article

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Article Text

References (86)

  1. M. Cirelli, A. Strumia, and J. Zupan, arXiv:2406.01705.
  2. J. M. Gaskins, Contemp. Phys. 57, 496 (2016).
  3. E. Charles et al. (Fermi-LAT Collaboration), Phys. Rep. 636, 1 (2016).
  4. M. Di Mauro, F. Donato, N. Fornengo, and A. Vittino, J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 05 (2016) 031.
  5. M. Di Mauro and F. Donato, Phys. Rev. D 91, 123001 (2015).
  6. Y. Génolini, M. Boudaud, M. Cirelli, L. Derome, J. Lavalle, D. Maurin, P. Salati, and N. Weinrich, Phys. Rev. D 104, 083005 (2021).
  7. M. Di Mauro and M. W. Winkler, Phys. Rev. D 103, 123005 (2021).
  8. A. McDaniel, M. Ajello, C. M. Karwin, M. Di Mauro, A. Drlica-Wagner, and M. A. Sánchez-Conde, Phys. Rev. D 109, 063024 (2024).
  9. S. Balan, F. Kahlhoefer, M. Korsmeier, S. Manconi, and K. Nippel, J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 08 (2023) 052.
  10. F. Donato, N. Fornengo, and P. Salati, Phys. Rev. D 62, 043003 (2000).
  11. M. Cirelli, N. Fornengo, M. Taoso, and A. Vittino, J. High Energy Phys. 08 (2014) 009.
  12. E. Carlson, A. Coogan, T. Linden, S. Profumo, A. Ibarra, and S. Wild, Phys. Rev. D 89, 076005 (2014).
  13. A. Ibarra and S. Wild, J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 02 (2013) 021.
  14. N. Fornengo, L. Maccione, and A. Vittino, J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 09 (2013) 031.
  15. J. Herms, A. Ibarra, A. Vittino, and S. Wild, J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 02 (2017) 018.
  16. M. Korsmeier, F. Donato, and N. Fornengo, Phys. Rev. D 97, 103011 (2018).
  17. P. De La Torre Luque, M. W. Winkler, and T. Linden, J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 10 (2024) 017.
  18. J. Heisig, M. Korsmeier, M. Krämer, K. Nippel, and L. Rathmann, J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 11 (2024) 017.
  19. P. von Doetinchem et al., Proc. Sci. ICRC2015 (2016) 1218 [arXiv:1507.02712].
  20. K. Sakai et al. (BESS Collaboration), Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 131001 (2024).
  21. V. Choutko and F. Giovacchini, in International Cosmic Ray Conference (2008), Vol. 4, pp. 765–768.
  22. T. Aramaki, C. J. Hailey, S. E. Boggs, P. von Doetinchem, H. Fuke, S. I. Mognet, R. A. Ong, K. Perez, and J. Zweerink (GAPS Collaboration), Astropart. Phys. 74, 6 (2016).
  23. S. Ting, The first five years of the alpha magnetic spectrometer on the international space station: Unlocking the secrets of the cosmos, CERN, 2016.
  24. P. Zuccon, Ams-02 results & upgrade, MIAPP (2022).
  25. S. Lu, Cosmic ray antideuteron search with alpha magnetic spectrometer (ams), MIAPP (2022).
  26. M. W. Winkler and T. Linden, Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 101101 (2021).
  27. M. Di Mauro, N. Fornengo, A. Jueid, R. R. de Austri, and F. Bellini, arXiv:2411.04815.
  28. S. Schael et al. (ALEPH Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B 639, 192 (2006).
  29. S. Acharya et al. (ALICE Collaboration), Phys. Rev. C 97, 024615 (2018).
  30. M. Kachelriess, S. Ostapchenko, and J. Tjemsland, arXiv:2105.00799.
  31. M. W. Winkler and T. Linden, arXiv:2106.00053.
  32. C. Amsler et al. (Particle Data Group), Phys. Lett. B 667, 1 (2008).
  33. P. Abreu et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 73, 11 (1996).
  34. P. Skands, S. Carrazza, and J. Rojo, Eur. Phys. J. C 74, 3024 (2014).
  35. C. Caso et al. (Particle Data Group), Eur. Phys. J. C 3, 1 (1998).
  36. Y. S. Amhis et al. (HFLAV Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 81, 226 (2021).
  37. R.-D. Moise, Proc. Sci. ICHEP2024 (2025) 676.
  38. C. Bierlich et al., SciPost Phys. Codebases 2022, 8 (2022).
  39. C. Bierlich et al., SciPost Phys. 8, 026 (2020).
  40. A. Buckley, H. Hoeth, H. Lacker, H. Schulz, and J. E. von Seggern, Eur. Phys. J. C 65, 331 (2010).
  41. S. Amoroso, S. Caron, A. Jueid, R. Ruiz de Austri, and P. Skands, J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 05 (2019) 007.
  42. A. Jueid, J. Kip, R. R. de Austri, and P. Skands, J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 04 (2023) 068.
  43. A. Jueid, J. Kip, R. R. de Austri, and P. Skands, J. High Energy Phys. 02 (2024) 119.
  44. C. Arina, M. Di Mauro, N. Fornengo, J. Heisig, A. Jueid, and R. R. de Austri, J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 03 (2024) 035.
  45. F. James and M. Roos, Comput. Phys. Commun. 10, 343 (1975).
  46. D. Decamp et al. (ALEPH Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B 273, 181 (1991).
  47. D. Buskulic et al. (ALEPH Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B 365, 437 (1996).
  48. R. Barate et al. (ALEPH Collaboration), Phys. Rep. 294, 1 (1998).
  49. R. Barate et al. (ALEPH Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 74, 451 (1997).
  50. R. Barate et al. (ALEPH Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 16, 613 (2000).
  51. A. Heister et al. (ALEPH Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B 512, 30 (2001).
  52. A. Heister et al. (ALEPH Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 35, 457 (2004).
  53. P. Abreu et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 50, 185 (1991).
  54. P. Abreu et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B 318, 249 (1993).
  55. P. Abreu et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 65, 587 (1995).
  56. P. Abreu et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 67, 1 (1995).
  57. P. Abreu et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Nucl. Phys. B444, 3 (1995).
  58. W. Adam et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 69, 561 (1996).
  59. P. Abreu et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 73, 61 (1996).
  60. P. Abreu et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B 398, 194 (1997).
  61. P. Abreu et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 5, 585 (1998).
  62. P. Abreu et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B 474, 205 (2000).
  63. P. Abreu et al. (DELPHI Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 14, 557 (2000).
  64. B. Adeva et al. (L3 Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B 259, 199 (1991).
  65. B. Adeva et al. (L3 Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 55, 39 (1992).
  66. M. Acciarri et al. (L3 Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B 328, 223 (1994).
  67. M. Acciarri et al. (L3 Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B 345, 589 (1995).
  68. P. Achard et al. (L3 Collaboration), Phys. Rep. 399, 71 (2004).
  69. P. D. Acton et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 53, 539 (1992).
  70. R. Akers et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 63, 181 (1994).
  71. R. Akers et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 67, 389 (1995).
  72. K. Ackerstaff et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 74, 413 (1997).
  73. G. Alexander et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 70, 197 (1996).
  74. G. Alexander et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Z. Phys. C 73, 569 (1997).
  75. G. Abbiendi et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B 444, 539 (1998).
  76. K. Ackerstaff et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 5, 411 (1998).
  77. K. Ackerstaff et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 7, 369 (1999).
  78. G. Abbiendi et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 13, 185 (2000).
  79. G. Abbiendi et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 17, 373 (2000).
  80. G. Abbiendi et al. (OPAL Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 19, 257 (2001).
  81. K. Abe et al. (SLD Collaboration), Phys. Rev. D 59, 052001 (1999).
  82. K. Abe et al. (SLD Collaboration), Phys. Rev. D 69, 072003 (2004).
  83. J. Pumplin, D. Stump, R. Brock, D. Casey, J. Huston, J. Kalk, H. L. Lai, and W. K. Tung, Phys. Rev. D 65, 014013 (2001).
  84. S. Schael, R. Barate, R. Brunelière et al., Phys. Lett. B 639, 192 (2006).
  85. R. Aaij et al. (LHCb Collaboration), Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 081901 (2024).
  86. S. Navas et al. (Particle Data Group), Phys. Rev. D 110, 030001 (2024).

Outline

Information

Sign In to Your Journals Account

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation