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DOE OSTI · 1803209

Revisiting supernova constraints on a light CP-even scalar

Abstract

A light CP-even Standard Model (SM) gauge-singlet scalar S can be produced abundantly in the supernova core, via the nucleon bremsstrahlung process NN → NNS, due to its mixing with the SM Higgs boson. Including the effective S coupling to both nucleons and the pion mediators, we evaluate the production amplitude for the S particle and point out a key difference with the well-known light CP-odd scalar (axion) and vector boson (dark photon) cases. Taking the subsequent decay and re-absorption of S into account, we present a complete calculation of the energy loss rate for the S particle. We then use the SN1987A luminosity constraints to derive updated supernova limits on the mixing of the scalar S with the SM Higgs boson. We find that the mixing angle sin θ with the SM Higgs is excluded only in the narrow range of 3.9 × 10 -7 to 7.0 × 10 -6 , depending on the scalar mass up to about 147 MeV, beyond which the supernova limit disappears.

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BibTeXRIS

Dev, P. S. Bhupal, Mohapatra, Rabindra N., Zhang, Yongchao. 2020-08-04. Revisiting supernova constraints on a light CP-even scalar. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516%2F2020%2F08%2F003

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