arXiv subjects

M. Pospelov

Publications and source records attributed to M. Pospelov.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

How do you know if you ran through a wall?

Stable topological defects of light (pseudo)scalar fields can contribute to the Universe's dark energy and dark matter. Currently the combination of gravitational and cosmological constraints provides the best limits on such a possibility. We take an example of domain walls generated by an axion-like field with a coupling to the spins of standard-model particles, and show that if the galactic environment contains a network of such walls, terrestrial experiments aimed at detection of wall-crossing events are realistic. In particular, a geographically separated but time-synchronized network of sensitive atomic magnetometers can detect a wall crossing and probe a range of model parameters currently unconstrained by astrophysical observations and gravitational experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Low Mass WIMP Searches with a Neutrino Experiment: A Proposal for Further MiniBooNE Running

A proposal submitted to the FNAL PAC is described to search for light sub-GeV WIMP dark matter at MiniBooNE. The possibility to steer the beam past the target and into an absorber leads to a significant reduction in neutrino background, allowing for a sensitive search for elastic scattering of WIMPs off nucleons or electrons in the detector. Dark matter models involving a vector mediator can be probed in a parameter region consistent with the required thermal relic density, and which overlaps the region in which these models can resolve the muon g-2 discrepancy. Estimates of signal significance are presented for various operational modes and parameter points. The experimental approach outlined for applying MiniBooNE to a light WIMP search may also be applicable to other neutrino facilities.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2010

Axio-electric effect

Using the relativistic Hartree-Fock approximation, we calculate the rates of atomic ionization by absorption of axions of the energies up to 100 keV and for an arbitrary value of the axion mass. We present numerical results for atoms used in the low radioactive background searches of dark matter (e.g. Ar, Ge and Xe), as well as the analytical formula which fits numerical calculations for the absorption cross sections and can be applied for other atoms, molecules and condensed matter systems. Using the cross-sections for the axio-electric effect, we derive the counting rates induced by solar axions and set limits on the axion coupling constants.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Atomic Ionization by keV-scale Pseudoscalar Dark Matter Particles

Using the relativistic Hartree-Fock approximation, we calculate the rates of atomic ionization by absorption of pseudoscalar particles in the mass range from 10 to $\sim$ 50 keV. We present numerical results for atoms relevant for the direct dark matter searches (e.g. Ar, Ge, I and Xe), as well as the analytical formula which fits numerical calculations with few per cent accuracy and may be used for multi-electron atoms, molecules and condensed matter systems.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Flavour physics of leptons and dipole moments

This chapter of the report of the ``Flavour in the era of the LHC'' Workshop discusses the theoretical, phenomenological and experimental issues related to flavour phenomena in the charged lepton sector and in flavour-conserving CP-violating processes. We review the current experimental limits and the main theoretical models for the flavour structure of fundamental particles. We analyze the phenomenological consequences of the available data, setting constraints on explicit models beyond the Standard Model, presenting benchmarks for the discovery potential of forthcoming measurements both at the LHC and at low energy, and exploring options for possible future experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2006

Dark matter pair-production in b -> s transitions

The flavour-changing neutral current transition b \to s can serve as a sensitive probe of WIMP dark matter models, if the WIMP mass is under 2 GeV. In this work we extend our earlier analysis to a generic class of models where the interaction between the dark matter sector and the Standard Model matter sector is mediated by the Higgs boson(s). We show that experimental limits on the decays of B-mesons to K(K^*) and missing energy provide stringent constraints on the parameter space of such models, but do not rule out sub-GeV WIMPs in a model-independent way. We find that in the context of the NMSSM with light pseudoscalar Higgs, the WIMP masses under a few hundred MeV are generically excluded with the exception of few highly tuned points in the parameter space.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2005

Theta-Induced Electric Dipole Moment of the Neutron via QCD Sum Rules

Using the QCD sum rule approach, we calculate the electric dipole moment of the neutron induced by a vacuum theta--angle to approximately 40-50% precision, d_n = 2.4 x 10^{-16} θe.cm. Combined with the new experimental bound, this translates into the limit |θ|< 3 x 10^{-10}.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2003

Models of quintessence coupled to the electromagnetic field and the cosmological evolution of alpha

We study the change of the effective fine structure constant in the cosmological models of a scalar field with a non-vanishing coupling to the electromagnetic field. Combining cosmological data and terrestrial observations we place empirical constraints on the size of the possible coupling and explore a large class of models that exhibit tracking behavior. The change of the fine structure constant implied by the quasar absorption spectra together with the requirement of tracking behavior impose a lower bound of the size of this coupling. Furthermore, the transition to the quintessence regime implies a narrow window for this coupling around $10^{-5}$ in units of the inverse Planck mass. We also propose a non-minimal coupling between electromagnetism and quintessence which has the effect of leading only to changes of alpha determined from atomic physics phenomena, but leaving no observable consequences through nuclear physics effects. In doing so we are able to reconcile the claimed cosmological evidence for a changing fine structure constant with the tight constraints emerging from the Oklo natural nuclear reactor.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2003

Hadronic EDMs, the Weinberg Operator, and Light Gluinos

We re-examine questions concerning the contribution of the three-gluon Weinberg operator to the electric dipole moment of the neutron, and provide several QCD sum rule-based arguments that the result is smaller than - but nevertheless consistent with - estimates which invoke naive dimensional analysis. We also point out a regime of the MSSM parameter space with light gluinos for which this operator provides the dominant contribution to the neutron electric dipole moment due to enhancement via the dimension five color electric dipole moment of the gluino.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2002

A Higgs or Not a Higgs? What to Do if You Discover a New Scalar Particle

We show how to systematically analyze what may be inferred should a new scalar particle be discovered in collider experiments. Our approach is systematic in the sense that we perform the analysis in a manner which minimizes apriori theoretical assumptions as to the nature of the scalar particle. For instance, we do not immediately make the common assumption that a new scalar particle is a Higgs boson, and so must interact with a strength proportional to the mass of the particles with which it couples. We show how to compare different observables, and so to develop a decision tree from which the nature of the new particle may be discerned. We define several categories of models, which summarize the kinds of distinctions which the first experiments can make.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2001

The Minimal Model of Nonbaryonic Dark Matter: A Singlet Scalar

We propose the simplest possible renormalizable extension of the Standard Model - the addition of just one singlet scalar field - as a minimalist model for non-baryonic dark matter. Such a model is characterized by only three parameters in addition to those already appearing within the Standard Model: a dimensionless self-coupling and a mass for the new scalar, and a dimensionless coupling, λ, to the Higgs field. If the singlet is the dark matter, these parameters are related to one another by the cosmological abundance constraint, implying that the coupling of the singlet to the Higgs field is large, λ\sim O(0.1 - 1). Since this parameter also controls couplings to ordinary matter, we obtain predictions for the elastic cross section of the singlet with nuclei. The resulting scattering rates are close to current limits from both direct and indirect searches. The existence of the singlet also has implications for current Higgs searches, as it gives a large contribution to the invisible Higgs width for much of parameter space. These scalars can be strongly self-coupled in the cosmologically interesting sense recently proposed by Spergel and Steinhardt, but only for very low masses (< 1 GeV), which is possible only at the expense of some fine-tuning of parameters.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2000

A Higgs or Not a Higgs?

This talk summarizes a method for analyzing the properties of any new scalar particle, which is systematic in the sense that it minimizes apriori theoretical assumptions about the properties of the scalar particle, leading to very model-independent results. This kind of analysis lends itself to systematic survey through the terrain of candidate theories, which we find has vast unpopulated areas. It is also useful for quantifying the comparison of the goodness of fit of competing descriptions of data, should a new scalar be found.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2000

Single-Brane Cosmological Solutions with a Stable Compact Extra Dimension

We consider 5-dimensional cosmological solutions of a single brane. The correct cosmology on the brane, i.e., governed by the standard 4-dimensional Friedmann equation, and stable compactification of the extra dimension is guaranteed by the existence of a non-vanishing \hat{T}^5_5 which is proportional to the 4-dimensional trace of the energy-momentum tensor. We show that this component of the energy-momentum tensor arises from the backreaction of the dilaton coupling to the brane. The same positive features are exhibited in solutions found in the presence of non-vanishing cosmological constants both on the brane (Λ_{br}) and in the bulk (Λ_B). Moreover, the restoration of the Friedmann equation, with the correct sign, takes place for both signs of $Λ_B$ so long as the sign of $Λ_{br}$ is opposite $Λ_B$ in order to cancel the energy densities of the two cosmological constants. We further extend our single-brane thin-wall solution to allow a brane with finite thickness.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1999

Theta angle versus CP violation in the leptonic sector

Assuming that the axion mechanism of solving the strong CP problem does not exist and the vanishing of theta at tree level is achieved by some model-building means, we study the naturalness of having large CP-violating sources in the leptonic sector. We consider the radiative mechanisms which transfer a possibly large CP-violating phase in the leptonic sector to the theta parameter. It is found that large theta cannot be induced in the models with one Higgs doublet as at least three loops are required in this case. In the models with two or more Higgs doublets the dominant source of theta is the phases in the scalar potential, induced by CP violation in leptonic sector. Thus, in the MSSM framework the imaginary part of the trilinear soft-breaking parameter A_l generates the corrections to the theta angle already at one loop. These corrections are large, excluding the possibility of large phases, unless the universality in the slepton sector is strongly violated.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1999

Cosmological 3-Brane Solutions

We analyze cosmological equations in the brane world scenario with one extra space-like dimension. We demonstrate that the cosmological equations can be reduced to the usual 4D Friedmann type if the bulk energy-momentum tensor is different from zero. We then generalize these equations to the case of a brane of finite thickness. We also demonstrate that when the bulk energy-momentum tensor is different from zero, the extra space-like dimension can be compactified with a single brane and show that the stability of the radius of compactification implies standard cosmology and vice versa. For a brane of finite thickness, we provide a solution such that the 4D Planck scale is related to the fundamental scale by the thickness of the brane. In this case, compactification of the extra dimension is unnecessary.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1999

The Theta Term in QCD Sum Rules and the Electric Dipole Moment of the Vector Meson

We demonstrate that the QCD sum rule method can be successfully applied to the calculation of CP-odd electromagnetic observables induced by a vacuum theta--angle. We implement the approach in calculating the electric dipole moment of the rho meson to ~30% precision, and find that the result can also be explicitly related to the vacuum topological susceptibility.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1999

The limits on CP-odd four-fermion operators containing strange quark field

The bounds on the neutron electric dipole moment and T-odd nucleon-nucleon interaction are used to extract the limits on the effective CP-odd four-fermion operators containing strange quark field. This completes the study of the dim=5,6 CP-odd operators built from the light-quark fields. The limits are very strong and comparable to those obtained previously for operators containing up and down flavors. We also analyze the shift of the axionic vacuum, $θ_{eff}$, induced by four-fermion operators in the presence of PQ mechanism and conclude that this gives subleading contributions to CP-odd observables as compared with the direct ones.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1998

Higgs-mediated FCNC in Supersymmetic Models with Large $\tanβ$

In the supersymmetric models with nontrivial flavour structure in the soft-breaking sector the exchange of neutral Higgses mediates $ΔF=2$ transitions. This mechanism is studied for $ΔS, ΔB=2$ processes and for a generic form of the soft-breaking terms. We find that Higgs-mediated FCNC amplitudes increase very rapidly with $\tanβ$ and can exceed $SUSY$ box contribution by up to two orders of magnitude when $\tanβ\sim m_t/m_b$.

hep-ph↗