Axion and axion-like particle models are typically affected by a strong fine-tuning problem in conceiving the electroweak and the Peccei-Quinn breaking scales. Within the context of the Minimal Linear σ Model, axion-like particle constructions are identified where this hierarchy problem is solved, accounting for a TeV Peccei-Quinn breaking scale and a pseudoscalar particle with a mass larger than 10 MeV. Potential signatures at colliders and B-factories are discussed.
Dark matter, gauge coupling unification, and the strong CP problem find a common and simple solution (in the absence of naturalness) within axion models. We show that such solution, even without specifying the details of the model implementation, makes testable predictions for the experimentally measurable axion parameters: the axion mass and its coupling to photons.
We show that solving the flavor problem of the Standard Model with a simple $U(1)_H$ flavor symmetry naturally leads to an axion that solves the strong CP problem and constitutes a viable Dark Matter candidate. In this framework, the ratio of the axion mass and its coupling to photons is related to the SM fermion masses and predicted within a small range, as a direct result of the observed hierarchies in quark and charged lepton masses. The same hierarchies determine the axion couplings to fermions, making the framework very predictive and experimentally testable by future axion and precision …
The minimal $SO(5)/SO(4)$ linear $σ$ model is extended including an additional complex scalar field, singlet under the global $SO(5)$ and the Standard Model gauge symmetries. The presence of this scalar field creates the conditions to generate an axion à la KSVZ, providing a solution to the strong CP problem, or an axion-like-particle. Different choices for the PQ charges are possible and lead to physically distinct Lagrangians. The internal consistency of each model necessarily requires the study of the scalar potential describing the $SO(5)\to SO(4)$, electroweak and PQ symmetry breaking. A …
We review very nice mechanism to generate masses to all the neutrinos in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) without break $R$-parity. In consequence we get viable axion as Dark Matter candidate and at the same time solve the $μ$-problem in a similar way as done in the Next to Minimal Supersymmetric Model (NMSSM).
Minimal A4 Type-II Seesaw Realization of Testable Neutrino Mass Sum Rules
Instituto de Fısica Corpuscular, CSIC-Universitat de Valencia（瓦伦西亚大学粒子物理与核物理研究所）；Seoul National University of Science and Technology（首尔科学技术大学）；Indian Institute of Science Education and Research - Bhopal（印度科学教育研究学院博帕尔分校）
The solution to the Strong CP problem is analysed within the Minimal Flavour Violation (MFV) context. An Abelian factor of the complete flavour symmetry of the fermionic kinetic terms may play the role of the Peccei-Quinn symmetry in traditional axion models. Its spontaneous breaking, due to the addition of a complex scalar field to the Standard Model scalar spectrum, generates the MFV axion, which may redefine away the QCD theta parameter. It differs from the traditional QCD axion for its couplings that are governed by the fermion charges under the axial Abelian symmetry. It is also distinct …
We revisit the production of baryon asymmetries in the minimal type I seesaw model with heavy Majorana singlets in the GeV range. We include "washout" effects from scattering processes with gauge bosons, higgs decays and inverse decays, besides the dominant top scatterings. We show that in the minimal model with two singlets, and for an inverted light neutrino ordering, future measurements from SHiP and neutrinoless double beta decay could in principle provide sufficient information to predict the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe.
The PQ mechanism resolving the strong CP problem and the seesaw mechanism explaining the smallness of neutrino masses may be related in a way that the PQ symmetry breaking scale and the seesaw scale arise from a common origin. Depending on how the PQ symmetry and the seesaw mechanism are realized, one has different predictions on the color and electromagnetic anomalies which could be tested in the future axion dark matter search experiments. Motivated by this, we construct various PQ seesaw models which are minimally extended from the (non-) supersymmetric Standard Model and thus set up differ…
We revisit the production of baryon asymmetries in the minimal type I seesaw model with heavy Majorana singlets in the GeV range. In particular we include "washout" effects from scattering processes with gauge bosons, Higgs decays and inverse decays, besides the dominant top scatterings. We show that in the minimal model with two singlets, and for an inverted light neutrino ordering, future measurements from SHiP and neutrinoless double beta decay could in principle provide sufficient information to predict the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. We also show that SHiP measurements co…
We discuss the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM) with a Peccei-Quinn (PQ) U(1) symmetry. When this symmetry is dynamically broken by the Higgs mechanism, the resulting pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson takes the role of an axion. Although much of the allowed parameter space for low values of the PQ scale has been ruled out, many scenarios with a PQ scale > 10^9 GeV remain untested, allowing the NMSSM PQ axion to provide a solution to the strong CP problem and be a good dark matter candidate. Unfortunately the new particle states are so decoupled that they would not be observable…
The QCD axion is one of the best motivated dark matter candidates. The misalignment mechanism is well known to produce an abundance of the QCD axion consistent with dark matter for an axion decay constant of order $10^{12}$ GeV. For a smaller decay constant, the QCD axion, with Peccei-Quinn symmetry broken during inflation, makes up only a fraction of dark matter unless the axion field starts oscillating very close to the top of its potential, in a scenario called "large-misalignment". In this scenario, QCD axion dark matter with a small axion decay constant is partially comprised of very dens…
We revisit the flavor-changing processes involving an axion-like particle (ALP) in the context of generic ALP effective lagrangian with a discussion of possible UV completions providing the origin of the relevant bare ALP couplings. We focus on the minimal scenario that ALP has flavor-conserving couplings at tree level, and the leading flavor-changing couplings arise from the loops involving the Yukawa couplings of the Standard Model fermions. We note that such radiatively generated flavor-changing ALP couplings can be easily suppressed in field theoretic ALP models with sensible UV completion…
We study the proton lifetime in the $SO(10)$ Grand Unified Theory (GUT), which has the left-right (LR) symmetric gauge theory below the GUT scale. In particular, we focus on the minimal model without the bi-doublet Higgs field in the LR symmetric model, which predicts the LR-breaking scale at around $10^{10\text{--}12}$ GeV. The Wilson coefficients of the proton decay operators turn out to be considerably larger than those in the minimal $SU(5)$ GUT model especially when the Standard Model Yukawa interactions are generated by integrating out extra vector-like multiplets. As a result, we find t…
The nano-hertz and milli-hertz stochastic gravitational waves in the minimal clockwork axion model
Chongqing University（重庆大学）；National Taiwan University（台湾大学）；National Center for Theoretical Sciences（国家理论科学中心）；Huzhou University（湖州学院）；Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院理论物理研究所）；University of Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院大学）；Henan Normal University（河南师范大学）
We study the renormalization group running of axion couplings while taking into account that the Standard Model can be extended to its supersymmetric extension at a certain energy scale below the axion decay constant. We then apply our results to three different classes of axion models, i.e. KSVZ-like, DFSZ-like, and string-theoretic axions, and examine if string-theoretic axions can be distinguished from others by having a different pattern of low energy couplings to the photon, nucleons and electron. We find that the low energy couplings of string-theoretic axions have a similar pattern as t…
Many theoretically well-motivated extensions of the Standard Model contain heavy pseudoscalars that couple to hypercharge topological density. The cosmological dynamics of such hypercharge axions could, under certain conditions, lead to generation of a net baryon number in a sufficient amount to explain the observed baryon asymmetry in the universe. We examine the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model and string/M-theory models and determine specific conditions which heavy axion-like pseudoscalars must satisfy to successfully drive baryogenesis. We find that all candidates in the Minimal Super…
After promoting the phases of the soft masses to dynamical fields corresponding to Goldstone bosons of spontaneously broken global symmetries in the supersymmetry breaking sector, the next-to-minimal supersymmetric model is found to solve the $μ$ problem and the strong CP problem simultaneously with an invisible axion. The domain wall problem persists in the form of axionic domain formation. Relaxation dynamics of the physical CP-violating phases is determined only by the short-distance physics and their relaxation values are not necessarily close to the CP-conserving points. Having observable…
We establish a new self-consistent system of equations accounting for a non-minimal interaction of gravitational, electromagnetic and axion fields. The procedure is based on a non-minimal extension of the standard Einstein-Maxwell-axion action. The general properties of a ten-parameter family of non-minimal linear models are discussed. We apply this theory to the models with pp-wave symmetry and consider propagation of electromagnetic waves non-minimally coupled to the gravitational and axion fields. We focus on exact solutions of electrodynamic equations, which describe quasi-minimal and non-…
We analyze the Higgs sector in the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, emphasizing the possibility of a light CP-odd scalar (axion) in the spectrum. We compute the coupling of the Standard-Model-like Higgs boson to a pair of axions, and show that it can be large enough to modify the Higgs branching fractions, with a significant impact on the Higgs searches. We delineate the range of parameters relevant for this scenario, and also derive analytic expressions for the scalar masses and couplings in two special cases - a decoupling limit where all scalars other than the axion are heavie…
We propose a minimal realization of the Peccei Quinn mechanism in a realistic SU(5) model, where the axion mass is directly connected to the grand-unification scale. By taking into account constraints from proton decay, collider searches and gauge coupling unification, we predict the axion mass: $m_a \in [4.8, 6.6]$ neV. The upper bound can be relaxed up to $m_a < 330$ neV, at the cost of tuning the flavour structure of the proton decay operators. The predicted mass window will be complementarily probed by the axion dark matter experiments ABRACADABRA and CASPER-Electric, which could provide a…
We construct hadronic axion models in the framework of the anomaly-mediated supersymmetry breaking scenario. If the Peccei-Quinn symmetry breaking is related to the supersymmetry breaking, mass spectrum of the minimal anomaly-mediated scenario is modified, which may solve the negative slepton mass problem in the minimal anomaly-mediated model. We find several classes of phenomenologically viable models of axion within the framework of the anomaly mediation and, in particular, we point out a new mechanism of stabilizing the axion potential. In this class of models, the Peccei-Quinn scale is rel…
The characteristic axion couplings could be generated via effective couplings between the Standard Model (SM) fermions to a pseudo-Goldstone from a high-scale $U(1)$ Peccei-Quinn (PQ) symmetry breaking. Assuming that the UV-induced effective operators generate necessary couplings before the PQ symmetry breaking, and any low-scale couplings to the SM are restricted to the Yukawa sector, three minimal natural scenarios can be formulated, which provides a connection between the QCD-axions and mediators at the GUT/string scales. We find that the PQ symmetry breaking scale could be about $10^{15}$ …
We consider the renormalizable $SO(5)/SO(4)$ $σ$-model, in which the Higgs particle has a pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson character, and explore what the minimal field extension required to implement the Peccei-Quinn symmetry (PQ) is, within the partial compositeness scenario. It turns out that the minimal model does not require the enlargement of the exotic fermionic sector, but only the addition of a singlet scalar: it is sufficient that the exotic fermions involved in partial compositeness and the singlet scalar become charged under Peccei-Quinn transformations. We explore the phenomenological…
A MeV-Scale Dark QCD Solution to the Axion Domain Wall Problem
College of Physics, Jiangxi Normal University（江西师范大学物理学院）；School of physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology（华中科技大学物理学院）；Tsung-Dao Lee Institute and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University（上海交通大学李政道理论与粒子物理研究所及物理与天文学院）；Shanghai Key Laboratory for Particle Physics and Cosmology, Key Laboratory for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (MOE), Shanghai Jiao Tong University（上海交通大学粒子物理与宇宙学上海市重点实验室及粒子天体物理教育部重点实验室）
Constraints on inflationary scenarios and isocurvature perturbations have excluded the simplest and most generic models of dark matter based on QCD axions. Considering non-minimal kinetic couplings of scalar fields to gravity substantially changes this picture. The axion can account for the observed dark matter density avoiding the overproduction of isocurvature fluctuations. Finally, we show that assuming the same non-minimal kinetic coupling to the axion (dark matter) and to the standard model Higgs boson (inflaton) provides a minimal picture of early time cosmology.
Solutions to the $μ$ problem in supersymmetry based on the Kim-Nilles mechanism naturally feature a Dine-Fischler-Srednicki-Zhitnitsky (DFSZ) axion with decay constant of order the geometric mean of the Planck and TeV scales, consistent with astrophysical limits. We investigate minimal models of this type with two gauge-singlet fields that break a Peccei-Quinn symmetry, and extensions with extra vectorlike quark and lepton supermultiplets consistent with gauge coupling unification. We show that there are many anomaly-free discrete symmetries, depending on the vectorlike matter content, that pr…
We present a scale invariant extension of the Standard model allowing for the Kim-Shifman-Vainstein-Zakharov (KSVZ) axion solution of the strong CP problem in QCD. We add the minimal number of new particles and show that the Peccei-Quinn scalar might be identified with the complex dilaton field. Scale invariance, together with the Peccei-Quinn symmetry, is broken spontaneously near the Planck scale before inflation, which is driven by the Standard Model Higgs field. We present a set of general conditions which makes this scenario viable and an explicit example of an effective theory possessing…
In the framework of a 3-3-1 model with a minimal scalar sector we make a detailed study concerning the implementation of the PQ symmetry in order to solve the strong CP problem. For the original version of the model, with only two scalar triplets, we show that the entire Lagrangian is invariant under a PQ-like symmetry but no axion is produced since an U(1) subgroup remains unbroken. Although in this case the strong CP problem can still be solved, the solution is largely disfavored since three quark states are left massless to all orders in perturbation theory. The addition of a third scalar t…
We examine the minimal supergravity (mSUGRA) model under the assumption that the strong CP problem is solved by the Peccei-Quinn mechanism. In this case, the relic dark matter (DM) abundance consists of three components: {\it i}). cold axions, {\it ii}). warm axinos from neutralino decay, and {\it iii}). cold or warm thermally produced axinos. To sustain a high enough re-heat temperature (T_R\agt 10^6 GeV) for many baryogenesis mechanisms to function, we find that the bulk of DM should consist of cold axions, while the admixture of cold and warm axinos should be rather slight, with a very ligh…
Extending the Standard Model with a new complex singlet scalar, right-handed neutrinos and a vector-like quark allows to simultaneously tackle several problems in particle physics and cosmology within a constrained framework that can be falsified by future probes of the cosmic microwave background, as well as by upcoming axion experiments. This Standard Model - Axion - Seesaw - H portal inflation theory (SMASH) provides predictive inflation and $H$ boson stabilization, and can explain baryogenesis, light neutrino masses, dark matter and the strong CP problem. The model contains a unique new ma…
Over almost all of minimal supergravity (mSUGRA or CMSSM) model parameter space, there is a large overabundance of neutralino cold dark matter (CDM). We find that the allowed regions of mSUGRA parameter space which match the measured abundance of CDM in the universe are highly fine-tuned. If instead we invoke the Peccei-Quinn-Weinberg-Wilczek solution to the strong CP problem, then the SUSY CDM may consist of an axion/axino admixture with an axino mass of order the MeV scale, and where mixed axion/axino or mainly axion CDM seems preferred. In this case, fine-tuning of the relic density is typi…
In a previous paper, we proposed a simple extension of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model which gives rise to thermal inflation and baryogenesis in a natural and remarkably consistent way. In this paper, we consider the $λ_ϕ= 0$ special case of our model, which is the minimal way to incorporate a Peccei-Quinn symmetry. The axino/flatino becomes the lightest supersymmetric particle with $m_\axino \sim 1$ to $10 \GeV$ and is typically over-produced during the flaton decay. Interestingly though, the dark matter abundance is minimized for $m_\axino \sim 1 \GeV$, $f_a \sim 10^{11}$ to $10^{1…
Pseudoscalar-photon interactions were proposed in the study of the relations among equivalence principles. The interaction of pseudoscalar axion with gluons was proposed as a way to solve the strong CP problem. Subsequent proposal of axion as a dark matter candidate has been a focus of search. Motivation from superstring theories add to its importance. After a brief introduction and historical review, we present (i) the current status of our optical experiment using high-finesse Fabry-Perot resonant cavity - Q & A experiment - to detect pseudoscalar-photon interactions, (ii) the constraints on…
The minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) of particle interactions is extended to include three singlet (right-handed) neutrino superfields together with three other singlet superfields. The resulting theory is assumed to be invariant under an anomalous global U(1) (Peccei-Quinn) symmetry with one fundamental mass $m_2$. The soft breaking of supersymmetry at the TeV scale is shown to generate an axion scale $f_a$ of order $m_2$. Neutrino masses are generated by $f_a$ according to the usual seesaw mechanism.
The connection between the axion and right-handed neutrinos is explored in the framework of the minimal SUSY SO(10) model. The former is related to the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) solution to the strong CP problem and the latter is to the light Majorana neutrinos through the see-saw mechanism. In this model, a relative phase between $({\bf 10,1,3}) (\equiv {\bf \barΔ}_R) \subset {\bf \bar{126}}$ and $({\bf \bar{10},1,3}) (\equiv {\bf Δ}_R) \subset {\bf 126}$ multiplets of ${\rm SU}(4) \times {\rm SU}(2)_L \times {\rm SU}(2)_R \subset {\rm SO}(10)$ becomes a physical degree of freedom identified with the…
