arXiv subjects

Marco Chianese

Publications and source records attributed to Marco Chianese.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Exploring memory-burdened primordial black holes with ultra-high-energy cosmic-rays

Quantum backreaction effects may quench Hawking evaporation through a ``memory burden'', allowing primordial black holes (PBHs) with formation masses well below $10^{15}~\mathrm{g}$ to survive to the present and contribute to the dark matter. We show that ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) provide a powerful and previously unexplored probe of this scenario. We compute the proton and neutron emission from memory-burdened PBHs, including the Galactic-halo contribution and the extragalactic proton component, and confront it with the Pierre Auger Observatory proton spectrum and its EeV neutron limits from the Galactic plane. This yields new constraints on the PBH dark-matter fraction as a function of the PBH formation mass and the evaporation-suppression parameter $k$. For $k\gtrsim 3$ the non-observation of ultra-high-energy protons leads to bounds competitive with those from UHE gamma rays, while neutron limits remain comparable to high-energy neutrino constraints. Our results highlights the key role of multi-messenger astronomy in constraining beyond-the-standard-model scenarios.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Induced Gravitational Waves as Cosmic Tracers of Leptogenesis

We demonstrate that induced gravitational waves (IGWs) can naturally emerge within well-motivated realizations of thermal leptogenesis, thereby providing a possible observational handle on this framework at remarkably high energy scales. To illustrate this principle, we put forth a simple leptogenesis model in which an early matter-dominated phase, connected to the leptogenesis scale, enhances the generation of gravitational waves induced by early structure formation. Leveraging recent N-body and lattice simulation results for IGW computations in the non-linear regime, we show that, within the assumptions of the model, the frequency and amplitude of these IGWs can be correlated with the thermal leptogenesis scale.

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arXiv2026

Asteroid-mass Primordial Black Holes as Dark Matter from Supersymmetry

We study the formation of asteroid-mass Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) as a dark matter candidate in supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model. We show that the presence of heavy particles predicted in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) can lead to a transient softening of the equation of state of the Universe during their non-relativistic transition, enhancing PBH formation. We compute the effective equation of state for different realizations of the MSSM mass spectrum, parametrized by three characteristic mass scales. Assuming a broad and approximately scale-invariant primordial curvature power spectrum, we evaluate the resulting PBH mass functions and compare them with current observational constraints. We find that, for supersymmetric masses above $\sim 10^5\,\mathrm{GeV}$, the PBH mass function is significantly enhanced in the asteroid-mass window, allowing PBHs to account for the total dark matter abundance without violating existing bounds. In contrast, within the Standard Model the same configurations lead to PBH mass functions that are observationally excluded. For lighter supersymmetric mass spectra, PBH production is shifted toward masses above $\sim 10^{22}\,\mathrm{g}$, which are strongly constrained by microlensing searches, thereby reducing their allowed contribution to the dark matter density.

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arXiv2026

Probing super-heavy dark matter with ultra-high-energy gamma rays

We refine the constraints on the lifetime of decaying super-heavy dark matter particles (SHDM), with masses ranging from $10^7$ to $10^{15}$ GeV, by analyzing ultra-high-energy (UHE) gamma-ray data. Our approach involves an accurate comparison of the primary gamma-ray emissions resulting from prompt SHDM decays in the galactic halo with the most recent upper limits on isotropic UHE gamma-ray fluxes provided by various extensive air shower experiments. We demonstrate that a precise consideration of the field of view and the geometric acceptance of different UHE gamma-ray observatories has significant implications for the inferred limits of dark matter lifetime. In addition, we examine the influence of uncertainties linked to the current models of the galactic dark matter distribution, employing diverse halo density profiles while varying both their radial extent and the local dark matter density. Our findings indicate that the newly established UHE gamma-ray constraints are marginally less stringent than earlier evaluations, thereby revisiting the SHDM parameter space and allowing for observable neutrino fluxes.

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arXiv2026

Cosmic-ray cooling by dark matter in astrophysical jets

Astrophysical jets from powerful active galactic nuclei (AGN) have recently been proposed as promising probes of dark matter (DM) in the sub-GeV mass range. AGN launch relativistic jets that accelerate cosmic rays (CRs) to very high energies, which can then interact with their surroundings and produce multiwavelength (MW) emission spanning from radio frequencies to TeV $γ$ rays. If DM consists of light particles, their interactions with CRs could lead to an additional cooling mechanism that modifies the expected MW emission. In this work, we analyse the MW spectrum of Markarian 421, a well-studied AGN, using a multizone leptonic jet model that includes the interactions between CR electrons and DM particles. For the first time, we account for the uncertainties in the astrophysical jet dynamics, which have been previously neglected when constraining the CR-DM interactions. By fitting simultaneously jet parameters and DM-electrons interactions, we use the MW data from \mkn to set constraints on the DM-induced CR cooling. We obtain 5$σ$ upper limit $σ_\text{DM-e} \lesssim 1 \times 10^{-34}~\text{cm}^2$ for a DM mass of $1~{\rm MeV}$. We demonstrate that this is about a factor of 2--10 stronger than traditional approaches depending on DM mass. This improvement originates from having indeed considered the full multi-wavelength emission from the source, instead if a simplified approach. Properly accounting for degeneracies between jet dynamics and DM interactions is also key to deriving robust constraints on DM interactions.

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arXiv2025

High-energy gamma-ray emission from memory-burdened primordial black holes

Theoretical studies on the memory-burden effect suggest that Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) with masses smaller than $10^{15}$ grams may be viable dark matter candidates and, consequently, be potential sources of high-energy particles in the present Universe. In this paper, we investigate the evaporation of memory-burdened PBHs into high-energy gamma-rays. Differently from previous analyses, we account for the attenuation of gamma-rays caused by their interaction with background radiation at energies above $10^5~{\rm GeV}$, as well as the secondary emission from the electromagnetic cascades generated during their propagation through extragalactic space. Performing a likelihood analysis with current gamma-ray data, we place new constraints on the parameter space of memory-burdened PBHs. Our results show that ultra-high-energy diffuse gamma-ray observations set more restrictive bounds than high-energy neutrino data, particularly in scenarios with a strong memory-burden suppression of the PBH evaporation.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Impact of memory-burdened black holes on primordial gravitational waves in light of Pulsar Timing Array

Blue-tilted Gravitational Waves (BGWs) have been proposed as a potential candidate for the cosmic gravitational waves detected by Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTA). In the standard cosmological framework, BGWs are constrained in their frequency range by the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) limit on GW amplitude, which precludes their detection at interferometer scales. However, introducing a phase of early matter domination dilutes BGWs at higher frequencies, ensuring compatibility with both the BBN and LIGO constraints on stochastic GWs. This mechanism allows BGWs to align with PTA data while producing a distinct and testable GW signal across a broad frequency spectrum. Ultralight Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) could provide the required early matter-dominated phase to support this process. Interpreted through the lens of BGWs, the PTA results offer a way to constrain the parameter space of a new scenario involving modified Hawking radiation, known as the ``memory burden" effect, associated with ultralight PBHs. This interpretation can be further probed by high-frequency GW detectors. Specifically, we demonstrate that PBHs as light as $10^{2-3}~{\rm g}$ can leave detectable imprints on BGWs at higher frequencies while remaining consistent with PTA observations.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Impact of memory-burdened primordial black holes on high-scale leptogenesis

We explore the impact of the back-reaction of evaporation on the quantum state of Primordial Black Holes (PBHs), known as ``memory burden", on the baryon asymmetry production in the Universe through high-scale leptogenesis. Focusing on PBH masses ranging from 1 to 1000 grams, we investigate the interplay between the non-thermal production of heavy sterile neutrinos and the entropy injection within this non-standard cosmological framework. By assuming appropriate values for the memory-burden parameters, $q=1/2$ and $k=1$, we derive mutual exclusion limits between PBHs and thermal leptogenesis in the mixed parameter space. Our analysis reveals that the primary contribution of PBHs to baryon asymmetry stems from entropy injection. Indeed, we find that, differently from earlier studies based on the semi-classical Hawking evaporation, the memory-burden effect suppresses the non-thermal source term in the PBH mass range explored. This has significant implications for understanding baryogenesis in such alternative cosmological scenarios.

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arXiv2025

Neutrino Theory in the Precision Era

This document summarises discussions on future directions in theoretical neutrino physics, which are the outcome of a neutrino theory workshop held at CERN in February 2025. The starting point is the realisation that neutrino physics offers unique opportunities to address some of the most fundamental questions in physics. This motivates a vigorous experimental programme which the theory community fully supports. \textbf{A strong effort in theoretical neutrino physics is paramount to optimally take advantage of upcoming neutrino experiments and to explore the synergies with other areas of particle, astroparticle, and nuclear physics, as well as cosmology.} Progress on the theory side has the potential to significantly boost the physics reach of experiments, as well as go well beyond their original scope. Strong collaboration between theory and experiment is essential in the precision era. To foster such collaboration, \textbf{we propose to establish a CERN Neutrino Physics Centre.} Taking inspiration from the highly successful LHC Physics Center at Fermilab, the CERN Neutrino Physics Centre would be the European hub of the neutrino community, covering experimental and theoretical activities.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Light burden of memory: Constraining primordial black holes with high-energy neutrinos

Recent studies point out that quantum effects, referred to as "memory burden", may slow down the evaporation of black holes. As a result, a population of light primordial black holes could potentially survive to the present day, thus contributing to the energy density of dark matter. In this work, we focus on light primordial black holes with masses $M_{\rm PBH} \lesssim 10^{9}~{\rm g}$ that, due to the memory burden effect, are currently evaporating, emitting high-energy particles, among which neutrinos, in the local Universe. Analyzing the latest IceCube data, we place novel constraints on the combined parameter space of primordial black holes and the memory burden effect. We also study the projected reach of future neutrino telescopes such as IceCube-Gen2 and GRAND. We find that the neutrino observations are crucial to probe scenarios with highly-suppressed evaporation and light masses for primordial black holes.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Probing flavored regimes of leptogenesis with gravitational waves from cosmic strings

Cosmic strings radiate detectable gravitational waves in models featuring high-scale symmetry breaking, e.g., high-scale leptogenesis. In this Letter, for the first time, we show that different flavored regimes of high-scale leptogenesis can be tested with the spectral features in cosmic string-radiated gravitational waves. This is possible if the scalar field that makes right-handed neutrinos massive is feebly coupled to the Standard Model Higgs. Each flavored regime, sensitive to low-energy neutrino experiments, leaves a marked imprint on the gravitational waves spectrum. A three-flavor and a two-flavor regime could be probed by a characteristic fall-off of the gravitational wave spectrum at the LISA-DECIGO-ET frequency bands with preceding scale-invariant amplitudes bounded from above and below. We present Gravitational Waves windows for Flavored Regimes of Leptogenesis (GWFRL) testable in the upcoming experiments. We also provide the first construction of a leptogenesis framework where a testable distinction of flavor regimes is possible without constraining the flavor structure of the theory.

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arXiv2024

Tomography of flavoured leptogenesis with primordial blue gravitational waves

We explore a scenario where an early epoch of matter domination is driven by the mass scale $M_N$ of the right-handed neutrinos, which also characterizes the different flavour regimes of leptogenesis. Such a matter-domination epoch gives rise to peculiar spectral imprints on primordial Gravitational Waves (GWs) produced during inflation. We point out that the characteristic spectral features are detectable in multiple frequency bands with current and future GW experiments in case of Blue GWs (BGWs) described by a power-law with a positive spectral index $(n_T >0)$ and an amplitude compatible with Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) measurements at the CMB scale. We find that the three-flavour leptogenesis regime with $M_N \lesssim 10^9~{\rm GeV}$ imprints BGWs more prominently than the two-flavour and one-flavour regimes characterized by a higher right-handed neutrino mass scale. In particular, a two-flavour (three-flavour) leptogenesis regime is expected to leave distinct imprints in the mHz-Hz ($μ$Hz-mHz) band. Moreover, we translate the current Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) and LIGO limits on the GW energy density into constraints on the flavour leptogenesis parameter space for different GW spectral indices $n_T$. We provide a rigorous statistical analysis of how the future GW detectors would be conjointly able to distinguish the flavour regimes. Interestingly, the scenario also offers unique GW signals testable in the next LIGO run with a correlated signature in the PTA frequency band with an amplitude comparable to the one expected from supermassive black holes.

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arXiv2024

Constraining the hadronic properties of star-forming galaxies above $1\, \rm GeV$ with 15-years Fermi-LAT data

Star-forming and starburst galaxies (SFGs and SBGs) are powerful emitters of non-thermal $γ$-rays and neutrinos, due to their intense phases of star-formation activity, which should confine high-energy Cosmic-Rays (CRs) inside their environments. In this paper, using the publicly-available \texttt{fermitools}, we analyse 15.3 years of $γ$-ray between $1-1000\, \rm GeV$ data for 70 sources, 56 of which were not previously detected. We find at~$4σ$ level an indication of $γ$-ray emission for other two SBGs, namely M 83 and NGC 1365. By contrast, we find that, even with the new description of background, the significance for the $γ$-ray emission of M 33~(initially reported as discovered) still stands at $\sim \, 4σ$ (as already reported by previous works). Along with previous findings, the flux of each detected source is consistent with a $\sim E^{-2.3/2.4}$ spectrum, compatible with the injected CR flux inferred for CRs in the Milky-Way. We notice that the correlation between the calorimetric fraction~$F_{\rm cal}$ of high-energy protons in SFGs and SBGs (the fraction of high-energy protons actually producing high-energy $γ$-rays and neutrinos) and the SFR is in accordance with the expected scaling relation for CR escape dominated by advection. We remark that undiscovered sources strongly constrain $F_{\rm cal}$ at 95\% CL, providing fundamental information when we interpret the results as common properties of SFGs and SBGs. Finally, we find that these sources might contribute $(12\pm 3)\%$ to the EGB, while the corresponding diffuse neutrino flux strongly depends on the spectral index distribution along the source class.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Impact of primordial black holes on heavy neutral leptons searches in the framework of resonant leptogenesis

We investigate the effects on sub-TeV resonant leptogenesis of Primordial Black Holes with masses from $10^6$ to $\sim 10^9$ g. The latter might dominate the energy content of the Universe altering its evolution and, eventually, diluting the final baryon asymmetry. We find that, depending on the mass and abundance of Primordial Black Holes, the parameter space of sub-TeV resonant leptogenesis shrinks towards higher Right-Handed Neutrino masses and smaller active-sterile mixing. Remarkably, this translates into important implications for the experimental searches of heavy neutral leptons. Conversely, we demonstrate that a possible future detection of sub-TeV heavy neutral leptons would disfavour regions of the parameter space of Primordial Black Holes currently allowed.

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arXiv2023

Phenomenology of superheavy decaying dark matter from string theory

We study the phenomenology of superheavy decaying dark matter with mass around $10^{10}$ GeV which can arise in the low-energy limit of string compactifications. Generic features of string theory setups (such as high scale supersymmetry breaking and epochs of early matter domination driven by string moduli) can accommodate superheavy dark matter with the correct relic abundance. In addition, stringy instantons induce tiny $R$-parity violating couplings which make dark matter unstable with a lifetime well above the age of the Universe. Adopting a model-independent approach, we compute the flux and spectrum of high-energy gamma rays and neutrinos from three-body decays of superheavy dark matter and constrain its mass-lifetime plane with current observations and future experiments. We show that these bounds have only a mild dependence on the exact nature of neutralino dark matter and its decay channels. Applying these constraints to an explicit string model sets an upper bound of ${\cal O}(0.1)$ on the string coupling, ensuring that the effective field theory is in the perturbative regime.

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arXiv2023

Starburst Nuclei as Light Dark Matter Laboratories

Starburst galaxies are well-motivated astrophysical emitters of high-energy gamma-rays. They are well-known cosmic-ray "reservoirs", thanks to their large magnetic fields which confine high-energy protons for $\sim 10^5$ years. Over such long times, cosmic-ray transport can be significantly affected by scatterings with sub-GeV dark matter. Here we point out that this scattering distorts the cosmic-ray spectrum, and the distortion can be indirectly observed by measuring the gamma-rays produced by cosmic-rays via hadronic collisions. Present gamma-ray data show no sign of such a distortion, leading to stringent bounds on the cross section between protons and dark matter. These are highly complementary with current bounds and have large room for improvement with the future gamma-ray measurements in the 0.1-10 TeV range from the Cherenkov Telescope Array, which can strengthen the limits by as much as two orders of magnitude.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Limits on light primordial black holes from high-scale leptogenesis

We investigate the role that the evaporation of light primordial black holes may have played in the production of the baryon asymmetry of the Universe through the high-scale leptogenesis. In particular, for mass of primordial black hole in the range [$10^6$-$10^9$] g, we find a dilution of thermally generated lepton asymmetry via entropy injection in the primordial plasma after the sphaleron freeze-out. As a consequence, we can put strong constraints on the primordial black hole parameters, showing the mutual exclusion limits between primordial black holes and high-scale leptogenesis. Remarkably, we point out an interplay between the upper bound on the initial abundance of primordial black holes and the active neutrino mass scale.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Heavy decaying dark matter at future neutrino radio telescopes

In the next decades, ultra-high-energy neutrinos in the EeV energy range will be potentially detected by next-generation neutrino telescopes. Although their primary goals are to observe cosmogenic neutrinos and to gain insight into extreme astrophysical environments, they can also indirectly probe the nature of dark matter. In this paper, we study the projected sensitivity of up-coming neutrino radio telescopes, such as RNO-G, GRAND and IceCube-gen2 radio array, to decaying dark matter scenarios. We investigate different dark matter decaying channels and masses, from $10^7$ to $10^{15}$ GeV. By assuming the observation of cosmogenic or newborn pulsar neutrinos, we forecast conservative constraints on the lifetime of heavy dark matter particles. We find that these limits are competitive with and highly complementary to previous multi-messenger analyses.

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