arXiv subjects

H. Veermäe

Publications and source records attributed to H. Veermäe.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Constraints on primordial black holes from the first part of LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA fourth observing run

We analyse primordial black hole (PBH) populations using state-of-the-art modelling of PBH binaries, deriving the strongest bounds on PBH abundance in the $0.6$-$100\,M_\odot$ range from LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA O4a data and demonstrating sensitivity in the $10^{-4}$-$10^4\,M_\odot$ range, for both monochromatic and log-normal mass functions. The constraints are dominated by resolvable PBH mergers, while the associated gravitational wave background provides complementary but weaker limits. To obtain limits that are agnostic about the astrophysical black hole (ABH) population, we devise two new methods, data-driven methods for statistical inference on scenarios in which PBHs account for a subset of the catalogued events. Allowing for this possibility relaxes slightly the bounds in the solar mass range $2$-$20\, M_\odot$. Our bounds are independent of the assumptions about the astrophysical black holes population and represent the most stringent constraints on the PBH abundance in the solar mass range to date.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Memoirs of the curvaton: non-perturbative non-Gaussianity and supermassive primordial black holes

The curvaton provides a simple mechanism for generating strongly non-Gaussian curvature perturbations after inflation, with potentially important consequences on small scales. We study curvaton dynamics beyond the standard quadratic potential and construct the local non-Gaussian map $ζ=F(ζ_{\rm G})$ relating the curvature perturbation to an auxiliary Gaussian field $ζ_{\rm G}$. Curvaton self-interactions make the onset of oscillations field dependent and modify the effective equation of state once the curvaton enters the adiabatic regime. We incorporate these effects using the abbreviated action, which provides a compact way to connect the frozen and oscillatory regimes and exposes sources of non-Gaussianity absent in the purely quadratic case. We apply the formalism to quadratic, monomial, quartic, and cosine potentials, for which we derive the mapping $F(ζ_{\rm G})$ and show that self-interactions can either enhance or suppress the resulting non-Gaussianity depending on the potential and initial conditions. We consider non-perturbative aspects in the strongly non-Gaussian regime, and show how strong non-Gaussianity can suppress the power spectrum. As an application, we provide a bottom-up scenario in which strongly positive curvaton non-Gaussianity allows primordial supermassive black hole seeds at peak amplitudes $\mathcal{A}_{\rm pk}\sim10^{-5}$, which are compatible with the COBE/FIRAS $μ$-distortion bounds. This opens a new primordial scenario for the Little Red Dots observed by the JWST. The axion-like curvaton provides a particularly natural setting for this mechanism.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Curbing PBHs with PTAs

Sizeable primordial curvature perturbations needed to seed a population of primordial black holes (PBHs) will be accompanied by a scalar-induced gravitational wave signal that can be detectable by pulsar timing arrays (PTA). We derive conservative bounds on the amplitude of the scalar power spectrum at the PTA frequencies and estimate the implied constraints on the PBH abundance. We show that only a small fraction of dark matter can consist of stellar mass PBHs. The strength and the shape of the constraint depend on the shape of the power spectrum and the nature of the non-Gaussianities. We find that constraints on the PBH abundance arise in the mass range $0.1-10^3\, M_{\odot}$, with the sub-solar mass range being constrained only for narrow curvature power spectra. These constraints are softened when positive non-Gaussianity is introduced and can be eliminated when $f_{\rm NL} \gtrsim 5$. On the other hand, if the PBH abundance is computed via the theory of peaks, the PTA constraints on PBHs are relaxed, signalling once more the theoretical uncertainties in assessing the PBH abundance. We further discuss how strong positive non-Gaussianites can allow for heavy PBHs to potentially seed supermassive BHs.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

The Irrelevance of Primordial Black Hole Clustering in the LVK mass range

We show that in realistic models where primordial black holes are formed due to the collapse of sizeable inflationary perturbations, their initial spatial clustering beyond Poisson distribution does not play any role in the binary mergers, including sub-solar primordial black holes, responsible for the gravitational waves detectable by LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA. This is a consequence of the existing FIRAS CMB distortion constraints on the relevant scales. This conclusion might not hold for lighter masses potentially accessible by future gravitational wave observations.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Constraints on primordial black holes from LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA O3 events

Primordial black holes (PBH) can efficiently form black hole binaries in the early universe. We update the resulting constraints on PBH abundance using data from the third observational run (O3) of LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA. To capture a wide range of PBH scenarios, we consider a variety of mass functions, including critical collapse in the QCD epoch in the presence of non-Gaussianities. Applying hierarchical Bayesian analysis to a population binaries consisting of primordial and astrophysical black holes, we find that, in every scenario, the PBHs can make up at most $f_{\rm PBH} \lesssim 10^{-3}$ of dark matter in the mass range $1-200~M_\odot$. The shape and strength of the constraints are insensitive to the type of non-Gaussianities, the modifications to the mass function during the QCD epoch, or the modelling of the astrophysical PBH population.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2022

Ruling out Initially Clustered Primordial Black Holes as Dark Matter

Combining constraints from microlensing and Lyman-$α$ forest, we provide a simple argument to show that large spatial clustering of stellar-mass primordial black holes at the time of formation, such as the one induced by the presence of large non-Gaussianities, is ruled out. Therefore, it is not possible to evade existing constraints preventing stellar-mass primordial black holes to be a dominant constituent of the dark matter by boosting their initial clustering.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2021

New fermions in the light of the $(g-2)_μ$

The very precise measurement of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, recently released by the Muon g-2 experiment at Fermilab, can serve to set stringent constraints on new particles. If the observed 4$σ$ discrepancy from the Standard Model value is indeed real, it will set a tight margin on the scale of the masses and couplings of these particles. Instead, if the discrepancy is simply a result of additional theoretical and experimental uncertainties to be included, strong constraints can be put on their parameters. In this mini-review, we summarize the impact of the latest muon g-2 measurement on new fermions that are predicted by a wide range of new physics models and with exotic quantum numbers and interactions. We will particularly discuss the case of vector-like leptons, excited leptons, and supersymmetric fermions, as well as spin-3/2 isosinglet fermions, which have been advocated recently.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

Evolving Planck Mass in Classically Scale-Invariant Theories

We consider classically scale-invariant theories with non-minimally coupled scalar fields, where the Planck mass and the hierarchy of physical scales are dynamically generated. The classical theories possess a fixed point, where scale invariance is spontaneously broken. In these theories, however, the Planck mass becomes unstable in the presence of explicit sources of scale invariance breaking, such as non-relativistic matter and cosmological constant terms. We quantify the constraints on such classical models from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis that lead to an upper bound on the non-minimal coupling and require trans-Planckian field values. We show that quantum corrections to the scalar potential can stabilise the fixed point close to the minimum of the Coleman-Weinberg potential. The time-averaged motion of the evolving fixed point is strongly suppressed, thus the limits on the evolving gravitational constant from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis and other measurements do not presently constrain this class of theories. Field oscillations around the fixed point, if not damped, contribute to the dark matter density of the Universe.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

A SUSY Inspired Simplified Model for the 750 GeV Diphoton Excess

The evidence for a new singlet scalar particle from the 750 GeV diphoton excess, and the absence of any other signal of new physics at the LHC so far, suggest the existence of new coloured scalars. To study this possibility, we propose a supersymmetry inspired simplified model, extending the Standard Model with a singlet scalar and with heavy scalar fields carrying both colour and electric charges -- the `squarks'. To allow the latter to decay, and to generate the dark matter of the Universe, we also add a neutral fermion to the particle content. We show that this model provides a two-parameter fit to the observed diphoton excess consistently with cosmology, while the allowed parameter space is bounded by the consistency of the model. In the context of our simplified model this implies the existence of other supersymmetric particles accessible at the LHC, rendering this scenario falsifiable. If this excess persists, it will imply a paradigm shift in assessing supersymmetry breaking and the role of scalars in low scale physics.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Short chaotic strings and their behaviour in the scaling region

Coupled map lattices are a paradigm of higher-dimensional dynamical systems exhibiting spatio-temporal chaos. A special case of non-hyperbolic maps are one-dimensional map lattices of coupled Chebyshev maps with periodic boundary conditions, called chaotic strings. In this short note we show that the fine structure of the self energy of this chaotic string in the scaling region (i.e. for very small coupling) is retained if we reduce the length of the string to three lattice points.

nlin.CD↗