arXiv subjects

Lei Zu

Publications and source records attributed to Lei Zu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

The CosmoVerse White Paper: Addressing observational tensions in cosmology with systematics and fundamental physics

The standard model of cosmology has provided a good phenomenological description of a wide range of observations both at astrophysical and cosmological scales for several decades. This concordance model is constructed by a universal cosmological constant and supported by a matter sector described by the standard model of particle physics and a cold dark matter contribution, as well as very early-time inflationary physics, and underpinned by gravitation through general relativity. There have always been open questions about the soundness of the foundations of the standard model. However, recent years have shown that there may also be questions from the observational sector with the emergence of differences between certain cosmological probes. In this White Paper, we identify the key objectives that need to be addressed over the coming decade together with the core science projects that aim to meet these challenges. These discordances primarily rest on the divergence in the measurement of core cosmological parameters with varying levels of statistical confidence. These possible statistical tensions may be partially accounted for by systematics in various measurements or cosmological probes but there is also a growing indication of potential new physics beyond the standard model. After reviewing the principal probes used in the measurement of cosmological parameters, as well as potential systematics, we discuss the most promising array of potential new physics that may be observable in upcoming surveys. We also discuss the growing set of novel data analysis approaches that go beyond traditional methods to test physical models. [Abridged]

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Cosmological impact of $ν$DM interactions enhanced in narrow redshift ranges

The impact of dark matter-neutrino ($ν$DM) interactions on cosmological perturbations has regained attention, spurred by indications of non-zero couplings from high-multipole cosmic microwave background data, weak lensing, and Lyman-$α$ observations. We demonstrate that a similar observational preference is obtained if $ν$DM interactions are primarily enhanced during a specific epoch, $z\sim (10^4-10^5)$, leading to $>3σ$ preference for a non-zero interaction in the combined Atacama Cosmology Telescope and cosmic shear data. This redshift-limited enhancement circumvents other cosmological and astrophysical bounds and can be achieved within a neutrino portal dark matter framework incorporating resonantly enhanced scattering rates.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Exploring sub-GeV Dark Matter Physics with Cosmic Ray and Future Telescopes

If sub-GeV Dark matter(DM) annihilates to the charged particles such as $e^+ e^-$, $\mu^+ \mu^-$, or $\pi^+ \pi^-$, it generates an additional source of electrons and positrons in the cosmic ray (CR) population within our Milky Way. During propagation, these secondary electrons and positrons undergo reacceleration processes, boosting their energies to the GeV scale. Observatories like AMS-02 can detect these high-energy particles, enabling constraints on the properties of sub-GeV DM. By analyzing AMS-02 electron and positron data, the 95\% upper limits on the DM annihilation cross-section have been established in the range of $10^{-28}$ to $10^{-27}$ cm$^3\,$s$^{-1}$, corresponding to DM masses ranging from 100 MeV to 1 GeV. Meanwhile, MeV telescopes will provide complementary constraints on DM properties by detecting photon emissions from such annihilation processes. Notably, the sensitivity of future MeV gamma-ray observatories is projected to approach or match the constraints derived from CR data.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

A solution to the S8 tension through neutrino-dark matter interactions

Neutrinos and dark matter (DM) are two of the least understood components of the Universe, yet both play crucial roles in cosmic evolution. Clues about their fundamental properties may emerge from discrepancies in cosmological measurements across different epochs of cosmic history. Possible interactions between them could leave distinctive imprints on cosmological observables, offering a rare window into dark sector physics beyond the standard $\Lambda$CDM framework. We present compelling evidence that DM-neutrino interactions can resolve the persistent structure growth parameter discrepancy, $S_8 = \sigma_8\,\sqrt{\Omega_m/0.3}$, between early and late universe observations. By incorporating cosmic shear measurements from current Weak Lensing surveys, we demonstrate that an interaction strength of $u \sim 10^{-4}$ not only provides a coherent explanation for the high-multipole observations from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (\texttt{ACT}), but also alleviates the $S_8$ discrepancy. Combining early universe constraints with \texttt{DES Y3 cosmic shear} data yields a nearly $3\sigma$ preference for non-zero DM neutrino interactions. This strengthens previous observational claims and provides a clear path toward a significant breakthrough in cosmological research. Our findings challenge the standard $\Lambda$CDM paradigm and highlight the potential of future large-scale structure surveys, which can rigorously test this interaction and unveil the fundamental properties of DM.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Exploring the Dark Energy Equation of State with JWST

Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have unveiled several galaxies with stellar masses $M_*\gtrsim10^{10} M_\odot$ at redshifts $7.4\lesssim z\lesssim 9.1$. These remarkable findings indicate an unexpectedly high stellar mass density, which contradicts the prediction of the $Λ\rm CDM$ model. Our study utilizes the Chevallier--Polarski--Linder (CPL) parameterization, one of the dynamic dark energy models, to probe the role of dark energy on shaping galaxy formation. By considering varying star formation efficiencies within this framework, our analysis demonstrates that in a universe with a higher proportion of dark energy, more massive galaxies are formed at high redshifts, given a fixed perturbation amplitude observed today. These intriguing results highlight the promising prospect of revealing the nature of dark energy by analyzing the high-redshift massive galaxies.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Weak Lensing Constraints on Dark Matter-Baryon Interactions with $N$-Body Simulations and Machine Learning

We investigate the elastic scattering cross section between dark matter and protons using the DES Year 3 weak lensing data. This scattering induces a dark acoustic oscillation structure in the matter power spectra. To address non-linear effects at low redshift, we utilize principal component analysis alongside a limited set of $N$-body simulations, improving the reliability of our matter power spectrum prediction. We further perform a robust Markov Chain Monte Carlo analysis to derive the upper bounds on the DM-proton elastic scattering cross-section, assuming different velocity dependencies. Our results, presented as the first Frequentist upper limits, are compared with the ones obtained by Bayesian approach. Compared with the upper limits derived from the Planck cosmic microwave background data, our findings from DES Year 3 data exhibit improvements of up to a factor of five. In addition, we forecast the future sensitivities of the China Space Station Telescope, the upcoming capabilities of this telescope could improve the current limits by approximately one order of magnitude.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Multi-frequency test of dark matter annihilation into long-lived particles in Sirius

New long-lived particles produced at the colliders may escape from conventional particle detectors. Using satellites or ground telescopes, we can detect the photons generated from the annihilation of the star-captured dark matter into a pair of long-lived particles. When the propagation length of these long-lived particles surpasses the interplanetary distance between the Sun and Jupiter, it becomes unfeasible to detect such dark matter signals originating from the Sun or Jupiter on Earth. Our analysis of the dark matter-induced photons produced by prompt radiation, inverse Compton scattering, and synchrotron radiation mechanisms reveals that a decay length of about $10^{-3}$ pc for long-lived particles is required for maximum detectability. We investigate the parameters that allow the long-lived particle's lifetime to be consistent with Big Bang nucleosynthesis while also allowing it to escape the confines of our solar system. The Sirius system is proposed as a promising target for the indirect detection of such long-lived particles. Utilizing the prompt, inverse Compton scattering, and synchrotron radiation, upper limits on the dark matter-proton spin-independent and spin-dependent cross section are estimated with the Fermi-LAT null-signal observation and the capabilities of the upcoming Square Kilometre Array radio telescope.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Mirror QCD phase transition as the origin of the nanohertz Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background

Several Pulsar Timing Array (PTA) collaborations have recently provided strong evidence for a nHz Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background (SGWB). Here we investigate the implications of a first-order phase transition occurring within the early universe's dark quantum chromodynamics (dQCD) epoch, specifically within the framework of the mirror twin Higgs dark sector model. Our analysis indicates a distinguishable SGWB signal originating from this phase transition, which can explain the measurements obtained by PTAs. Remarkably, a significant portion of the parameter space for the SGWB signal also effectively resolves the existing tensions in both the $H_0$ and $S_8$ measurements in Cosmology. This intriguing correlation suggests a possible common origin of these three phenomena for $0.2 < ΔN_{\rm eff} < 0.5$, where the mirror dark matter component constitutes about $30\%$ of the total dark matter abundance. Next generation CMB experiment such as CMB-S4 is able to test this parameter region.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

SKA sensitivity for possible radio emission from dark matter in Omega Centauri

Omega Centauri, the largest known globular cluster in the Milky Way, is believed to be the remains of a dwarf galaxy's core. Giving its potential abundance of dark matter (DM), it is an attractive target for investigating the nature of this elusive substance in our local environment. Our study demonstrates that by observing Omega Centauri with the SKA for 1000 hours, we can detect synchrotron radio or Inverse Compton (IC) emissions from the DM annihilation products. It enables us to constrain the cross-section of DM annihilation down to $\sim {\rm 10^{-30}~cm^3~s^{-1}}$ for DM mass from several $\rm{GeV}$ to $\rm{100~GeV}$, which is much stronger compared with other observations. Additionally, we explore the axion, another well-motivated DM candidate, and provide stimulated decay calculations. It turns out that the sensitivity can reach $g_{\rm{aγγ}} \sim 10^{-10} ~\rm{GeV^{-1}}$ for $2\times 10^{-7} ~\rm{eV} < m_a < 2\times 10^{-4} ~\rm{eV}$.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Constraining primordial black holes as dark matter using AMS-02 data

Primordial black holes (PBHs) are the plausible candidates for the cosmological dark matter. Theoretically, PBHs with masses $M_{\rm PBH}$ in the range of $4\times10^{14}\sim 10^{17}\,{\rm g}$ can emit sub-GeV electrons and positrons through Hawking radiation. Some of these particles could undergo diffusive reacceleration during propagation in the Milky Way, potentially reaching energies up to the GeV level observed by AMS-02. In this work, we utilize AMS-02 data to constrain the PBH abundance $f_{\rm PBH}$ by employing the reacceleration mechanism. Under the assumption of a monochromatic PBH mass distribution, our findings reveal that the limit is stricter than that derived from Voyager 1 data. This difference is particularly pronounced when $M_{\rm PBH}\lesssim10^{15}\,{\rm g}$, exceeding an order of magnitude. The constraints are even more robust in a more realistic scenario involving a log-normal mass distribution of PBHs. Moreover, we explore the impact of varying propagation parameters and solar modulation potential within reasonable ranges, and find that such variations have minimal effects on the final results.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Prospects of constraining $f(T)$ gravity with the third-generation gravitational-wave detectors

Mergers of binary compact objects, accompanied with electromagnetic (EM) counterparts, offer excellent opportunities to explore varied cosmological models, since gravitational waves (GWs) and EM counterparts always carry the information of luminosity distance and redshift, respectively. $f(T)$ gravity, which alters the background evolution and provides a friction term in the propagation of GWs, can be tested by comparing the modified GW luminosity distance with the EM luminosity distance. Considering the third-generation gravitational-wave detectors, Einstein Telescope and two cosmic explorers, we simulate a series of GW events of binary neutron stars and neutron-star-black-hole binaries with EM counterparts. These simulations can be used to constrain $f(T)$ gravity [especially the power-law model $f(T)=T+α(-T)^β$ in this work] and other cosmological parameters, such as $β$ and the Hubble constant. In addition, combining simulations with current observations of type Ia supernovae and baryon acoustic oscillations, we obtain tighter limitations for $f(T)$ gravity. We find that the estimated precision significantly improved when all three datasets are combined ($Δβ\sim 0.03$), compared to analyzing the current observations alone ($Δβ\sim 0.3$). Simultaneously, the uncertainty of the Hubble constant can be reduced to approximately $1\%$.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Black holes as the source of dark energy: a stringent test with high-redshift JWST AGNs

Studies have proposed that there is evidence for cosmological coupling of black holes (BHs) with an index of $k\approx 3$; hence, BHs serve as the astrophysical source of dark energy. However, the data sample is limited for the redshifts of $\leq 2.5$. In recent years, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected many high-redshift active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and quasars. Among the JWST NIRSpec-/NIRCam-resolved AGNs, three are determined to be in early-type host galaxies with a redshift of $z\sim 4.5--7$. However, their $M_{\star}$ and $M_{\rm BH}$ are in tension with the predicted cosmological coupling of black holes with $k = 3$ at a confidence level of $\sim 2σ$, which challenges the hypothesis that BHs serve as the origin of dark energy. Future work on high-redshift AGNs using the JWST will further assess such a hypothesis by identifying more early-type host galaxies in the higher mass range.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2023

Exploring Mirror Twin Higgs Cosmology with Present and Future Weak Lensing Surveys

We explore the potential of precision cosmological data to study non-minimal dark sectors by updating the cosmological constraint on the mirror twin Higgs model (MTH). The MTH model addresses the Higgs little hierarchy problem by introducing dark sector particles. In this work, we perform a Bayesian global analysis that includes the latest cosmic shear measurement from the DES three-year survey and the Planck CMB and BAO data. In the early Universe, the mirror baryon and mirror radiation behave as dark matter and dark radiation, and their presence modifies the Universe's expansion history. Additionally, the scattering between mirror baryon and photon generates the dark acoustic oscillation process, suppressing the matter power spectrum from the cosmic shear measurement. We demonstrate how current data constrain these corrections to the $Λ$CDM cosmology and find that for a viable solution to the little hierarchy problem, the proportion of MTH dark matter cannot exceed about $30\%$ of the total dark matter density, unless the temperature of twin photon is less than $30\%$ of that of the standard model photon. While the MTH model is presently not a superior solution to the observed $H_0$ tension compared to the $Λ$CDM+$ΔN_{\rm eff}$ model, we demonstrate that it has the potential to alleviate both the $H_0$ and $S_8$ tensions, especially if the $S_8$ tension persists in the future and approaches the result reported by the Planck SZ (2013) analysis. In this case, the MTH model can relax the tensions while satisfying the DES power spectrum constraint up to $k \lesssim 10~h\rm {Mpc}^{-1}$. If the MTH model is indeed accountable for the $S_8$ and $H_0$ tensions, we show that the future China Space Station Telescope (CSST) can determine the twin baryon abundance with a $10\%$ level precision.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2022

The Possibility of Mirror Planet as Planet Nine in Solar System

A series of dynamical anomalies in the orbits of distant trans-Neptunian objects points to a new celestial body (usually named Planet Nine) in the solar system. In this draft, we point out that a mirror planet captured from the outer solar system or formed in the solar system is also a possible candidate. The introduction of the mirror matter model is due to an unbroken parity symmetry and is a potential explanation for dark matter. This mirror planet has null or fainter electromagnetic counterparts with a smaller optical radius and might be explored through gravitational effects.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

Is the $W$-boson mass enhanced by the axion-like particle, dark photon, or chameleon dark energy?

The $W$-boson mass ($m_{W}=80.4335 \pm 0.0094 \mathrm{GeV}$) measured by the Collider Detector at Fermilab collaboration is greater than the standard model (SM) prediction at a confidence level of $7σ$, strongly suggesting the presence of new particles or fields. In the literature, various new particles and/or fields have been introduced to explain the astrophysical and experimental data, and their presence, in principle, may also enhance the $W$-boson mass. In this study, we investigate axion-like particle (ALP), dark photon (DP), and chameleon dark energy (DE) models for a solution to the $W$-boson mass excess. We find that the ALP and DP interpretations have been significantly narrowed down by global electroweak fits. The possibility of attributing the $W-$boson mass anomaly to the chameleon DE is ruled out by other experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Explanation of nearby SNRs for primary electron excess and proton spectral bump

Several groups have reported a possible excess of primary electrons at high energies with the joint fit of the positron fraction and total electron/positron spectra. With the latest release of high-precision electron/positron spectra measured by AMS-02, we further confirm this excess by fitting $ΔΦ$ $\rm(i.e., Φ_{e^-}-Φ_{e^+})$ data in this work. Then we investigate the contribution of a single nearby supernova remnant to the primary electron excess and find that Monogem can reasonably account for this excess. Moreover, we predict that the electron spectrum may harden again at a few TeVs due to Vela's contribution. DAMPE, which can accurately measure electrons at TeV scale, is expected to provide the robust test of this new spectral feature in the near future. Finally, we fit the proton spectrum data of DAMPE with Monogem or Loop I. We find that both the primary electron excess and the proton spectral bump could be mainly generated by Monogem.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

Mirror Dark Matter and Electronic Recoil Events in XENON1T

Recently, the XENON1T experiment has reported the possible detection of an excess in the electronic recoil spectrum. Such an excess may indicate the presence of new physics. In this work, we suggest that the scattering of mirror electrons with ordinary electrons through photon$-$mirror photon kinetic mixing with parameter $ε\sim 10^{-12}(n_{\rm e'}/0.2{\rm cm^{-3}})^{-1/2}({v_{\rm c}^0/5\times 10^{9}~{\rm cm~s^{-1}}})^{1/2}$ may account for the excess electronic recoil events in XENON1T, where $n_{\rm e'}$ is the density of mirror electron and $v_{\rm c}^0$ is the cutoff velocity of the mirror electron arriving at the earth. Interestingly, this parameter to interpret the excess of XENON1T electronic recoil spectrum are consistent with the constrains of Darkside50.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Constraining $U(1)_{L_μ-L_τ}$ charged dark matter model for muon $g-2$ anomaly with AMS-02 electron and positron data

Very recently, the Fermi-Lab reported the new experimental combined results on the magnetic momentum of muon with a 4.2$σ$ discrepancy compared with the expectation of the Standard Model \cite{Fermi_Lab}. A new light gauge boson $X$ in the $L_μ-L_τ$ model provides a good explanation for the $g-2$ anomaly. A Dirac fermion dark matter with a large $L_μ-L_τ$ charge can explain both the $g-2$ anomaly and the dark matter relic density \cite{Asai_2021}. In this work, we focus on the case that the mass of the dark matter is larger than the mass of muon (i.e. $m_Ψ > m_μ$) for which the channel $ΨΨ\rightarrow μ^- μ^+$ opens. Although the cross section $(σv)_{μ^{-}μ^{+}}$ is smaller by a factor of $1/q_Ψ^2$ ($q_Ψ$ represents the $L_μ-L_τ$ charge of the dark matter) compared with the channel $ΨΨ\rightarrow XX \rightarrow νν\barν\barν$, the resulting secondary electrons and positrons could imprint on their spectra above GeV energies due to the reacceleration effect of cosmic ray propagation. We use the AMS-02 measurements of electrons and positrons to constrain the annihilation cross section of the channel $ΨΨ\rightarrow μ^{-}μ^{+}$, which rules out part of the parameter space of the large $L_μ-L_τ$ charged dark matter model to account for the muon $g-2$ anomaly.

hep-ph↗