arXiv subjects

Alessandro Strumia

Publications and source records attributed to Alessandro Strumia.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

Robust implications on Dark Matter from the first FERMI sky gamma map

We derive robust model-independent bounds on DM annihilations and decays from the first year of FERMI gamma-ray observations of the whole sky. These bounds only have a mild dependence on the DM density profile and allow the following DM interpretations of the PAMELA and FERMI electron/positron excesses: primary channels mu+ mu-, mu+ mu-mu+mu- or e+ e- e+ e-. An isothermal-like density profile is needed for annihilating DM. In all such cases, FERMI gamma spectra must contain a significant DM component, that may be probed in the future.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

CDMS stands for Constrained Dark Matter Singlet

Motivated by the two candidate Dark Matter events observed by the CDMS experiment, we consider a Constrained Dark Matter Singlet (CDMS) model that, with no free parameters, predicts the DM mass and the DM direct cross section to be in the range weakly favored by CDMS.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Minimal Dark Matter: model and results

We recap the main features of Minimal Dark Matter (MDM) and assess its status in the light of the recent experimental data. The theory selects an electroweak 5-plet with hypercharge Y=0 as a fully successful DM candidate, automatically stable against decay and with no free parameters: DM is a fermion with a 9.6 TeV mass. The direct detection cross-section, predicted to be 10^-44 cm2, is within reach of next-generation experiments. DM is accompanied by a charged fermion 166 MeV heavier: we discuss how it might manifest. Thanks to an electroweak Sommerfeld enhancement of more than 2 orders of magnitude, DM annihilations into W+W- give, in presence of a modest astrophysical boost factor, a positron flux compatible with the PAMELA excess (but not with the ATIC hint for a peak: MDM instead predicts a quasi-power-law spectrum), a anti-proton flux concentrated at energies above 100 GeV, and to photon fluxes comparable with present limits, depending on the DM density profile.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Enhanced anti-deuteron Dark Matter signal and the implications of PAMELA

We show that the jet structure of DM annihilation or decay products enhances the anti-deuterium production rate by orders of magnitude compared to the previous computations done assuming a spherically symmetric coalescence model. In particular, in the limit of heavy DM, M >> m_p, we get a constant rather than 1/M^2 suppressed anti-deuterium production rate. Therefore, a detectable anti-deuterium signal is compatible with the lack of an excess in the anti-proton PAMELA flux. Most importantly, cosmic anti-deuterium searches become sensitive to the annihilations or decays of heavy DM, suggesting to extend the experimental anti-deuterium searches above the O(1) GeV scale.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Non-universal minimal Z' models: present bounds and early LHC reach

We consider non-universal 'minimal' Z' models, whose additional U(1) charge is a non-anomalous linear combination of the weak hypercharge Y, the baryon number B and the partial lepton numbers (L_e, L_mu, L_tau), with no exotic fermions beyond three standard families with right-handed neutrinos. We show that the observed pattern of neutrino masses and mixing can be fully reproduced by a gauge-invariant renormalizable Lagrangian, and flavor-changing neutral currents in the charged lepton sector are suppressed by a GIM mechanism. We then discuss the phenomenology of some benchmark models. The electrophilic B-3L_e model is significantly constrained by electroweak precision tests, but still allows to fit the hint of an excess observed by CDF in dielectrons but not in dimuons. The muonphilic B-3L_mu model is very mildly constrained by electroweak precision tests, so that even the very early phase of the LHC can explore significant areas of parameter space. We also discuss the hadrophobic L_mu-L_tau model, which has recently attracted interest in connection with some puzzling features of cosmic ray spectra.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Multi-muon events at the Tevatron: a hidden sector from hadronic collisions

Intrigued by some features of a small but significant fraction of the multi-muon events recently published by the CDF collaboration, we show an explicit attempt to describe them in terms of a light scalar singlet $ϕ$ which communicates with the standard quarks either through a heavy scalar or a heavy fermion exchange. As suggested in arXiv:0810.7530, the singlet $ϕ$ has a chain decay into a final state made of four $τ\barτ$ pairs. We can simulate most of the muon properties of the selected sample of events. Some of these properties adhere rather well to the already published data; others should allow a decisive test of the proposed interpretation. Assuming that the test is positively passed, we show how the PAMELA excess can be fitted by the annihilation of a TeV Dark Matter particle that communicates with the Standard Model via the new light singlet(s).

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Gamma-ray and radio tests of the e+e- excess from DM annihilations

PAMELA and ATIC recently reported an excess in e+e- cosmic rays. We show that if it is due to Dark Matter annihilations, the associated gamma-ray flux and the synchrotron emission produced by e+e- in the galactic magnetic field violate HESS and radio observations of the galactic center and HESS observations of dwarf Spheroidals, unless the DM density profile is significantly less steep than the benchmark NFW and Einasto profiles.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Decaying Dark Matter can explain the electron/positron excesses

PAMELA and ATIC recently reported excesses in e+ e- cosmic rays. Since the interpretation in terms of DM annihilations was found to be not easily compatible with constraints from photon observations, we consider the DM decay hypothesis and find that it can explain the e+ e- excesses compatibly with all constraints, and can be tested by dedicated HESS observations of the Galactic Ridge. ATIC data indicate a DM mass of about 2 TeV: this mass naturally implies the observed DM abundance relative to ordinary matter if DM is a quasi-stable composite particle with a baryon-like matter asymmetry. Technicolor naturally yields these type of candidates.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Minimal Dark Matter predictions and the PAMELA positron excess

We present Minimal Dark Matter and its univocal predictions for Dark Matter observables. During the idm2008 conference, PAMELA presented preliminary results showing an excess in the positron fraction: we find a good agreement, with a modest astrophysical boost factor.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Sommerfeld corrections to type-II and III leptogenesis

We study thermal leptogenesis from decays of the electroweak triplets that mediate neutrino masses in type-II and type-III see-saw. We find that Sommerfeld corrections reduce the baryon asymmetry by ~30%, and that successful leptogenesis needs triplets heavier than 1.6 TeV, beyond the discovery reach of LHC.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Minimal Dark Matter predictions for galactic positrons, anti-protons, photons

We present the energy spectra of the fluxes of positrons, anti-protons and photons generated by Dark Matter annihilations in our galaxy, as univocally predicted by the model of Minimal Dark Matter. Due to multi-TeV masses and to the Sommerfeld enhancement of the annihilation cross section, distinctive signals are generated above the background, even with a modest astrophysical boost factor, in the range of energies soon to be explored by cosmic ray experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Anomalous anomalous scaling?

Motivated by speculations about infrared deviations from the standard behavior of local quantum field theories, we explore the possibility that such effects might show up as an anomalous running of coupling constants. The most sensitive probes are presently given by the anomalous magnetic moments of the electron and the muon, that suggest that alpha_{em} runs 1.00047 +- 0.00018 times faster than predicted by the Standard Model. The running of alpha_{em} and alpha_s up to the weak scale is confirmed with a precision at the % level.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Type-III see-saw at LHC

Neutrino masses can be generated by fermion triplets with TeV-scale mass, that would manifest at LHC as production of two leptons together with two heavy SM vectors or higgs, giving rise to final states such as 2 leptons + 4 jets (that can violate lepton number and/or lepton flavor) or 1 lepton +4 jets +missing transverse energy. We devise cuts to suppress the SM backgrounds to these signatures. Furthermore, for most of the mass range suggested by neutrino data, triplet decays are detectably displaced from the production point, allowing to infer the neutrino mass parameters. We compare with LHC signals of type-I and type-II see-saw.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Gravitational corrections to Standard Model vacuum decay

We refine and update the metastability constraint on the Standard Model top and Higgs masses, by analytically including gravitational corrections to the vacuum decay rate. Present best-fit ranges of the top and Higgs masses mostly lie in the narrow metastable region. Furthermore, we show that the SM potential can be fine-tuned in order to be made suitable for inflation. However, SM inflation results in a power spectrum of cosmological perturbations not consistent with observations.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

The golden ratio prediction for the solar neutrino mixing

We present a simple texture that predicts the cotangent of the solar neutrino mixing angle to be equal to the golden ratio. This prediction is 1.4 standard deviations below the present best-fit value and final SNO and KamLAND data could discriminate it from tri-bi-maximal mixing. The neutrino mass matrix is invariant under a Z_2 x Z'_2 symmetry: that geometrically is a reflection along the diagonal of the golden rectangle. Assuming an analogous structure in the quark sector suggests a golden prediction for the Cabibbo angle, theta_C = pi/4- theta_12 = 13.3 degree, up to uncertainties comparable to V_{ub}.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Cosmology and Astrophysics of Minimal Dark Matter

We consider DM that only couples to SM gauge bosons and fills one gauge multiplet, e.g. a fermion 5-plet (which is automatically stable), or a wino-like 3-plet. We revisit the computation of the cosmological relic abundance including non-perturbative corrections. The predicted mass of e.g. the 5-plet increases from 4.4 TeV to 10 TeV, and indirect detection rates are enhanced by 2 orders of magnitude. Next, we show that due to the quasi-degeneracy among neutral and charged components of the DM multiplet, a significant fraction of DM with energy E > 10^17 eV (possibly present among ultra-high energy cosmic rays) can cross the Earth exiting in the charged state and may in principle be detected in neutrino telescopes.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Minimal Dark Matter

A few multiplets that can be added to the SM contain a lightest neutral component which is automatically stable and provides allowed DM candidates with a non-standard phenomenology. Thanks to coannihilations, a successful thermal abundance is obtained for well defined DM masses. The best candidate seems to be a SU(2)_L fermion quintuplet with mass 4.4 TeV, accompanied by a charged partner 166 MeV heavier with life-time 1.8 cm, that manifests at colliders as charged tracks disappearing in pi^\pm with 97.7% branching ratio. The cross section for usual NC direct DM detection is sigma_SI = f^2 1.0 10^-43 cm^2 where f ~ 1 is a nucleon matrix element. We study prospects for CC direct detection and for indirect detection.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

New bounds on millicharged particles from cosmology

Particles with millicharge q and sub-eV mass can be produced in photon-photon collisions, distorting the energy spectrum of the Cosmic Microwave Background. We derive the conservative bound q < 10^-7 e (as well as model-dependent bounds two orders of magnitude stronger), incompatible with proposed interpretations of the PVLAS anomaly based on millicharged production or on millicharged-mediated axion-like couplings.

hep-ph↗