Resonant Forbidden CP Asymmetry from Soft Leptons

Abstract

To explain the baryon asymmetry in the early universe via leptogenesis, quantum corrections to new particles are commonly invoked to generate the necessary CP asymmetry. We demonstrate, however, that a large CP asymmetry can already arise from Standard Model leptons. The mechanism relies on resummation of soft leptons at finite temperatures. The CP asymmetry, which is kinematically forbidden in vacuum, can be resonantly enhanced from thermally resummed leptons by seven orders of magnitude. Contrary to the resonance from exotic particles, we show that the resonant enhancement from soft leptons is protected by controlled widths under finite-temperature perturbation theory. We quantify such CP asymmetries in leptogenesis with secluded flavor effects and comment on the significance and application. The mechanism exploits the maximal role of leptons themselves, featuring low-scale leptogenesis, minimal model buildings and dark matter cogenesis.