Search for a feebly interacting particle X in the decay K+ → π+X

A bstract A search for the K + → π + X decay, where X is a long-lived feebly interacting particle, is performed through an interpretation of the K + → $$ {\pi}^{+}\nu \overline{\nu} $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>π</mml:mi> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> </mml:msup> <mml:mi>ν</mml:mi> <mml:mover> <mml:mi>ν</mml:mi> <mml:mo>¯</mml:mo> </mml:mover> </mml:math> analysis of data collected in 2017 by the NA62 experiment at CERN. Two ranges of X masses, 0–110 MeV /c 2 and 154–260 MeV /c 2 , and lifetimes above 100 ps are considered. The limits set on the branching ratio, BR( K + → π + X ), are competitive with previously reported searches in the first mass range, and improve on current limits in the second mass range by more than an order of magnitude.