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Daniel J. H. Chung

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel J. H. Chung.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2015

Elementary Theorems Regarding Blue Isocurvature Perturbations

Blue CDM-photon isocurvature perturbations are attractive in terms of observability and may be typical from the perspective of generic mass relations in supergravity. We present and apply three theorems useful for blue isocurvature perturbations arising from linear spectator scalar fields. In the process, we give a more precise formula for the blue spectrum associated with the axion model of 0904.3800, which can in a parametric corner give a factor of O(10) correction. We explain how a conserved current associated with Peccei-Quinn symmetry plays a crucial role and explicitly plot several example spectra including the breaks in the spectra. We also resolve a little puzzle arising from a naive multiplication of isocurvature expression that sheds light on the gravitational imprint of the adiabatic perturbations on the fields responsible for blue isocurvature fluctuations.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2013

Fermionic Isocurvature Perturbations

Isocurvature perturbations in the inflationary literature typically involve quantum fluctuations of bosonic field degrees of freedom. In this work, we consider isocurvature perturbations from fermionic quantum fluctuations during inflation. When a stable massive fermion is coupled to a non-conformal sector different from the scalar metric perturbations, observably large amplitude scale invariant isocurvature perturbations can be generated. In addition to the computation of the isocurvature two-point function, an estimate of the local non-Gaussianities is also given and found to be promising for observations in a corner of the parameter space. The results provide a new class of cosmological probes for theories with stable massive fermions. On the technical side, we explicitly renormalize the composite operator in curved spacetime and show that gravitational Ward identities play an important role in suppressing certain contributions to the fermionic isocurvature perturbations.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2013

Quadratic Isocurvature Cross-Correlation, Ward Identity, and Dark Matter

Sources of isocurvature perturbations and large non-Gaussianities include field degrees of freedom whose vacuum expectation values are smaller than the expansion rate of inflation. The inhomogeneities in the energy density of such fields are quadratic in the fields to leading order in the inhomogeneity expansion. Although it is often assumed that such isocurvature perturbations and inflaton-driven curvature perturbations are uncorre- lated, this is not obvious from a direct computational point of view due to the form of the minimal gravitational interactions. We thus compute the irreducible gravitational contributions to the quadratic isocurvature-curvature cross-correlation. We find a small but non-decaying cross-correlation, which in principle serves as a consistency prediction of this large class of isocurvature perturbations. We apply our cross-correlation result to two dark matter isocurvature perturbation scenarios: QCD axions and WIMPZILLAs. On the technical side, we utilize a gravita- tional Ward identity in a novel manner to demonstrate the gauge invariance of the computation. Furthermore, the detailed computation is interpreted in terms of a soft-ζ theorem and a gravitational Ward identity. Finally, we also identify explicitly all the counterterms that are necessary for renormalizing the isocurvature perturbation composite operator in inflationary cosmological backgrounds.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2013

The 125 GeV Higgs and Electroweak Phase Transition Model Classes

Recently, the ATLAS and CMS detectors have discovered a bosonic particle which, to a reasonable degree of statistical uncertainty, fits the profile of the Standard Model Higgs. One obvious implication is that models which predict a significant departure from Standard Model phenomenology, such as large exotic (e.g., invisible) Higgs decay or mixing with a hidden sector scalar, are already ruled out. This observation threatens the viability of electroweak baryogenesis, which favors, for example, a lighter Higgs and a Higgs coupled to or mixed with light scalars. To assess the broad impact of these constraints, we propose a scheme for classifying models of the electroweak phase transition and impose constraints on a class-by-class basis. We find that models, such as the MSSM, which rely on thermal loop effects are severely constrained by the measurement of a 125 GeV Higgs. Models which rely on tree-level effects from a light singlet are also restricted by invisible decay and mixing constraints. Moreover, we find that the parametric region favored by electroweak baryogenesis often coincides with an enhanced symmetry point with a distinctive phenomenological character. In particular, enhancements arising through an approximate continuous symmetry are phenomenologically disfavored, in contrast with enhancements from discrete symmetries. We also comment on the excess of diphoton events observed by ATLAS and CMS. We note that although Higgs portal models can accommodate both enhanced diphoton decay and a strongly first order electroweak phase transition, the former favors a negative Higgs portal coupling whereas the latter favors a positive one, and therefore these two constraints are at tension with one another.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2013

Isocurvature Perturbations and Non-Gaussianity of Gravitationally Produced Nonthermal Dark Matter

Gravitational particle production naturally occurs during the transition from the inflationary phase to the non-inflationary phase. If the particles are stable and very weakly interacting, they are natural nonthermal dark matter candidates. We show that such nonthermal dark matter particles can produce local non-Gaussianities large enough to be observed by ongoing and near future experiments without being in conflict with the existing isocurvature bounds. Of particular interest is the fact that these particles can be observable through local non-Gaussianities even when they form a very small fraction of the total dark matter content.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2012

Strongly First Order Phase Transitions Near an Enhanced Discrete Symmetry Point

We propose a group theoretic condition which may be applied to extensions of the Standard Model in order to locate regions of parameter space in which the electroweak phase transition is strongly first order, such that electroweak baryogenesis may be a viable mechanism for generating the baryon asymmetry of the universe. Specifically, we demonstrate that the viable corners of parameter space may be identified by their proximity to an enhanced discrete symmetry point. At this point, the global symmetry group of the theory is extended by a discrete group under which the scalar sector is non-trivially charged, and the discrete symmetry is spontaneously broken such that the discrete symmetry relates degenerate electroweak preserving and breaking vacua. This idea is used to investigate several specific models of the electroweak symmetry breaking sector. The phase transitions identified through this method suggest implications for other relics such as dark matter and gravitational waves.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2011

Gravitational Fermion Production in Inflationary Cosmology

We revisit the gravitational production of massive Dirac fermions in inflationary cosmology with a focus on clarifying the analytic computation of the particle number density in both the large and the small mass regimes. For the case in which the masses of the gravitationally produced fermions are small compared to the Hubble expansion rate at the end of inflation, we obtain a universal result for the number density that is nearly independent of the details of the inflationary model. The result is identical to the case of conformally coupled scalars up to an overall multiplicative factor of order unity for reasons other than just counting the fermionic degrees of freedom.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2011

Cosmological Constant, Dark Matter, and Electroweak Phase Transition

Accepting the fine tuned cosmological constant hypothesis, we have recently proposed that this hypothesis can be tested if the dark matter freeze out occurs at the electroweak scale and if one were to measure an anomalous shift in the dark matter relic abundance. In this paper, we numerically compute this relic abundance shift in the context of explicit singlet extensions of the Standard Model and explore the properties of the phase transition which would lead to the observationally most favorable scenario. Through the numerical exploration, we explicitly identify a parameter space in a singlet extension of the standard model which gives order unity observable effects. We also clarify the notion of a temperature dependence in the vacuum energy.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2011

Probing the Cosmological Constant and Phase Transitions with Dark Matter

The Standard Model and its extensions predict multiple phase transitions in the early universe. In addition to the electroweak phase transition, one or several of these could occur at energies close to the weak scale. Such phase transitions can leave their imprint on the relic abundance of TeV-scale dark matter. In this paper, we enumerate several physical features of a generic phase transition and parameterize the effect of each on the relic abundance. In particular, we include among these effects the presence of the scalar field vacuum energy and the cosmological constant, which is sensitive to UV physics. Within the context of the Standard Model Higgs sector, we find that the relic abundance of generic TeV-scale dark matter is affected by the vacuum energy at the order of a fraction of a percent. For scalar field sectors with strong first order phase transitions, an order one percent apparent tuning of coupling constants may allow corrections induced by the vacuum energy to be of order unity.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2010

Electroweak Phase Transition in the munuSSM

An extension of the MSSM called the munuSSM does not allow a conventional thermal leptogenesis scenario because of the low scale seesaw that it utilizes. Hence, we investigate the possibility of electroweak baryogenesis. Specifically, we identify a parameter region for which the electroweak phase transition is sufficiently strongly first order to realize electroweak baryogenesis. In addition to transitions that are similar to those in the NMSSM, we find a novel class of phase transitions in which there is a rotation in the singlet vector space.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2010

Gravity Waves as a Probe of Hubble Expansion Rate During An Electroweak Scale Phase Transition

Just as big bang nucleosynthesis allows us to probe the expansion rate when the temperature of the universe was around 1 MeV, the measurement of gravity waves from electroweak scale first order phase transitions may allow us to probe the expansion rate when the temperature of the universe was at the electroweak scale. We compute the simple transformation rule for the gravity wave spectrum under the scaling transformation of the Hubble expansion rate. We then apply this directly to the scenario of quintessence kination domination and show how gravity wave spectra would shift relative to LISA and BBO projected sensitivities.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2009

Supergauge interactions and electroweak baryogenesis

We present a complete treatment of the diffusion processes for supersymmetric electroweak baryogenesis that characterizes transport dynamics ahead of the phase transition bubble wall within the symmetric phase. In particular, we generalize existing approaches to distinguish between chemical potentials of particles and their superpartners. This allows us to test the assumption of superequilibrium (equal chemical potentials for particles and sparticles) that has usually been made in earlier studies. We show that in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, superequilibrium is generically maintained -- even in the absence of fast supergauge interactions -- due to the presence of Yukawa interactions. We provide both analytic arguments as well as illustrative numerical examples. We also extend the latter to regions where analytical approximations are not available since down-type Yukawa couplings or supergauge interactions only incompletely equilibrate. We further comment on cases of broken superequilibrium wherein a heavy superpartner decouples from the electroweak plasma, causing a kinematic bottleneck in the chain of equilibrating reactions. Such situations may be relevant for baryogenesis within extensions of the MSSM. We also provide a compendium of inputs required to characterize the symmetric phase transport dynamics.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Lepton-mediated electroweak baryogenesis

We investigate the impact of the tau and bottom Yukawa couplings on the transport dynamics for electroweak baryogenesis in supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model. Although it has generally been assumed in the literature that all Yukawa interactions except those involving the top quark are negligible, we find that the tau and bottom Yukawa interaction rates are too fast to be neglected. We identify an illustrative "lepton-mediated electroweak baryogenesis" scenario in which the baryon asymmetry is induced mainly through the presence of a left-handed leptonic charge. We derive analytic formulae for the computation of the baryon asymmetry that, in light of these effects, are qualitatively different from those in the established literature. In this scenario, for fixed CP-violating phases, the baryon asymmetry has opposite sign compared to that calculated using established formulae.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

CMBPol Mission Concept Study: Probing Inflation with CMB Polarization

We summarize the utility of precise cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization measurements as probes of the physics of inflation. We focus on the prospects for using CMB measurements to differentiate various inflationary mechanisms. In particular, a detection of primordial B-mode polarization would demonstrate that inflation occurred at a very high energy scale, and that the inflaton traversed a super-Planckian distance in field space. We explain how such a detection or constraint would illuminate aspects of physics at the Planck scale. Moreover, CMB measurements can constrain the scale-dependence and non-Gaussianity of the primordial fluctuations and limit the possibility of a significant isocurvature contribution. Each such limit provides crucial information on the underlying inflationary dynamics. Finally, we quantify these considerations by presenting forecasts for the sensitivities of a future satellite experiment to the inflationary parameters.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2008

Yukawa Interactions and Supersymmetric Electroweak Baryogenesis

We analyze the quantum transport equations for supersymmetric electroweak baryogenesis including previously neglected bottom and tau Yukawa interactions and show that they imply the presence of a previously unrecognized dependence of the cosmic baryon asymmetry on the spectrum of third generation quark and lepton superpartners. For fixed values of the CP-violating phases in the supersymmetric theory, the baryon asymmetry can vary in both magnitude and sign as a result of the squark and slepton mass dependence. For light, right-handed top and bottom quark superpartners, the baryon number creation can be driven primarily by interactions involving third generation leptons and their superpartners.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Reconstructing a general inflationary action

If inflation is to be considered in an unbiased way, as possibly originating from one of a wide range of underlying theories, then observations need not be simply applied to reconstructing the inflaton potential, V(ϕ), or a specific kinetic term, as in DBI inflation, but rather to reconstruct the inflationary action in its entirety. We discuss the constraints that can be placed on a general single field action from measurements of the primordial scalar and tensor fluctuation power spectra and non-Gaussianities. We also present the flow equation formalism for reconstructing a general inflationary Lagrangian, L(X,ϕ), with X={1/2}\partial_μϕ\partial^μϕ, in a general gauge, that reduces to canonical and DBI inflation in the specific gauge \partial L/\partial X = c_s^{-1}.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2007

Connecting LHC, ILC, and Quintessence

If the cold dark matter consists of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), anticipated measurements of the WIMP properties at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the International Linear Collider (ILC) will provide an unprecedented experimental probe of cosmology at temperatures of order 1 GeV. It is worth emphasizing that the expected outcome of these tests may or may not be consistent with the picture of standard cosmology. For example, in kination-dominated quintessence models of dark energy, the dark matter relic abundance can be significantly enhanced compared to that obtained from freeze out in a radiation-dominated universe. Collider measurements then will simultaneously probe both dark matter and dark energy. In this article, we investigate the precision to which the LHC and ILC can determine the dark matter and dark energy parameters under those circumstances. We use an illustrative set of four benchmark points in minimal supergravity in analogy with the four LCC benchmark points. The precision achievable together at the LHC and ILC is sufficient to discover kination-dominated quintessence, under the assumption that the WIMPs are the only dark matter component. The LHC and ILC can thus play important roles as alternative probes of both dark matter and dark energy.

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