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Results for “Early universe particle physics”

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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Dark matter and dark radiation from the early universe with a modulus coupled to the PQMSSM

The supersymmetrized DFSZ axion model is especially compelling in that it contains 1. the SUSY solution to the gauge hierarchy problem, 2. the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) solution to the strong CP problem and 3. the Kim-Nilles solution to the SUSY μ problem. In a string setting, where a discrete R-symmetry ($Z$$^{R}_{24}$ for example) may emerge from the compactification process, a high-quality accidental axion (accion) can emerge from the accidental, approximate remnant global U(1) PQ symmetry where the decay constant f a is linked to the SUSY breaking scale, and is within the cosmological sweet zone. In this setup, one also expects the presence of stringy remnant moduli fields Φ i . Here, we consider the situation of a single light modulus Φ coupled to the PQMSSM in the early universe, with mixed axion plus higgsino-like WIMP dark matter. We evaluate dark matter and dark radiation production via nine coupled Boltzmann equations and assess the severity of the cosmological moduli problem (CMP) along with dark matter and dark radiation production rates. We find that typically the light modulus mass should be m Φ ≳ 10 4 TeV to avoid the moduli-induced dark matter overproduction problem. If one is able to (anthropically) tune the modulus field amplitude, we find a value of Φ 0 ≲ 10 –7 m P would be required to solve the overall CMP.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Quantum dynamics of cosmological particle production: interacting quantum field theories with matrix product states

Understanding real-time dynamics of interacting quantum fields in curved space-time remains a major theoretical challenge. We employ tensor network methods to study such dynamics using interacting scalar and gauge theories in 1+1 spacetime dimensions, subject to a quench modeling a homogeneously expanding gravitational background. The models considered are the scalar λϕ 4 theory and the Schwinger model, i.e. a Dirac fermion coupled to a U(1) gauge field which is equivalent via bosonization to a scalar field with a cosine self-interaction. In the free scalar limit, both theories reproduce known analytical results, providing a nontrivial numerical validation of bosonization in curved spacetime for the Schwinger model. Our central finding is that self-interactions lead to a suppression of gravitational particle production compared to the free-field case, as evidenced by two-point functions and the spectra of produced particles. We further examine the behavior of entanglement generation and find that interactions suppress entanglement growth in the λϕ 4 theory, while in the Schwinger model, the interplay between suppressed particle production and enhanced inter-particle correlations leads to more complex entanglement behavior. Our results pave the way for further explorations of nonperturbative quantum real-time dynamics of interacting scalar and gauge theories in arbitrary gravitational backgrounds.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1981

Particle physics in the very early universe

Events in the very early big bang universe in which elementary particle physics effects may have been dominant are discussed, with attention to the generation of a net baryon number by way of grand unification theory, and emphasis on the possible role of massive neutrinos in increasing current understanding of various cosmological properties and of the constraints placed on neutrino properties by cosmology. It is noted that when grand unification theories are used to describe very early universe interactions, an initially baryon-symmetrical universe can evolve a net baryon excess of 10 to the -9th to 10 to the -11th per photon, given reasonable parameters. If neutrinos have mass, the bulk of the mass of the universe may be in the form of leptons, implying that the form of matter most familiar to physical science may not be the dominant form of matter in the universe.

Schramm, D. N.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Nuclear and particle physics in the early universe

Basic principles and implications of Big Bang cosmology are reviewed, noting the physical evidence of a previous universe temperature of 10,000 K and theoretical arguments such as grand unification decoupling indicating a primal temperature of 10 to the 15th eV. The Planck time of 10 to the -43rd sec after the Big Bang is set as the limit before which gravity was quantized and nothing is known. Gauge theories of elementary particle physics are reviewed for successful predictions of similarity in weak and electromagnetic interactions and quantum chromodynamic predictions for strong interactions. The large number of photons in the universe relative to the baryons is considered and the grand unified theories are cited as showing the existence of baryon nonconservation as an explanation. Further attention is given to quark-hadron phase transition, the decoupling for the weak interaction and relic neutrinos, and Big Bang nucleosynthesis.

Schramm, D. N.↗
DOE OSTI2025

The discriminant power of bubble wall velocities: gravitational waves and electroweak baryogenesis

A precise determination of the bubble wall velocity v$_{w}$ is crucial for making accurate predictions of the baryon asymmetry and gravitational wave (GW) signals in models of electroweak baryogenesis (EWBG). Working in the local thermal equilibrium approximation, we exploit entropy conservation to present efficient algorithms for computing v$_{w}$, significantly streamlining the calculation. We then explore the parameter dependencies of v$_{w}$, focusing on two sample models capable of enabling a strong first-order electroweak phase transition: a ℤ$_{2}$-symmetric singlet extension of the SM, and a model for baryogenesis with CP violation in the dark sector. We study correlations among v$_{w}$ and the two common measures of phase transition strength, α$_{n}$ and v$_{n}$/T$_{n}$. Interestingly, we find a relatively model-insensitive relationship between v$_{n}$/T$_{n}$ and α$_{n}$. We also observe an upper bound on α$_{n}$ for the deflagration/hybrid wall profiles naturally compatible with EWBG, the exact value for which varies between models, significantly impacting the strength of the GW signals. In summary, our work provides a framework for exploring the feasibility of EWBG models in light of future GW signals.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Boosted dark matter from primordial black holes produced in a first-order phase transition

During a cosmological first-order phase transition in a dark sector, fermion dark matter particles χ can form macroscopic Fermi balls that collapse to primordial black holes (PBHs) under certain conditions. The evaporation of the PBHs produces a boosted χ flux, which may be detectable if χ couples to visible matter. We consider the interaction of χ with electrons, and calculate signals of the dark matter flux in the XENON1T, XENONnT, Super-Kamiokande and Hyper-Kamiokande experiments. A correlated gravitational wave signal from the phase transition can be observed at THEIA and μAres. An amount of dark radiation measurable by CMB-S4 is an epiphenomenon of the phase transition.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Reflections on bubble walls

We discuss the dynamics of expanding bubble walls in the presence of massive dark photons whose mass changes as they cross the wall. For sufficiently thin walls, we show that there exists a transient kinematic regime characterized by a constant reflection probability of longitudinal — but not transverse — modes. This effect can have important implications for the dynamics of expanding vacuum bubbles in the early Universe. Most notably, it leads to a new source of pressure on the expanding interface, featuring a non-monotonic dependence on the γ-factor of the bubble walls and reaching a peak at intermediate γ-factors that we dub Maximum Dynamic Pressure. When this pressure is large enough to halt the acceleration of the bubble walls, the difference in vacuum energy densities goes into making a fraction of the dark photons relativistic, turning them into dark radiation. If the dark radiation remains relativistic until late times, an observable contribution to ΔNeff is possible for phase transitions with strength α ~ 10 -2 - 10 -1 .

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Imprints of a supercooled phase transition in the gravitational wave spectrum from a cosmic string network

A network of cosmic strings (CS), if present, would continue emitting gravitational waves (GW) as it evolves throughout the history of the Universe. This results in a characteristic broad spectrum making it a perfect source to infer the expansion history. In particular, a short inflationary period caused by a supercooled phase transition would cause a drop in the spectrum at frequencies corresponding to that event. However, the impact on the spectrum is similar to the ones caused by an early matter-dominated era or from particle production, making it difficult to disentangle these different physical origins. We point out that, in the case of a short inflationary period, the GW spectrum receives an additional contribution from the phase transition itself. This leads to a characteristic imprint of a peak on top of a wide plateau both visible at future GW observatories.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Gravitational waves from supercooled phase transitions in conformal Majoron models of neutrino mass

We study supercooled first-order phase transitions above the QCD scale in a wide class of conformal Majoron-like U(1)′ models that explain the totality of active neutrino oscillation data and produce a detectable stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB) at LIGO, LISA and ET. We place constraints on the U(1)′ breaking scale and gauge coupling using current LIGO-Virgo-Kagra data. We find that strong supercooling can be ruled out in large regions of parameter space if a SGWB is not detected by these experiments. A null signal at LIGO and ET will disfavor a type-I seesaw scale above 10 14 GeV, while a positive signal is a signature of heavy right-handed neutrinos. On the other hand, LISA will be sensitive to seesaw scales as low as a TeV, and could detect a SGWB even if the right-handed neutrinos are decoupled.

early universe particle physics↗
DOE OSTI2025

The no boundary density matrix

We discuss a no-boundary proposal for a subregion of the universe. In the classical approximation, this density matrix involves finding a specific classical solution of the equations of motion with no boundary. Beyond the usual no boundary condition at early times, we also have another no boundary condition in the region we trace out. We can find the prescription by starting from the usual Hartle-Hawking proposal for the wavefunction on a full slice and tracing out the unobserved region in the classical approximation. We discuss some specific subregions and compute the corresponding solutions. These geometries lead to phenomenologically unacceptable probabilities, as expected.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Gravitational production of completely dark photons with nonminimal couplings to gravity

Dark photons are a theorized massive spin-1 particle which can be produced via various mechanisms, including cosmological gravitational particle production (GPP) in the early universe. In this work, we extend previous results for GPP of dark photons to include nonminimal couplings to gravity. We find that nonminimal couplings can induce a ghost instability or lead to runaway particle production at high momentum and discuss the constraints on the parameter space such that the theory is free of instabilities. Within the instability-free regime we numerically calculate the particle production and find that the inclusion of nonminimal couplings can lead to an enhancement of the particle number. As a result, GPP of nonminimally coupled dark photons can open the parameter space for production of a cosmological relevant relic density (constituting all or part of the dark matter) as compared to the minimally-coupled theory. These results are independent of the choice of inflation model, which we demonstrate by repeating the analysis for a class of rapid-turn multi-field inflation models.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Freezing-in hadrophilic dark matter at low reheating temperatures

If the reheating temperature at the end of inflation is low, of order 10 MeV, then dark matter produced through ultraviolet freeze-in has a large direct detection cross section. We study such a scenario in which dark matter is hadrophilic. This leads to dark matter-nucleon scattering cross sections of interest for near-future experiments for dark matter masses in the range of 100 keV–100 MeV. We explore how these predictions vary if reheating is non-instantaneous.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Dark matter from a conformal Dark Sector

We consider theories in which a dark sector is described by a Conformal Field Theory (CFT) over a broad range of energy scales. A coupling of the dark sector to the Standard Model breaks conformal invariance. While weak at high energies, the breaking grows in the infrared, and at a certain energy scale the theory enters a confined (hadronic) phase. One of the hadronic excitations can play the role of dark matter. We study a “Conformal Freeze-In” cosmological scenario, in which the dark sector is populated through its interactions with the SM at temperatures when it is conformal. In this scenario, the dark matter relic density is determined by the CFT data, such as the dimension of the CFT operator coupled to the Standard Model. We show that this simple and highly predictive model of dark matter is phenomenologically viable. The observed relic density is reproduced for a variety of SM operators (“portals”) coupled to the CFT, and the resulting models are consistent with observational constraints. The mass of the COFI dark matter candidate is predicted to be in the keV-MeV range.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Coleman-Weinberg dynamics of ultralight scalar dark matter and GeV-scale right-handed neutrinos

We consider an extension of the Standard Model by three singlet fermions and one singlet real scalar field. The scalar is an ultralight dark matter candidate whose abundance is set by dynamically induced misalignment from the Higgs portal. We focus on parameter space where the Coleman-Weinberg potential both fixes the dark matter relic abundance, and predicts the mass scale of right-handed neutrinos. The model prefers scalar masses in the range of 10 μeV ≲ m Φ ≲ 10 meV, and can be tested via direct searches for a light scalar (e.g. fifth force tests), or by searching for right-handed neutrinos in laboratory experiments.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Quantum interference in gravitational particle production

Previous numerical investigations of gravitational particle production during the coherent oscillation period of inflation displayed unexplained fluctuations in the spectral density of the produced particles. We argue that these features are due to the quantum interference of the coherent scattering reactions that produce the particles. We provide accurate analytic formulae to compute the particle production amplitude for a conformally- coupled scalar field, including the interference effect in the kinematic region where the production can be interpreted as inflaton scattering into scalar final states via graviton exchange.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Millicharged relics reveal massless dark photons

The detection of massless kinetically-mixed dark photons is notoriously difficult, as the effect of this mixing can be removed by a field redefinition in vacuum. In this work, we study the prospect of detecting massless dark photons in the presence of a cosmic relic directly charged under this dark electromagnetism. Such millicharged particles, in the form of dark matter or dark radiation, generate an effective dark photon mass that drives photon-to-dark photon oscillations in the early universe. We also study the prospect for such models to alleviate existing cosmological constraints on massive dark photons, enlarging the motivation for direct tests of this parameter space using precision terrestrial probes.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

An effective cosmological collider

Effective field theories (EFTs) of heavy particles coupled to the inflaton are rife with operator redundancies, frequently obscured by sensitivity to both boundary terms and field redefinitions. We initiate a systematic study of these redundancies by establishing a minimal operator basis for an archetypal example, the abelian gauge-Higgs-inflaton EFT. Working up to dimension 9, we show that certain low-dimensional operators are entirely redundant and identify new non-redundant operators with potentially interesting cosmological collider signals. Our methods generalize straightforwardly to other EFTs of heavy particles coupled to the inflaton.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Lepton flavor asymmetries: from the early Universe to BBN

Large primordial lepton flavor asymmetries with almost vanishing total baryon-minus-lepton number can evade the usual BBN and CMB constraints if neutrino oscillations lead to perfect flavor equilibration. Solving the momentum averaged quantum kinetic equations (QKEs) describing neutrino oscillations and interactions, we perform the first systematic investigation of this scenario, uncovering a rich flavor structure in stark contradiction to the assumption of simple flavor equilibration. We find (i) a particular direction in flavor space, ∆ne ≃ – 2/3 (– 1)∆n μ for normal (inverted) neutrino mass hierarchy, in which the flavor equilibration is efficient and primordial asymmetries are essentially unconstrained, (ii) a minimal washout factor, ∆$n_{e}^{2}$| BBN ≤ 0.03 (0.016) ∑ α ∆$n_{α}^{2}$| ini yielding a conservative estimate for the allowed primordial asymmetries in a generic flavor direction, and (iii) particularly strong or weak washout if one of the initial flavor asymmetries vanishes due to non-adiabatic muon- or electron-driven MSW transitions. These results open up the possibility of a first-order QCD phase transition facilitated by large lepton asymmetries as well as baryogenesis from large and compensated ∆n e = ∆n μ asymmetries. Our systematic approach of deriving momentum averaged QKEs includes collision terms beyond the damping approximation, energy transfer between the neutrino and electron-photon plasma, and provides a fast and reliable way to investigate the impact of primordial lepton asymmetries at the time of BBN. We publicly release the Mathematica code COFLASY-M on https://github.com/mariofnavarro/COFLASY which solves the QKEs numerically.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗