A
bstract
We consider classically scale-invariant theories with non-minimally coupled scalar fields, where the Planck mass and the hierarchy of physical scales are dynamically generated. The ...classical theories possess a fixed point, where scale invariance is spontaneously broken. In these theories, however, the Planck mass becomes unstable in the presence of explicit sources of scale invariance breaking, such as non-relativistic matter and cosmological constant terms. We quantify the constraints on such classical models from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis that lead to an upper bound on the non-minimal coupling and require trans-Planckian field values. We show that quantum corrections to the scalar potential can stabilise the fixed point close to the minimum of the Coleman-Weinberg potential. The time-averaged motion of the evolving fixed point is strongly suppressed, thus the limits on the evolving gravitational constant from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis and other measurements do not presently constrain this class of theories. Field oscillations around the fixed point, if not damped, contribute to the dark matter density of the Universe.
Aims. We calculate constraints from current and future cosmic microwave background (CMB) measurements on annihilating dark matter (DM) with masses below the electroweak scale: mDM = 5 − 100 GeV. In ...particular, we assume the S-wave annihilation mode to be dominant, and focus our attention on the lower end of this mass range, as DM particles with masses mDM ~ 10 GeV have recently been claimed to be consistent with the CoGeNT and DAMA/LIBRA results, while also providing viable DM candidates to explain the measurements of Fermi and WMAP haze. We study the model (in)dependence of the CMB power spectra on particle physics DM models, large-scale structure formation and cosmological uncertainties. We attempt to find a simple and practical recipe for estimating current and future CMB bounds on a broad class of DM annihilation models. Methods. We use a model-independent description for DM annihilation into a wide set of Standard Model particles simulated by PYTHIA Monte Carlo. Our Markov chain Monte Carlo calculations used for finding model constraints involve realistic CMB likelihoods and assume a standard 6-parameter ΛCDM background cosmological model, which is extended by two additional DM annihilation parameters: mDM and ⟨ σAυ ⟩ /mDM. Results. We show that in the studied DM mass range the CMB signal of DM annihilations is independent of the details of large-scale structure formation, distribution, and profile of DM halos and other cosmological uncertainties. All particle physics models of DM annihilation can be described with only one parameter, the fraction of energy carried away by neutrinos in DM annihilation. As the main result we provide a simple and rather generic fitting formula for calculating CMB constraints on the annihilation cross section of light WIMPs. We show that thermal relic DM in the CoGeNT, DAMA/LIBRA favored mass range is in a serious conflict with present CMB data for the annihilation channels with few neutrinos, and will definitely be tested by the Planck mission for all possible DM annihilation channels. Also, our findings strongly disfavor the claim that thermal relic DM annihilations with mDM ~ 10 GeV and ⟨ σAυ ⟩ ~ 9 × 10-25 cm3 s-1 could be a cause of Fermi and WMAP haze.
Context. The PAMELA, Fermi and HESS experiments (PFH) have shown anomalous excesses in the cosmic positron and electron fluxes. A very exciting possibility is that those excesses are due to ...annihilating dark matter (DM). Aims. In this paper we calculate constraints on leptonically annihilating DM using observational data on diffuse extragalactic γ-ray background and measurements of the optical depth to the last-scattering surface, and compare those with the PFH favored region in the $m_{\mathrm{DM}}-\langle\sigma_A\upsilon\rangle$ plane. Methods. Having specified the detailed form of the energy input with PYTHIA Monte Carlo tools we solve the radiative transfer equation which allows us to determine the amount of energy being absorbed by the cosmic medium and also the amount left over for the diffuse gamma background. Results. We find that the constraints from the optical depth measurements are able to rule out the PFH favored region fully for the $\tau^{-}+\tau^{+}$ annihilation channel and almost fully for the $\mu^{-}+\mu^{+}$ annihilation channel. It turns out that those constraints are quite robust with almost no dependence on low redshift clustering boost. The constraints from the γ-ray background are sensitive to the assumed halo concentration model and, for the power law model, rule out the PFH favored region for all leptonic annihilation channels. We also find that it is possible to have models that fully ionize the Universe at low redshifts. However, those models produce too large free electron fractions at z ≳ 100 and are in conflict with the optical depth measurements. Also, the magnitude of the annihilation cross-section in those cases is larger than suggested by the PFH data.
We perform a thorough study of thermal leptogenesis adding finite temperature effects, RGE corrections, scatterings involving gauge bosons and by properly avoiding overcounting on-shell processes. ...Assuming hierarchical right-handed neutrinos with arbitrary abundancy, successful leptogenesis can be achieved if left-handed neutrinos are lighter than 0.15 eV and right-handed neutrinos heavier than 2×10
7 GeV (SM case, 3
σ C.L.). MSSM results are similar. Furthermore, we study how reheating after inflation affects thermal leptogenesis. Assuming that the inflaton reheats SM particles but not directly right-handed neutrinos, we derive the lower bound on the reheating temperature to be
T
RH≳2×10
9 GeV. This bound conflicts with the cosmological gravitino bound present in supersymmetric theories. We study some scenarios that avoid this conflict: ‘soft leptogenesis’, leptogenesis in presence of a large right-handed (s)neutrino abundancy or of a sneutrino condensate.
A
bstract
We study whether the hinted 750 GeV resonance at the LHC can be a Coleman-Weinberg inflaton which is non-minimally coupled to gravity. Since the inflaton must couple to new charged and ...coloured states to reproduce the LHC diphoton signature, the same interaction can generate its effective potential and trigger the electroweak symmetry breaking via the portal coupling to the Higgs boson. This inflationary scenario predicts a lower bound on the tensor-to-scalar ratio of
r
≳ 0.006, where the minimal value corresponds to the measured spectral index
n
s
≃ 0.97. However, we find that the compatibility with the LHC diphoton signal requires exotic new physics at energy scales accessible at the LHC. We study and quantify the properties of the predicted exotic particles.
The evidence for a new neutral scalar particle from the 750 GeV diphoton excess, and the absence of any other signal of new physics at the LHC so far, suggests the existence of new coloured scalars. ...To study this possibility, we propose a supersymmetry inspired simplified model, extending the Standard Model with a singlet scalar and with heavy scalar fields carrying both colour and electric charges – new scalar quarks. To allow the latter to decay, and to generate the dark matter of the Universe, we also add a neutral fermion to the particle content. We show that this model provides a two-parameter fit to the observed diphoton excess consistently with cosmology, while the allowed parameter space is bounded by the consistency of the model. In the context of our simplified model this implies the existence of other supersymmetric particles accessible at the LHC, rendering this scenario falsifiable.
Using the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) we search for spectral features in gamma -rays coming from regions corresponding to the 18 brightest nearby galaxy clusters determined by the magnitude of ...their signal line-of-sight integrals. We observe a double-peak-like excess over the diffuse power-law background at photon energies of 110 GeV and 130 GeV with a global statistical significance of up to 3.6sigma, independently confirming earlier claims of the same excess from the Galactic center. Interpreting this result as a signal of dark matter annihilations to two monochromatic photon channels in galaxy cluster halos, and fixing the annihilation cross-section from the Galactic center data, we determine the annihilation boost factor due to dark matter subhalos from the data. Our results contribute to a discrimination of the dark matter annihilations from astrophysical processes and from systematic detector effects, offering them as possible explanations for the Fermi-LAT excess.
We derive the most minimal see-saw texture from an extra-dimensional dynamics. It predicts θ13=0.078±0.015 and mee=2.6±0.4meV. Assuming thermal leptogenesis, the sign of the CP-phase measurable in ...neutrino oscillations, together with the sign of baryon asymmetry, determines the order of heavy neutrino masses. Unless heavy neutrinos are almost degenerate, successful leptogenesis fixes the lightest mass. Depending on the sign of the neutrino CP-phase, the supersymmetric version of the model with universal soft terms at high scale predicts BR(μ→eγ) or BR(τ→μγ), and gives a lower bound on the other process.
The very precise measurement of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, recently released by the Muon g-2 experiment at Fermilab, can serve to set stringent constraints on new particles. If the ...observed 4
σ
discrepancy from the Standard Model value is indeed real, it will set a tight margin on the scale of the masses and couplings of these particles. Instead, if the discrepancy is simply a result of additional theoretical and experimental uncertainties to be included, strong constraints can be put on their parameters. In this mini-review, we summarize the impact of the latest muon g-2 measurement on new fermions that are predicted by a wide range of new physics models and with exotic quantum numbers and interactions. We will particularly discuss the case of vector-like leptons, excited leptons, and supersymmetric fermions, as well as spin-3/2 isosinglet fermions, which have been advocated recently.