Search

We present a cosmological solution to the electroweak hierarchy problem. After discussing general features of cosmological approaches to naturalness, we extend the Standard Model with two light scalars very weakly coupled to the Higgs and present the mechanism, which we recently introduced in a companion paper to explain jointly the electroweak hierarchy and the strong-CP problem. In this work we show that this solution can be decoupled from the strong-CP problem and discuss its possible implementations and phenomenology. The mechanism works with any standard inflationary sector, it does not require weak-scale inflation or a large number of e-folds, and does not introduce ambiguities related to eternal inflation. The cutoff of the theory can be as large as the Planck scale, both for the Cosmological Constant and for the Higgs sector. Reproducing the observed dark matter relic density fixes the couplings of the two new scalars to the Standard Model, offering a target to future axion or fifth force searches. Depending on the specific interaction of the scalars with the Standard Model, the mechanism either yields rich phenomenology at colliders or provides a novel joint solution to the strong-CP problem. We highlight what predictions are common to most realizations of cosmological selection of the weak scale and will allow to test this general framework in the near future., 41 pages, 11 figures

We present a novel framework to solve simultaneously the electroweak hierarchy problem and the strong-CP problem. A small but finite Higgs vacuum expectation value and a small $\theta$-angle are selected after the QCD phase transition, without relying on the Peccei-Quinn mechanism or other traditional solutions. We predict a distinctive pattern of correlated signals at hadronic EDM, fuzzy dark matter and axion experiments. We present a novel framework to solve simultaneously the electroweak-hierarchy problem and the strong-CP problem. A small but finite Higgs vacuum expectation value and a small θ angle are selected after the QCD phase transition, without relying on the Peccei-Quinn mechanism or other traditional solutions. We predict a distinctive pattern of correlated signals at hadronic EDM, fuzzy dark matter, and axion experiments.

Journal of cosmology and astroparticle physics 2021(10), 001 (2021). doi:10.1088/1475-7516/2021/10/001, We show that dark matter can be accounted for by an axion that solves the strong CP problem, but is much lighter than usual due to a $Z_\mathcal{N}$ symmetry. The whole mass range from the canonical QCD axion down to the ultra-light regime is allowed, with $3\le\mathcal{N}\lesssim65$. This includes the first proposal of a 'fuzzy dark matter' QCD axion with $m_a\sim10^{-22}$ eV. A novel misalignment mechanism occurs - trapped misalignment - due to the peculiar temperature dependence of the $Z_{\mathcal{N}}$ axion potential. The dark matter relic density is enhanced because the axion field undergoes two stages of oscillations: it is first trapped in the wrong minimum, which effectively delays the onset of true oscillations. Trapped misalignment is more general than the setup discussed here, and may hold whenever an extra source of Peccei-Quinn breaking appears at high temperatures. Furthermore, it will be shown that trapped misalignment can dynamically source the recently proposed kinetic misalignment mechanism. All the parameter space is within tantalizing reach of the experimental projects for the next decades. For instance, even Phase I of CASPEr-Electric could discover this axion., Published by IOP, London

We propose two models where a U(1) Peccei-Quinn global symmetry arises accidentally and is respected up to high-dimensional operators, so that the axion solution to the strong CP problem is successful even in the presence of Planck-suppressed operators. One model is SU$(N)$ gauge interactions with fermions in the fundamental and a scalar in the symmetric. The axion arises from spontaneous symmetry breaking to SO$(N)$, that confines at a lower energy scale. Axion quality in the model needs $N \gtrsim 10$. SO bound states and possibly monopoles provide extra Dark Matter candidates beyond the axion. In the second model the scalar is in the anti-symmetric: SU$(N)$ broken to Sp$(N)$ needs even $N \gtrsim 20$. The cosmological DM abundance, consisting of axions and/or super-heavy relics, can be reproduced if the PQ symmetry is broken before inflation (Boltzmann-suppressed production of super-heavy relics) or after (super-heavy relics in thermal equilibrium get partially diluted by dark glue-ball decays)., Comment: 26 pages, 5 figures. v3: extra application mentioned; dilution factor in eq. (27) corrected, qualitative conclusions unchanged

In this paper we analyze the spectrum of the primordial gravitational waves (GWs) predicted in the Standard Model*Axion*Seesaw*Higgs portal inflation (SMASH) model, which was proposed as a minimal extension of the Standard Model that addresses five fundamental problems of particle physics and cosmology (inflation, baryon asymmetry, neutrino masses, strong CP problem, and dark matter) in one stroke. The SMASH model has a unique prediction for the critical temperature of the second order Peccei-Quinn (PQ) phase transition $T_c \sim 10^8\,\mathrm{GeV}$, implying that there is a drastic change in the equation of state of the universe at that temperature. Such an event is imprinted on the spectrum of GWs originating from the primordial tensor fluctuations during inflation and entering the horizon at $T \sim T_c$, which corresponds to $f \sim 1\,\mathrm{Hz}$, pointing to a best frequency range covered by future space-borne GW interferometers. We give a precise estimation of the effective relativistic degrees of freedom across the PQ phase transition and use it to evaluate the spectrum of GWs observed today. It is shown that the future high sensitivity GW experiment -- ultimate DECIGO -- can probe the nontrivial feature resulting from the PQ phase transition in this model.

We review the physics potential of a next generation search for solar axions: the International Axion Observatory (IAXO). Endowed with a sensitivity to discover axion-like particles (ALPs) with a coupling to photons as small as $g_{a\gamma}\sim 10^{-12}$ GeV$^{-1}$, or to electrons $g_{ae}\sim$10$^{-13}$, IAXO has the potential to find the QCD axion in the 1 meV$\sim$1 eV mass range where it solves the strong CP problem, can account for the cold dark matter of the Universe and be responsible for the anomalous cooling observed in a number of stellar systems. At the same time, IAXO will have enough sensitivity to detect lower mass axions invoked to explain: 1) the origin of the anomalous "transparency" of the Universe to gamma-rays, 2) the observed soft X-ray excess from galaxy clusters or 3) some inflationary models. In addition, we review string theory axions with parameters accessible by IAXO and discuss their potential role in cosmology as Dark Matter and Dark Radiation as well as their connections to the above mentioned conundrums., Comment: Prepared for submission to JCAP; new version with very minor corrections after referee review

International audience; The absence of observation of dark matter candidates above the GeV scale, at the LHC and in dedicated WIMP search experiments, led physicists to explore other mass domains, in particular below the electron-volt. Beside, the so-called strong CP problem is still an issue in the standard model. It can be solved by adding a new scalar field called axion. This scalar field could be a dark matter candidate. Depending of its coupling and in the range of mass ≈ [10^{−22},1] eV, it may solve the two issues described above at once. After the description of the strong CP problem and its simplest solution, I briefly present some mass limits for axions and similar fields (Axion Like Particle, Hidden Photon) and some of the experiments from which these limits have been extracted. At the end of this document, new limits on Hidden Photon are presented with a new experiment: Shuket.

15th International Conference on Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics, TAUP 2017, Sudbury, Canada, 24 Jul 2017 - 28 Jul 2017; Journal of physics / Conference Series 1342(1), 012098 (2019). doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1342/1/012098, The axion is a hypothetical low-mass boson predicted by the Peccei-Quinn mechanism solving the strong CP problem. It is naturally also a cold dark matter candidate if its mass is below ∼1 meV, thus simultaneously solving two major problems of nature. All existing experimental efforts to detect QCD axions focus on a range of axion masses below ∼25 μeV. The mass range above ∼40 μeV, predicted by modern models in which the Peccei-Quinn symmetry was restored after inflation, could not be explored so far. The MADMAX project is designed to be sensitive for axions with masses (40–400) μeV. The experimental design is based on the idea of enhanced axion-photon conversion in a system with several layers with alternating dielectric constants. The concept and the proposed design of the MADMAX experiment are discussed. Measurements taken with a prototype test setup are discussed. The prospects for reaching sensitivity enough to cover the parameter space predicted for QCD dark matter axions with mass in the range around 100 μeV is presented., Published by IOP Publ., Bristol

LIGO-Virgo collaboration has found black holes as heavy as $M \sim 30M_\odot$ through the detections of the gravitational waves emitted during their mergers. Primordial black holes (PBHs) produced by inflation could be an origin of such events. While it is tempting to presume that these PBHs constitute all Dark Matter (DM), there exists a number of constraints for PBHs with $\mathcal{O} (10) M_\odot$ which contradict with the idea of PBHs as all DM. Also, it is known that weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) that is a common DM candidate is almost impossible to coexist with PBHs. These observations motivate us to pursue another candidate of DM. In this paper, we assume that the string axion solving the strong CP problem makes up all DM, and discuss the coexistence of string axion DM and inflationary PBHs for LIGO events., Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures; v2: published version

We review the physics potential of a next generation search for solar axions: the International Axion Observatory (IAXO). Endowed with a sensitivity to discover axion-like particles (ALPs) with a coupling to photons as small as $g_{a\gamma}\sim 10^{-12}$ GeV$^{-1}$, or to electrons $g_{ae}\sim$10$^{-13}$, IAXO has the potential to find the QCD axion in the 1 meV$\sim$1 eV mass range where it solves the strong CP problem, can account for the cold dark matter of the Universe and be responsible for the anomalous cooling observed in a number of stellar systems. At the same time, IAXO will have enough sensitivity to detect lower mass axions invoked to explain: 1) the origin of the anomalous 'transparency' of the Universe to gamma-rays, 2) the observed soft X-ray excess from galaxy clusters or 3) some inflationary models. In addition, we review string theory axions with parameters accessible by IAXO and discuss their potential role in cosmology as Dark Matter and Dark Radiation as well as their connections to the above mentioned conundrums.

We propose two models where a U(1) Peccei-Quinn global symmetry arises accidentally and is respected up to high-dimensional operators, so that the axion solution to the strong CP problem is successful even in the presence of Planck-suppressed operators. One model is SU$(N)$ gauge interactions with fermions in the fundamental and a scalar in the symmetric. The axion arises from spontaneous symmetry breaking to SO$(N)$, that confines at a lower energy scale. Axion quality in the model needs $N \gtrsim 10$. SO bound states and possibly monopoles provide extra Dark Matter candidates beyond the axion. In the second model the scalar is in the anti-symmetric: SU$(N)$ broken to Sp$(N)$ needs even $N \gtrsim 20$. The cosmological DM abundance, consisting of axions and/or super-heavy relics, can be reproduced if the PQ symmetry is broken before inflation (Boltzmann-suppressed production of super-heavy relics) or after (super-heavy relics in thermal equilibrium get partially diluted by dark glue-ball decays).