arXiv subjects

Hooman Davoudiasl

Publications and source records attributed to Hooman Davoudiasl.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Exploring Strange Origin of Dirac Neutrino Masses at Hadron Colliders

We consider the possibility that Dirac neutrino masses may be a manifestation of chiral symmetry breaking via non-perturbative QCD dynamics. The key role played by light quarks in this mechanism can naturally lead to signals that are accessible to hadron colliders. Bounds from charged meson decays imply a dominant effect from the strange quark condensate. We propose a model for Dirac neutrino mass generation with an extra Higgs doublet at the TeV scale and significant coupling to strange quarks and leptons. Current data on $D-\bar D$ mixing constrain the allowed parameter space of the model, and a 100 TeV $pp$ collider would either discover or largely exclude it. A distinct feature of this scenario is that measurements of the of charged Higgs leptonic branching ratios can distinguish between "normal" and "inverted" neutrino mass hierarchies, complementing future determinations at neutrino oscillation experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

The storage ring proton EDM experiment

We describe a proposal to search for an intrinsic electric dipole moment (EDM) of the proton with a sensitivity of \targetsens, based on the vertical rotation of the polarization of a stored proton beam. The New Physics reach is of order $10^~3$TeV mass scale. Observation of the proton EDM provides the best probe of CP-violation in the Higgs sector, at a level of sensitivity that may be inaccessible to electron-EDM experiments. The improvement in the sensitivity to $θ_{QCD}$, a parameter crucial in axion and axion dark matter physics, is about three orders of magnitude.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Electric dipole moments and the search for new physics

Static electric dipole moments of nondegenerate systems probe mass scales for physics beyond the Standard Model well beyond those reached directly at high energy colliders. Discrimination between different physics models, however, requires complementary searches in atomic-molecular-and-optical, nuclear and particle physics. In this report, we discuss the current status and prospects in the near future for a compelling suite of such experiments, along with developments needed in the encompassing theoretical framework.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

New Ideas in Baryogenesis: A Snowmass White Paper

The Standard Model of Particle Physics cannot explain the observed baryon asymmetry of the Universe. This observation is a clear sign of new physics beyond the Standard Model. There have been many recent theoretical developments to address this question. Critically, many new physics models that generate the baryon asymmetry have a wide range of repercussions for many areas of theoretical and experimental particle physics. This white paper provides an overview of such recent theoretical developments with an emphasis on experimental testability.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Good things to do with extra Higgs doublets

In this contribution to the Snowmass 2021 process, we outline models with two or three Higgs doublets that address open questions of particle physics and cosmology. In particular, we show that with two additional Higgs doublets one can provide a mechanism for the generation of lepton asymmetry and hence baryon asymmetry, through CP violating Higgs decays, near weak scale temperatures. In another model with only one extra Higgs doublet, we illustrate that Yukawa couplings to quarks and neutrinos can lead to a viable mechanism for the generation of Dirac neutrino masses, sourced by the QCD chiral condensate of strange quarks. We adapt Spontaneous Flavor Violation -- a framework for coupling light fermions to new Higgs doublets while avoiding tree level flavor-changing neutral currents -- in constructing these models. In both cases, flavor data provide interesting constraints on the parameter space. Either scenario includes $\mathcal{O}{(1)}$ couplings of light quarks to the Higgs doublets which allow a future 100 TeV $pp$ collider to have reach for the new scalars up to $\mathcal{O}{(10~{\rm TeV})}$ masses, through resonant single production. In the neutrino mass model, collider data can shed light on the mass hierarchy of neutrinos. This article is based on work presented in Refs. [1,2].

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Multi-TeV Signals of Baryogenesis in Higgs Troika Model

A modest extension of the Standard Model by two additional Higgs doublets - the Higgs Troika Model - can provide a well-motivated scenario for successful baryogenesis if neutrinos are Dirac fermions. Adapting the "Spontaneous Flavor Violation" framework, we consider a version of the Troika model where light quarks have significant couplings to the new multi-TeV Higgs states. Resonant production of new scalars leading to di-jet or top-pair signals are typical predictions of this setup. The initial and final state quarks relevant to the collider phenomenology also play a key role in baryogenesis, potentially providing direct access to the relevant early Universe physics in high energy experiments. Viable baryogenesis generally prefers some hierarchy of masses between the observed and the postulated Higgs states. We show that there is a complementarity between direct searches at a future 100 TeV $pp$ collider and indirect searches at flavor experiments, with both sensitive to different regions of parameter space relevant for baryogenesis. In particular, measurements of $D-\bar{D}$ mixing at LHCb probe much of the interesting parameter space. Direct and indirect searches can uncover the new Higgs states up to masses of $\mathcal{O}(10)$ TeV, thereby providing an impressive reach to investigate this model.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Connecting the Extremes: A Story of Supermassive Black Holes and Ultralight Dark Matter

The formation of ultra rare supermassive black holes (SMBHs), with masses of $\mathcal O(10^9\,M_\odot)$, in the first billion years of the Universe remains an open question in astrophysics. At the same time, ultralight dark matter (DM) with mass in the vicinity of $\mathcal O(10^{-20}~\text{eV})$ has been motivated by small scale DM distributions. Though this type of DM is constrained by various astrophysical considerations, certain observations could be pointing to modest evidence for it. We present a model with a confining first order phase transition at $\sim 10$ keV temperatures, facilitating production of $\mathcal O(10^9\,M_\odot)$ primordial SMBHs. Such a phase transition can also naturally lead to the implied mass for a motivated ultralight axion DM candidate, suggesting that SMBHs and ultralight DM may be two sides of the same cosmic coin. We consider constraints and avenues to discovery from superradiance and a modification to $N_{\rm eff}$. On general grounds, we also expect primordial gravitational waves -- from the assumed first order phase transition -- characterized by frequencies of $\mathcal O(10^{-12}-10^{-9}~\text{Hz})$. This frequency regime is largely uncharted, but could be accessible to pulsar timing arrays if the primordial gravitational waves are at the higher end of this frequency range, as could be the case in our assumed confining phase transition.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2021

Comprehensive Symmetric-Hybrid ring design for pEDM experiment at below $10^{-29}e\cdot$cm

A concise demonstrative summary of the Symmetric Hybrid ring design for the storage ring proton electric dipole moment experiment is presented. Critical issues such as lattice design, background electrical fields,geometrical phase, general relativity, spin coherence time and polarimeter systematics are presented. Overall, we find that with the currently proposed design iteration, systematic error sources are reduced by orders of magnitude and that the ring alignment requirements are within the currently available technology.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2021

First Order Electroweak Phase Transition from Weakly Coupled sub-GeV Physics and Possible Connection to Fermion Flavor

We propose that the dynamics of a scalar $ϕ$ of mass $O(10)$ MeV that is weakly coupled to the Higgs can lead to a first order electroweak phase transition, fulfilling a key requirement for baryogenesis. Stability of the model near the weak scale requires a suppressed - possibly vanishing - top Yukawa coupling to the Higgs before the transition which rises to the Standard Model value afterwards. This can be accomplished through the dynamics of $ϕ$ via a dimension-5 operator. We conjecture that the entire Standard Model flavor structure could turn on, mutatis mutandis, after the electroweak phase transition, via dimension-5 interactions of $ϕ$ suppressed by scales ranging from $O(10^3)$ TeV to near Planck mass. Due to its suppressed couplings, $ϕ$ is long-lived and can lead to missing energy signals in rare kaon decays, which can be probed by the KOTO experiment.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

An Attractive Scenario for Light Dark Matter Direct Detection

Direct detection of light dark matter (DM), below the GeV scale, through electron recoil can be efficient if DM has a velocity well above the virial value of $v\sim 10^{-3}$. We point out that if there is a long range attractive force sourced by bulk ordinary matter, i.e. baryons or electrons, DM can be accelerated towards the Earth and reach velocities $v\sim 0.1$ near the Earth's surface. In this "attractive scenario," all DM will be boosted to high velocities by the time it reaches direct detection apparatuses in laboratories. Furthermore, the attractive force leads to an enhanced DM number density at the Earth facilitating DM detection even more. We elucidate the implications of this scenario for electron recoil direct detection experiments and find parameters that could lead to potential signals, while being consistent with stellar cooling and other bounds. Our scenario can potentially explain the recent excess in electron recoil signals reported by the XENON1T experiment in the $\sim$ keV energy regime as well as the hint for non-standard stellar cooling.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Multi-TeV Signals of Higgs Troika Model

We consider a model of baryogenesis that requires extending the Standard Model by two additional multi-TeV Higgs doublets that do not break electroweak symmetry. Adopting the ``Spontaneous Flavor Violation" framework, we can arrange for the heavy Higgs states to have significant couplings to light quarks. This allows for the heavy scalars to be resonantly produced at a future 100 TeV $pp$ collider and discovered in di-jet and top-pair final states up to masses of $\mathcal{O}$(10 TeV). The same mass range can also lead to signals in flavor experiments. Together, these measurements can play a complementary role in probing the physics involved in this Higgs Troika baryogenesis scenario.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Ultralight Fermionic Dark Matter

Conventional lore from Tremaine and Gunn excludes fermionic dark matter lighter than a few hundred eV, based on the Pauli exclusion principle. We highlight a simple way of evading this bound with a large number of species that leads to numerous non-trivial consequences. In this scenario there are many distinct species of fermions with quasi-degenerate masses and no couplings to the standard model. Nonetheless, gravitational interactions lead to constraints from measurements at the LHC, of cosmic rays, of supernovae, and of black hole spins and lifetimes. We find that the LHC constrains the number of distinct species, bosons or fermions lighter than $\sim 500$ GeV, to be $N \lesssim 10^{62}$. This, in particular, implies that roughly degenerate fermionic dark matter must be heavier than $\sim 10^{-14}$ eV, which thus relaxes the Tremaine-Gunn bound by $\sim 16$ orders of magnitude. Slightly weaker constraints applying to masses up to $\sim100$ TeV exist from cosmic ray measurements while various constraints on masses $\lesssim10^{-10}$ eV apply from black hole observations. We consider a variety of phenomenological bounds on the number of species of particles. Finally, we note that there exist theoretical considerations regarding quantum gravity which could impose more severe constraints that may limit the number of physical states to $N\lesssim 10^{32}$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Gravitational Interactions and Neutrino Masses

We describe a scenario where the smallness of neutrino masses is related to a global symmetry that is only violated by quantum gravitational effects. The coupling of neutrinos to gauge singlet right-handed fermions is attributed to symmetry preserving gravitational operators suppressed by the Planck mass, in this framework. The proposed scenario leads to axion particles that decay into neutrinos, which could be probed through cosmological measurements and may help explain the Hubble parameter tension. Depending on the details of the implementation, the scenario could provide axion dark matter candidates.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Getting a THUMP from a WIMP

Producing an acceptable thermal relic abundance of dark matter with masses $\gg 10^2$ TeV is a challenge. We propose a novel mechanism where GeV-scale states establish a tiny thermal relic abundance for dark matter, which is later promoted to ultra massive status by a very light scalar. We refer to this dark matter as a THermal Ultra Massive Particle (THUMP). Direct detection of THUMPs can be naturally expected due to large scattering cross sections mediated by low mass states that couple THUMPs to the Standard Model. Our model generically leads to signals for the associated GeV-scale states at accelerator experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Higgs Troika for Baryon Asymmetry

To explain the baryon asymmetry of the Universe, we extend the Standard Model (SM) with two additional Higgs doublets with small vacuum expectation values. The additional Higgs fields interact with SM fermions through complex Yukawa couplings, leading to new sources of CP violation. We propose a simple flavor model with $\mathcal{O}(1)$ or less Yukawa couplings for quarks and charged leptons, consistent with current flavor constraints. To generate neutrino masses and the baryon asymmetry, right-handed neutrinos in the $\sim 0.1-10$ TeV range couple to the "Higgs Troika." The new Higgs doublet masses could be near the TeV scale, allowing for asymmetric decays into Standard Model lepton doublets and right-handed neutrinos. The asymmetry in lepton doublets is then processed into a baryon asymmetry, similar to leptogenesis. Since the masses of the new fields are near the TeV scale, there is potentially a rich high energy collider phenomenology, including observable deviations in the 125 GeV Higgs decay into muons and taus, as well as detectable low energy signals such as the electron EDM or $μ\rightarrow eγ$. Hence, this is in principle a testable model for generation of baryon asymmetry, similar in that respect to "electroweak baryogenesis."

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Ultra Light Boson Dark Matter and Event Horizon Telescope Observations of M87*

The initial data from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) on M87$^*$, the supermassive black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy, provide direct observational information on its mass, spin, and accretion disk properties. A combination of the EHT data and other constraints provide evidence that M87$^*$ has a mass $\sim 6.5 \times 10^9\,M_\odot$ and dimensionless spin parameter $|a^*|\gtrsim 0.5$. These determinations disfavor ultra light bosons of mass $μ_b\sim 10^{-21}$ eV, within the range considered for fuzzy dark matter, invoked to explain dark matter distribution on $\sim$ kpc scales. Future observations of M87$^*$ could be expected to strengthen our conclusions.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

LIGO/Virgo Black Holes from a First Order QCD Phase Transition

We propose that $O(10 M_{\rm Sun})$ black holes observed by LIGO/Virgo originate from a first order QCD phase transition at a temperature $T_* \lesssim 100$~MeV. This is realized by keeping the quark masses small compared to confinement scale down to $T\sim T_*$, making QCD transition first order. We implement this scenario using a light scalar that could potentially be a good dark matter candidate.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2018

GeV-Scale Messengers of Planck-Scale Dark Matter

If dark matter (DM) originates from physics near the Planck scale it could be directly detected via its multiple scattering signals, yet this requires a large cross section for DM interactions with atoms. Hence, detection of such DM could imply mediation by new low mass messengers. We propose that a dark $U(1)_d$ remnant of the underlying spacetime geometry or a unified theory may survive down to small mass scales $\sim 1$ GeV, connecting low energy Standard Model (SM) and Planck scale phenomena. Typical required cross sections for direct detection of Planck scale DM can be achieved through the $U(1)_d$ interactions of DM with SM quarks. Low energy intense sources may uncover the GeV scale messengers of Planckian physics, allowing for testable predictions. We assume that $U(1)_d$ is gauged baryon number, which implies several new electroweak charged particles are expected to arise near the weak scale to cancel gauge anomalies. The model generically gives rise to kinetic mixing between the $U(1)_d$ gauge boson and the photon, which may be measurable. In this scenario, direct detection of DM and measurements of a low energy messenger, including its kinetic mixing with the photon, can potentially shed light on the high energy character of the scenario. Astrophysical considerations related to white dwarf stability against runaway nuclear fusion potentially disfavor DM heavier than $\sim 10^{17}$ GeV within our assumed messenger model.

hep-ph↗