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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Sterile neutrino dark matter in left-right theories

SU(2) L × SU(2) R gauge symmetry requires three right-handed neutrinos (N i ), one of which, N 1 , can be sufficiently stable to be dark matter. In the early universe, W R exchange with the Standard Model thermal bath keeps the right-handed neutrinos in thermal equilibrium at high temperatures. N 1 can make up all of dark matter if they freeze-out while relativistic and are mildly diluted by subsequent decays of a long-lived and heavier right-handed neutrino, N 2 . We systematically study this parameter space, constraining the symmetry breaking scale of SU(2) R and the mass of N 1 to a triangle in the (v R , M 1 ) plane, with v R = (10 6 - 3 × 10 12 ) GeV and M 1 = (2 keV–1 MeV). Much of this triangle can be probed by signals of warm dark matter, especially if leptogenesis from N 2 decay yields the observed baryon asymmetry. The minimal value of v R is increased to 10 8 GeV for doublet breaking of SU(2) R , and further to 10 9 GeV if leptogenesis occurs via N 2 decay, while the upper bound on M 1 is reduced to 100 keV. In addition, there is a component of hot N 1 dark matter resulting from the late decay of N 2 → N 1 ℓ+ℓ- that can be probed by future cosmic microwave background observations. Interestingly, the range of v R allows both precision gauge coupling unification and the Higgs Parity understanding of the vanishing of the Standard Model Higgs quartic at scale vR. Finally, we study freeze-in production of N 1 dark matter via the WR interaction, which allows a much wider range of (v R , M 1 ).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

$\mathrm{FIMP}$ dark matter in heterotic $\mathrm{M}$-theory

Within the context of N = 1 supersymmetric heterotic M-theory, we present a “freeze-in” mechanism for producing dark matter via a “moduli portal” between the observable and hidden sectors. It is assumed that the observable sector consists of the MSSM or some physically acceptable extension of it, while the hidden sector is chosen to satisfy all physical and mathematical constraints. Dark matter production processes are examined for two fundamental types of hidden sectors; those whose gauge bundle structure group contains an anomalous U(1) and those whose structure group is non-Abelian and anomaly free. The couplings of the dilaton and the “universal” modulus to all fields of the observable and hidden sectors are presented and analyzed. These interactions are then combined to produce a moduli portal from a thermal bath of observable sector particles to the hidden sector. These processes are then analyzed for both anomalous and non-anomalous cases. It is shown that only the uncharged hidden sector matter scalars can play the role of dark matter and that these are predominantly produced during the “reheating” epoch on the observable sector. Within the context of both an anomalous and non-anomalous hidden sector, we calculated the dark matter “relic density”. We show that in both cases, for a wide choice of moduli vacua, one can correctly predict the observed relic density. For the anomalous U(1) case, we choose a specific physically acceptable vacuum within the context of the B - L MSSM and show that one precisely obtains the measured dark matter relic abundance.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

A cosmic microscope for the preheating era

Light fields with spatially varying backgrounds can modulate cosmic preheating, and imprint the nonlinear effects of preheating dynamics at tiny scales on large scale fluctuations. This provides us a unique probe into the preheating era which we dub the “cosmic microscope”. We identify a distinctive effect of preheating on scalar perturbations that turns the Gaussian primordial fluctuations of a light scalar field into square waves, like a diode. The effect manifests itself as local non-Gaussianity. We present a model, “modulated partial preheating”, where this nonlinear effect is consistent with current observations and can be reached by near future cosmic probes.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Dark initial state radiation and the kinetic mixing portal

Data from Planck measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) place important constraints on models with light dark matter (DM) and light mediators especially when both lie in the mass range below ~ 1 GeV. In models involving kinetic mixing where the dark photon acts as the mediator, these constraints are easily satisfied and the appropriate DM relic density achievable if the DM is, e.g., a complex scalar, where p-wave annihilation occurs, or is the lighter component of a split pseudo-Dirac state where co-annihilation dominates. In both of these cases, although higher order in the dark gauge coupling, g D , the corresponding annihilation processes including dark photon initial state radiation (ISR) will be dominantly s-wave with essentially temperature independent cross sections. The rates for these dark ISR associated processes, though not yielding cross sections large enough to contribute to the relic density, can still run into possible conflicts with the bounds arising from the CMB. In this paper we perform a preliminary study of the present and potential future constraints that the CMB imposes on the parameter spaces for both of these scenarios due to the existence of this dark ISR. Further analyses of the effects of dark ISR in DM annihilation is clearly warranted.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Predictions for axion couplings from ALP cogenesis

Adding an axion-like particle (ALP) to the Standard Model, with a field velocity in the early universe, simultaneously explains the observed baryon and dark matter densities. This requires one or more couplings between the ALP and photons, nucleons, and/or electrons that are predicted as functions of the ALP mass. These predictions arise because the ratio of dark matter to baryon densities is independent of the ALP field velocity, allowing a correlation between the ALP mass, ma, and decay constant, f a . The predicted couplings are orders of magnitude larger than those for the QCD axion and for dark matter from the conventional ALP misalignment mechanism. As a result, this scheme, ALP cogenesis, is within reach of future experimental ALP searches from the lab and stellar objects, and for dark matter.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Exploring new physics with O(keV) electron recoils in direct detection experiments

Motivated by the recent XENON 1T results, we explore various new physics models that can be discovered through searches for electron recoils in O(keV)-threshold direct-detection experiments. First, we consider the absorption of axion-like particles, dark photons, and scalars, either as dark matter relics or being produced directly in the Sun. In the latter case, we find that keV mass bosons produced in the Sun provide an adequate fit to the data but are excluded by stellar cooling constraints. We address this tension by introducing a novel Chameleon-like axion model, which can explain the excess while evading the stellar bounds. We find that absorption of bosonic dark matter provides a viable explanation for the excess only if the dark matter is a dark photon or an axion. In the latter case, photophobic axion couplings are necessary to avoid X-ray constraints. Second, we analyze models of dark matter-electron scattering to determine which models might explain the excess. Standard scattering of dark matter with electrons is generically in conflict with data from lower-threshold experiments. Momentum-dependent interactions with a heavy mediator can fit the data with dark matter mass heavier than a GeV but are generically in tension with collider constraints. Next, we consider dark matter consisting of two (or more) states that have a small mass splitting. The exothermic (down)scattering of the heavier state to the lighter state can fit the data for keV mass splittings. Finally, we consider a subcomponent of dark matter that is accelerated by scattering off cosmic rays, finding that dark matter interacting though an O(100 keV)-mass mediator can fit the data. The cross sections required in this scenario are, however, typically challenged by complementary probes of the light mediator. Throughout our study, we implement an unbinned Monte Carlo analysis and use an improved energy reconstruction of the XENON 1T events.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Baryogenesis from ultra-slow-roll inflation

The ultra-slow-roll (USR) inflation represents a class of single-field models with sharp deceleration of the rolling dynamics on small scales, leading to a significantly enhanced power spectrum of the curvature perturbations and primordial black hole (PBH) formation. Such a sharp transition of the inflationary background can trigger the coherent motion of scalar condensates with effective potentials governed by the rolling rate of the inflation field. We show that a scalar condensate carrying (a combination of) baryon or lepton number can achieve successful baryogenesis through the Affleck-Dine mechanism from unconventional initial conditions excited by the USR transition. Viable parameter space for creating the correct baryon asymmetry of the Universe naturally incorporates the specific limit for PBHs to contribute significantly to dark matter, shedding light on the cosmic coincidence problem between the baryon and dark matter densities today.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Kibble mechanism for electroweak magnetic monopoles and magnetic fields

The vacuum manifold of the standard electroweak model is a three-sphere when one considers homogeneous Higgs field configurations. For inhomogeneous configurations we argue that the vacuum manifold is the Hopf fibered three sphere and that this viewpoint leads to general criteria to detect electroweak monopoles and Z-strings. We extend the Kibble mechanism to study the formation of electroweak monopoles and strings during electroweak symmetry breaking. The distribution of magnetic monopoles produces magnetic fields that have a spectrum B λ ∝ λ –2 , where λ is a smearing length scale. Even as the magnetic monopoles annihilate due to the confining Z-strings, the magnetic field evolves with the turbulent plasma and may be relevant for cosmological observations.

nonperturbative effects↗
DOE OSTI2023

Axion dark matter from frictional misalignment

We study the impact of sphaleron-induced thermal friction on the axion dark-matter abundance due to the interaction of an axion-like particle (ALP) with a dark non-abelian gauge sector in a secluded thermal bath. Thermal friction can either enhance the axion relic density by delaying the onset of oscillations or suppress it by damping them. We derive an analytical formula for the frictional adiabatic invariant, which remains constant along the axion evolution and which allows us to compute the axion relic density in a general set-up. Even in the most minimal scenario, in which a single gauge group is responsible for both the generation of the ALP mass and the friction force, we find that the resulting dark-matter abundance from the misalignment mechanism deviates from the standard scenario for axion masses m a ≳ 100 eV. We also generalize our analysis to the case where the gauge field that induces friction and the gauge sector responsible for the ALP mass are distinct and their couplings to the axion have a large hierarchy as can be justified by means of alignment or clockwork scenarios. We find that it is easy to open up the ALP parameter space where the resulting axion abundance matches the observed dark-matter relic density both in the traditionally over- and underabundant regimes. This conclusion also holds for the QCD axion.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dynamics of dark matter misalignment through the Higgs portal

A light singlet scalar field feebly coupled through the super-renormalizable Higgs portal provides a minimal and well-motivated realization of ultra-light bosonic dark matter. We study the cosmological production of dark matter in this model by elucidating the dynamics of two sources of scalar field misalignment generated during the radiation era. For large scalar masses (above $\mathcal{O}$ (10 −3 eV)), dark matter is produced through thermal misalignment, by which the scalar field is driven towards large field values as a result of the finite-temperature effective potential. The dominance of thermal misalignment in this mass range leads to a sharp relic abundance prediction which is, to a significant extent, insensitive to the initial conditions of the scalar field. On the other hand, for low mass scalars (below $\mathcal{O}$ (10 −5 eV)), dark matter is produced via VEV misalignment, which is caused by the induced scalar field vacuum expectation value triggered by the electroweak phase transition. We show that the relic abundance in this low mass range is sensitive to the scalar field initial conditions. In the intermediate mass range, the relic abundance is a consequence of a competition between thermal misalignment and VEV misalignment, which can potentially lead to novel forced resonance effects which cause a recurring enhancement and suppression in the late time oscillation amplitude as a function of the scalar mass. We compare our relic abundance predictions with constraints and projections from equivalence principle and inverse square law tests, stellar cooling, resonant molecular absorption, and observations of extra-galactic background light and diffuse X-ray backgrounds. New experimental ideas are needed to probe most of the cosmologically motivated regions of parameter space.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

A testable hidden-sector model for Dark Matter and neutrino masses

We consider a minimal extension of the Standard Model with a hidden sector charged under a dark local U(1)' gauge group, accounting simultaneously for light neutrino masses and the observed Dark Matter relic abundance. The model contains two copies of right-handed neutrinos which give rise to light neutrino-masses via an extended seesaw mechanism. The presence of a stable Dark-Matter candidate and a massless state naturally arise by requiring the simplest anomaly-free particle content without introducing any extra symmetries. We investigate the phenomenology of the hidden sector considering the U(1)' breaking scale of the order of the electroweak scale. Confronting the thermal history of this hidden-sector model with existing and future constraints from collider, direct and indirect detection experiments provides various possibilities of probing the model in complementary ways as every particle of the dark sector plays a specific cosmological role. Across the identified viable parameter space, a large region predicts a sizable contribution to the effective relativistic degrees-of-freedom in the early Universe that allows to alleviate the recently reported tension between late and early measurements of the Hubble constant.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Gravitational wave signals of dark matter freeze-out

We study the stochastic background of gravitational waves which accompany the sudden freeze-out of dark matter triggered by a cosmological first order phase transition that endows dark matter with mass. We consider models that produce the measured dark matter relic abundance via (1) bubble filtering, and (2) inflation and reheating, and show that gravitational waves from these mechanisms are detectable at future interferometers.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

The scalar chemical potential in cosmological collider physics

Non-analyticity in co-moving momenta within the non-Gaussian bispectrum is a distinctive sign of on-shell particle production during inflation, presenting a unique opportunity for the “direct detection” of particles with masses as large as the inflationary Hubble scale ( H ). However, the strength of such non-analyticity ordinarily drops exponentially by a Boltzmann-like factor as masses exceed H . In this paper, we study an exception provided by a dimension-5 derivative coupling of the inflaton to heavy-particle currents, applying it specifically to the case of two real scalars. The operator has a “chemical potential” form, which harnesses the large kinetic energy scale of the inflaton, \( {\overset{\cdot }{\phi}}_0^{1/2}\approx 60H \) , to act as an efficient source of scalar particle production. Derivative couplings of inflaton ensure radiative stability of the slow-roll potential, which in turn maintains (approximate) scale-invariance of the inflationary correlations. We show that a signal not suffering Boltzmann suppression can be obtained in the bispectrum with strength f NL ~ \( \mathcal{O} \) (0 . 01–10) for an extended range of scalar masses \( \lesssim {\overset{\cdot }{\phi}}_0^{1/2} \) , potentially as high as 10 15 GeV, within the sensitivity of upcoming LSS and more futuristic 21-cm experiments. The mechanism does not invoke any particular fine-tuning of parameters or breakdown of perturbation-theoretic control. The leading contribution appears at tree-level , which makes the calculation analytically tractable and removes the loop-suppression as compared to earlier chemical potential studies of non-zero spins. The steady particle production allows us to infer the effective mass of the heavy particles and the chemical potential from the variation in bispectrum oscillations as a function of co-moving momenta. Our analysis sets the stage for generalization to heavy bosons with non-zero spin.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Primordial monopoles and strings, inflation, and gravity waves

We consider magnetic monopoles and strings that appear in non-supersymmetric SO(10) and E 6 grand unified models paying attention to gauge coupling unification and proton decay in a variety of symmetry breaking schemes. The dimensionless string tension parameter Gμ spans the range 10 –6 – 10 –30 , where G is Newton’s constant and μ is the string tension. We show how intermediate scale monopoles with mass ~ 10 13 – 10 14 GeV and flux ≲ 2.8 × 10 –16 cm –2 s –1 sr –1 , and cosmic strings with Gμ ~ 10 –11 – 10 –10 survive inflation and are present in the universe at an observable level. We estimate the gravity wave spectrum emitted from cosmic strings taking into account inflation driven by a Coleman-Weinberg potential. The tensor-to-scalar ratio r lies between 0.06 and 0.003 depending on the details of the inflationary scenario.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Ripples in spacetime from broken supersymmetry

We initiate the study of gravitational wave (GW) signals from first-order phase transitions in supersymmetry-breaking hidden sectors. Such phase transitions often occur along a pseudo-flat direction universally related to supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking in hidden sectors that spontaneously break R -symmetry. The potential along this pseudo-flat direction imbues the phase transition with a number of novel properties, including a nucleation temperature well below the scale of heavy states (such that the temperature dependence is captured by the low-temperature expansion) and significant friction induced by the same heavy states as they pass through bubble walls. In low-energy SUSY-breaking hidden sectors, the frequency of the GW signal arising from such a phase transition is guaranteed to lie within the reach of future interferometers given existing cosmological constraints on the gravitino abundance. Once a mediation scheme is specified, the frequency of the GW peak correlates with the superpartner spectrum. Current bounds on supersymmetry are compatible with GW signals at future interferometers, while the observation of a GW signal from a SUSY-breaking hidden sector would imply superpartners within reach of future colliders.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Multi-component Dark Matter and small scale structure formation

We consider the evolution of non-thermal dark matter perturbations in models which contain both Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) and axions. Using constraints from existing observations we examine the percentage of WIMPs and axions that may comprise the cosmological dark matter budget in models with an Early Matter Dominated Epoch (EMDE) — where entropy production is important. After carefully tracking the thermal evolution of the various species by solving the Boltzmann equations, we consider the enhancement of perturbations that may have led to early structure formation for axions and WIMPs. We investigate the impact of enhanced perturbations on the parameter space of both species, after imposing existing constraints from indirect detection experiments. Given these constraints we establish the feasibility of axions to form miniclusters in the early universe in EMDEs for a given percentage of allowed WIMPs. We find that EMDEs with low reheat temperatures near the BBN limit are preferred for axion minicluster formation. When the EMDE is caused by string moduli, the WIMP contribution to the relic density is set by the moduli branching to dark matter at the level of ≲ $\mathcal{O}$ (10 −4 ).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Gauged global strings

We investigate the string solutions and cosmological implications of the gauge U(1) Z × global U(1) PQ model. With two hierarchical symmetry-breaking scales, the model exhibits three distinct string solutions: a conventional global string, a global string with a heavy core, and a gauge string as a bound state of the two global strings. This model reveals rich phenomenological implications in cosmology. During the evolution of the universe, these three types of strings can form a Y-junction configuration. Intriguingly, when incorporating this model with the QCD axion framework, the heavy-core global strings emit more axion particles compared to conventional axion cosmic strings due to their higher tension. This radiation significantly enhances the QCD axion dark matter abundance, thereby opening up the QCD axion mass window. Consequently, axions with masses exceeding ~ 10 −5 eV have the potential to constitute the whole dark matter abundance. Furthermore, in contrast to conventional gauge strings, the gauge strings in this model exhibit a distinctive behavior by radiating axions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Anisotropic gravitational waves from inhomogeneous axion rotation

Gravitational waves (GWs) provide a powerful probe of the early universe due to their ability to free-stream across cosmic history. We study GW production in a compelling scenario where a rotating axion(-like) field becomes relevant for a brief period in the early universe before transitioning into a kination fluid and rapidly dissipating its energy through cosmic expansion. During this short epoch, the curvature perturbation can be predominantly sourced by the rotating axion and may significantly exceed the adiabatic component. Moreover, axion field perturbations grow on superhorizon scales during this phase. These effects can generate a strong stochastic background of induced GWs. This GW background also exhibits a pronounced large-scale anisotropy inherited from the axion fluctuations, serving as a distinctive signature of the scenario. Importantly, the transient nature of axion relevance enables this scenario to evade stringent bounds on large-scale perturbations. We analyze various observational constraints and find that both the amplitude and anisotropy of the resulting GW signal could be accessible to future detectors.

Axions and ALPs↗