arXiv subjects

Jack Setford

Publications and source records attributed to Jack Setford.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Mirror Neutron Stars: How QCD can be used to study dark matter through gravitational waves

Given the lack of empirical evidence of weakly interacting dark matter, it is reasonable to look to other candidates such as a confining dark sector with a similar number of particles as the standard model. Twin Higgs mirror matter is one such model that is a twin of the standard model with particles masses 3--6 times heavier than the standard model that solves the hierarchy problem. This generically predicts mirror neutron stars, degenerate objects made entirely of mirror nuclear matter. We find their structure using a realistic equation of state from crust (nuclei) to core (relativistic mean-field model) and scale the particle masses using lattice QCD results. We find that mirror neutron stars have unique signatures that are detectable via gravitational waves and binary pulsars, that provides an intriguing possibility for probing dark matter.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2021

How to search for Mirror Stars with Gaia

We show for the first time how to conduct a direct search for dark matter using Gaia observations. Its public astrometric data may contain the signals of mirror stars, exotic compact objects made of atomic dark matter with a tiny kinetic mixing between the dark and SM photon. Mirror stars capture small amounts of interstellar material in their cores, leading to characteristic optical/IR and X-ray emissions. We develop the detailed pipeline for conducting a mirror star search using data from Gaia and other stellar catalogues, and demonstrate our methodology by conducting a search for toy mirror stars with a simplified calculation of their optical/IR emissions over a wide range of mirror star and hidden sector parameters. We also obtain projected exclusion bounds on the abundance and properties of mirror stars if no candidates are found, demonstrating that Gaia is a new and uniquely powerful probe of atomic dark matter. Our study provides the blueprint for a realistic mirror star search that includes a more complete treatment of the captured interstellar gas in the future.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Resurrecting the Fraternal Twin WIMP Miracle

In Twin Higgs models which contain the minimal particle content required to address the little hierarchy problem (i.e. fraternal models), the twin tau has been identified as a promising candidate for dark matter. In this class of scenarios, however, the elastic scattering cross section of the twin tau with nuclei exceeds the bounds from XENON1T and other recent direct detection experiments. In this paper, we propose a modification to the Fraternal Twin Higgs scenario that we call $\mathbb{Z}_2$FTH, incorporating visible and twin hypercharged scalars (with $Y = 2$) which break twin electromagnetism. This leads to new mass terms for the twin tau that are unrelated to its Yukawa coupling, as well as additional annihilation channels via the massive twin photon. We show that these features make it possible for the right-handed twin tau to freeze out with an acceptable thermal relic abundance while scattering with nuclei at a rate that is well below existing constraints. Nonetheless, large portions of the currently viable parameter space in this model are within the reach of planned direct detection experiments. The prospects for indirect detection using gamma rays and cosmic-ray antiprotons are also promising in this model. Furthermore, if the twin neutrino is light, the predicted deviation of $\Delta N_\mathrm{eff} \approx 0.1$ would be within reach of Stage 4 CMB experiments. Finally, the high luminosity LHC should be able to probe the entire parameter space of the $\mathbb{Z}_2$FTH model through charged scalar searches. We also discuss how searches for long-lived particles are starting to constrain Fraternal Twin Higgs models.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Mirror Neutron Stars

The fundamental nature of dark matter is entirely unknown. A compelling candidate is Twin Higgs mirror matter, invisible hidden-sector cousins of the Standard Model particles and forces. This predicts mirror neutron stars made entirely of mirror nuclear matter. We find their structure using realistic equations of state, robustly modified based on first-principle quantum chromodynamic calculations, for the first time. This allows us to predict their gravitational wave signals, demonstrating an impressive discovery potential and ability to probe dark sectors connected to the hierarchy problem.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

Using LSST Microlensing to Constrain Dark Compact Objects in Spherical and Disk Configurations

The Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) with the Vera Rubin Observatory will provide strong microlensing constraints on dark compact objects (DCOs) in our Galaxy. However, most current forecasts limit their analysis to Primordial Black Holes (PBH). It is unclear how well LSST microlensing will be able to constrain alternative models of DCOs with different Galactic spatial profile distributions at a subdominant DM fraction. In this work, we investigate how well LSST microlensing will constrain spherical or disk-like Galactic spatial distributions of DCOs, taking into account extended observing times, baryonic microlensing background, and sky distribution of LSST sources. These extensions represent significant improvements over existing microlensing forecasts in terms of both accuracy and versatility. We demonstrate this power by deriving new LSST sensitivity projections for DCOs in spherical and disk-like distributions. We forecast that LSST will be able to constrain one solar mass PBHs to have a DM fraction under $4.1\times10^{-4}$. One-solar-mass objects in a dark disk distribution with the same dimensions as the Galactic disk will be constrained below $3.1\times10^{-4}$, while those with $m = 10^5M_{\odot}$ will be constrained to below $3.4\times10^{-5}$. We find that compressed dark disks can be constrained up to a factor of $\sim10$ better than ones with identical dimensions to the baryonic disk. We also find that dark disks become less tightly constrained when they are tilted with respect to our own disk. This forecasting software is a versatile tool, capable of constraining any model of DCOs in the Milky Way with microlensing, and is made publically available at {https://github.com/HarrisonWinch96/DarkDisk_Microlensing}.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Direct Detection of Atomic Dark Matter in White Dwarfs

Dark matter could have a dissipative asymmetric subcomponent in the form of atomic dark matter (aDM). This arises in many scenarios of dark complexity, and is a prediction of neutral naturalness, such as the Mirror Twin Higgs model. We show for the first time how White Dwarf cooling provides strong bounds on aDM. In the presence of a small kinetic mixing between the dark and SM photon, stars are expected to accumulate atomic dark matter in their cores, which then radiates away energy in the form of dark photons. In the case of white dwarfs, this energy loss can have a detectable impact on their cooling rate. We use measurements of the white dwarf luminosity function to tightly constrain the kinetic mixing parameter between the dark and visible photons, across many orders of magnitude in DM mass, down to values of $\epsilon \sim 10^{-12}$. Using this method we can constrain scenarios in which aDM constitutes fractions as small as $10^{-3}$ of the total dark matter density. Our methods are highly complementary to other methods of probing aDM, especially in scenarios where the aDM is arranged in a dark disk, which can make direct detection extremely difficult but actually slightly enhances our cooling constraints.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Signatures of Mirror Stars

Motivated by theories of Neutral Naturalness, we argue that \emph{Mirror Stars} are a generic possibility in any hidden sector with analogues of Standard Model (SM) electromagnetism and nuclear physics. We show that if there exists a tiny kinetic mixing between the dark photon and the SM photon, Mirror Stars capture SM matter from the interstellar medium, which accumulates in the core of the Mirror Star and radiates in the visible spectrum. This signature is similar to, but in most cases much fainter than, ordinary white dwarfs. We also show for the first time that in the presence of captured SM matter, a fraction of dark photons from the core of the Mirror Star convert directly to SM photons, which leads to an X-ray signal that represents a direct probe of the properties of the Mirror Star core. These two signatures together are a highly distinctive, smoking gun signature of Mirror Stars. We show that Mirror Stars could be discovered in both optical and X-ray searches up to approximately 100-1000 light years away, for a range of well-motivated values of the kinetic mixing parameter.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

How To Discover Mirror Stars

Non-minimal hidden sectors are an important generic possibility and arise in highly motivated theories like Neutral Naturalness. A fraction of dark matter could therefore have hidden interactions analogous to Standard Matter (SM) electromagnetism and nuclear physics. This leads to the formation of \emph{Mirror Stars}: dark-sector analogues of regular stars that shine in dark photons. We examine the visible signatures of Mirror Stars in observations for the first time. If the dark and visible photon have a small kinetic mixing, SM matter is captured in Mirror Star cores, giving rise to an optical signal similar to but much fainter than white dwarfs, as well as a separate X-ray signal that represents a direct window into the Mirror Star core. This robust and highly distinctive signature is a smoking gun of Mirror Stars and could be discovered in optical and X-ray searches.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2018

On the impact of dimension-eight SMEFT operators on Higgs measurements

Using the production of a Higgs boson in association with a $W$ boson as a test case, we assess the impact of dimension-8 operators within the context of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory. Dimension-8--SM-interference and dimension-6-squared terms appear at the same order in an expansion in $1/\Lambda$, hence dimension-8 effects can be treated as a systematic uncertainty on the new physics inferred from analyses using dimension-6 operators alone. To study the phenomenological consequences of dimension-8 operators, one must first determine the complete set of operators that can contribute to a given process. We accomplish this through a combination of Hilbert series methods, which yield the number of invariants and their field content, and a step-by-step recipe to convert the Hilbert series output into a phenomenologically useful format. The recipe we provide is general and applies to any other process within the dimension $\le 8$ Standard Model Effective Theory. We quantify the effects of dimension-8 by turning on one dimension-6 operator at a time and setting all dimension-8 operator coefficients to the same magnitude. Under this procedure and given the current accuracy on $\sigma(pp \to h\,W^+)$, we find the effect of dimension-8 operators on the inferred new physics scale to be small, $\mathcal O(\text{few}\,\%)$, with some variation depending on the relative signs of the dimension-8 coefficients and on which dimension-6 operator is considered. The impact of the dimension-8 terms grows as $\sigma(pp \to h\,W^+)$ is measured more accurately or (more significantly) in high-mass kinematic regions. We provide a FeynRules implementation of our operator set to be used for further more detailed analyses.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

Composite Higgs models in disguise

We present a mechanism for disguising one composite Higgs model as another. Allowing the global symmetry of the strong sector to be broken by large mixings with elementary fields, we show that we can disguise one coset $\mathcal G/\mathcal H$ such that at low energies the phenomenology of the model is better described with a different coset $\mathcal G'/\mathcal H'$. Extra scalar fields acquire masses comparable to the rest of the strong sector resonances and therefore are no longer considered pNGBs. Following this procedure we demonstrate that two models with promising UV-completions can be disguised as the more minimal $SO(5)/SO(4)$ coset.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

Tracking down Quirks at the Large Hadron Collider

Non-helical tracks are the smoking gun signature of charged and/or colored quirks, which are pairs of particles bound by a new, long-range confining force. We propose a method to efficiently search for these non-helical tracks at the LHC, without the need to fit their trajectories. We show that the hits corresponding to quirky trajectories can be selected efficiently by searching for co-planar hits in the inner layers of the ATLAS and CMS trackers, even in the presence of on average 50 pile-up vertices. We further argue that backgrounds from photon conversions and unassociated pile-up hits can be removed almost entirely, while maintaining a signal reconstruction efficiency as high as 70%. With the 300 fb$^{-1}$ dataset, this implies a discovery potential for string tension between 100 eV and 30 keV, and colored (electroweak charged) quirks as heavy as 1600 (650) GeV may be discovered.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

Composite Higgs models after Run2

We assess the status of models in which the Higgs is a composite pseudo-Nambu Goldstone boson, in the light of the latest 13 TeV Run 2 Higgs data. Drawing from the extensive Composite Higgs literature, we collect together predictions for the modified couplings of the Higgs, in particular examining the different predictions for $\kappa_V$ and $\kappa_F$. Despite the variety and increasing complexity of models on the market, we point out that many independent models make identical predictions for these couplings. We then look into further corrections induced by tree-level effects such as mass-mixing and singlet VEVs. We then investigate the compatibility of different models with the data, combining the Run 1 and recent Run 2 LHC data. We obtain a robust limit on the scale $f$ of 600 GeV, with stronger limits for different choices of fermion embeddings. We also discuss how a deficit in a Higgs channel could pinpoint the type of Composite Higgs model responsible for it.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

See-Saw Composite Higgses at the LHC: Linking Naturalness to the $750$ GeV Di-Photon Resonance

We explore the possibility of explaining the recent $\sim 750$ GeV excesses observed by ATLAS and CMS in the $\gamma\gamma$ spectrum in the context of a compelling theory of Naturalness. The potential spin-zero resonance responsible for the excesses also requires the existence of new heavy charged states. We show that both such features are naturally realized in a see-saw Composite Higgs model for EWSB, where the new pseudo-Goldstone bosons are expected to be comparatively heavier than the SM Higgs, and the new fermions have masses in the TeV range. If confirmed, the existence of this new resonance could be the first stone in the construction of a new theory of Naturalness.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Composite Higgses with seesaw EWSB

We introduce a new class of Composite Higgs models in which electroweak symmetry is broken by a seesaw-like mechanism. If a global symmetry is broken sequentially at different scales, two sets of pseudo-Goldstone bosons will arise, one set being typically heavier than the other. If two Composite Higgs doublets mix, then the mass-squared of the lighter state can be driven negative, and induce EWSB. We illustrate with the example $SO(6) \rightarrow SO(5) \rightarrow SO(4)$, and derive an estimate of the light Higgs potential. We find that the introduction of an extra scale can ease many of the tensions present in conventional Composite Higgs models, especially those related to fine-tuning. In particular we find that we can significantly raise the upper bound on the mass of the elusive top partners.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Goldstone Inflation

Identifying the inflaton with a pseudo-Goldstone boson explains the flatness of its potential. Successful Goldstone Inflation should also be robust against UV corrections, such as from quantum gravity: in the language of the effective field theory this implies that all scales are sub-Planckian. In this paper we present scenarios which realise both requirements by examining the structure of Goldstone potentials arising from Coleman-Weinberg contributions. We focus on single-field models, for which we notice that both bosonic and fermionic contributions are required and that spinorial fermion representations can generate the right potential shape. We then evaluate the constraints on non-Gaussianity from higher-derivative interactions, finding that axiomatic constraints on Goldstone boson scattering prevail over the current CMB measurements. The fit to CMB data can be connected to the UV completions for Goldstone Inflation, finding relations in the spectrum of new resonances. Finally, we show how hybrid inflation can be realised in the same context, where both the inflaton and the waterfall fields share a common origin as Goldstones.

hep-ph↗