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Michel H. G. Tytgat

Publications and source records attributed to Michel H. G. Tytgat.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Confined hidden vector dark matter

We argue that the lightest vector bound states of a confining hidden sector communicating with the Standard Model through the Higgs portal are stable and are viable candidates of dark matter. The model is based on an SU(2) gauge group with a scalar field in its fundamental representation and the stability of the lightest vector bound state results from the existence of a custodial symmetry. As the relic density depends essentially on the scale of confinement in the hidden sector, Lambda_HS, agreement with WMAP abundance requires Lambda_HS in the 20-120 TeV range.

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A light scalar wimp, the Higgs portal, and DAMA

In these proceedings, we report on the possible signatures of a light scalar WIMP, a dark matter candidate with M_DM ~ few GeV, which is supposed to interact with the Standard Model particles through the Higgs, and which might be related to the annual modulation observed by DAMA.

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Positrons and antiprotons from inert doublet model dark matter

In the framework of the Inert Doublet Model, a very simple extension of the Standard Model, we study the production and propagation of antimatter in cosmic rays coming from annihilation of a scalar dark matter particle. We consider three benchmark candidates, all consistent with the WMAP cosmic abundance and existing direct detection experiments, and confront the predictions of the model with the recent PAMELA, ATIC and HESS data. For a light candidate, M_{DM} = 10 GeV, we argue that the positron and anti-proton fluxes may be large, but still consistent with expected backgrounds, unless there is an enhancement (boost factor) in the local density of dark matter. There is also a substantial anti-deuteron flux which might be observable by future experiments. For a candidate with M_{DM} = 70 GeV, the contribution to positron and anti-proton fluxes is much smaller than the expected backgrounds. Even if a boost factor is invoked to enhance the signals, the candidate is unable to explain the observed positron and anti-proton excesses. Finally, for a heavy candidate, M_{DM} = 10 TeV, it is possible to fit the PAMELA excess (but, unfortunately, not the ATIC one) provided there is a large enhancement, either in the local density of dark matter or through the Sommerfeld effect.

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Neutrinos from Inert Doublet Dark Matter

We investigate the signatures of neutrinos produced in the annihilation of WIMP dark matter in the Earth, the Sun and at the Galactic centre within the framework of the Inert Doublet Model and extensions. We consider a dark matter candidate, that we take to be one of the neutral components of an extra Higgs doublet, in three distinct mass ranges, which have all been shown previously to be consistent with both WMAP abundance and direct detection experiments exclusion limits. Specifically, we consider a light WIMP with mass between 4 and 8 GeV (low), a WIMP with mass around 60-70 GeV (middle) and a heavy WIMP with mass above 500 GeV (high). In the first case, we show that capture in the Sun may be constrained using Super-Kamiokande data. In the last two cases, we argue that indirect detection through neutrinos is challenging but not altogether excluded. For middle masses, we try to make the most benefit of the proximity of the so-called 'iron resonance' that might enhance the capture of the dark matter candidate by the Earth. The signal from the Earth is further enhanced if light right-handed Majorana neutrinos are introduced, in which case the scalar dark matter candidate may annihilate into pairs of mono-energetic neutrinos. In the case of high masses, detection of neutrinos from the Galactic centre might be possible, provided the dark matter abundance is substantially boosted.

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WIMP dark matter, Higgs exchange and DAMA

In the WIMP scenario, there is a one-to-one relation between the dark matter (DM) relic density and spin independent direct detection rate if both the annihilation of DM and its elastic scattering on nuclei go dominantly through Higgs exchange. In particular, for DM masses much smaller than the Higgs boson mass, the ratio of the relevant cross sections depends only on the DM mass. Assuming DM mass and direct detection rate within the ranges allowed by the recent DAMA collaboration results -taking account of the channelling effect on energy threshold and the null results of the other direct detection experiments- gives a definite range for the relic density. For scalar DM models, like the Higgs portal models or the inert doublet model, the relic density range turns out to be in agreement with WMAP. This scenario implies that the Higgs boson has a large branching ratio to pairs of DM particles, a prediction which might challenge its search at the LHC.

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The Inert Doublet Model : a new archetype of WIMP dark matter?

The Inert Doublet Model (IDM) is a two doublet extension of the Higgs-Brout-Englert sector of the Standard Model with a Z_2 symmetry in order to prevent FCNC. If the Z_2 symmetry is not spontaneously broken, the lightest neutral extra scalar is a dark matter candidate. We briefly review the phenomenology of the model, emphasizing its relevance for the issue of Electroweak Symmetry Breaking (EWSB) and the prospects for detection of dark matter.

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Electroweak Symmetry Breaking induced by Dark Matter

The mechanism behind Electroweak Symmetry Breaking (EWSB) and the nature of dark matter (DM) are currently among the most important issues in high energy physics. Since a natural dark matter candidate is a weakly interacting massive particle or WIMP, with mass around the electroweak scale, it is clearly of interest to investigate the possibility that DM and EWSB are closely related. In the context of a very simple extension of the Standard Model, the Inert Doublet Model, we show that dark matter could play a crucial role in the breaking of the electroweak symmetry. In this model, dark matter is the lightest component of an inert scalar doublet. The coupling of the latter with the Standard Model Higgs doublet breaks the electroweak symmetry at one-loop, "a la Coleman-Weinberg". The abundance of dark matter, the breaking of the electroweak symmetry and the constraints from electroweak precision measurements can all be accommodated by imposing an (exact or approximate) custodial symmetry.

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The Inert Doublet Model: an Archetype for Dark Matter

The Inert Doublet Model (IDM), a two Higgs extension of the Standard Model with an unbroken $Z_2$ symmetry, is a simple and yet rich model of dark matter. We present a systematic analysis of the dark matter abundance and investigate the potentialities for direct and gamma indirect detection. We show that the model should be within the range of future experiments, like GLAST and ZEPLIN. The lightest stable scalar in the IDM is a perfect example, or archetype of a weakly interacting massive particle.

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Relating leptogenesis and dark matter

A scenario that relates the abundance of dark matter to the baryon asymmetry of the Universe is presented. In this scenario, based on a left-right extension of the Standard Model, dark matter is made of light, ~ 1 GeV, right-handed Majorana neutrinos.

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Leptogenesis and Dark Matter related ?

We investigate the possibility that dark matter and the baryon asymmetry of the Universe are generated by the same mechanism, following an idea initially proposed by V.A. Kuzmin and recently discussed by R. Kitano and I. Low. In our model, based on a left-right extension of the Standard Model, the baryon asymmetry is generated through leptogenesis and dark matter is made of relic stable right-handed neutrinos with mass ~ few GeV. Constraints on the model imply that this form of dark matter would unfortunately escape detection.

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Varying alpha and black hole entropy

Recently it has been suggested that an increase in the fine structure constant alpha with time would decrease the entropy of a Reissner-Nordstrom black hole, thereby violating the second law of thermodynamics. In this note we point out that, at least for a certain class of charged dilaton black holes related to string theory, the entropy does not change under adiabatic variations of alpha and one might expect it to increase for non-adiabatic changes.

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Inflation from a Tachyon Fluid?

Motivated by recent works of Sen and Gibbons, we study the evolution of a flat and homogeneous universe dominated by tachyon matter. In particular, we analyse the necessary conditions for inflation in the early roll of a single tachyon field.

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Anomalies and Fermion Content of Grand Unified Theories in Extra Dimensions

The restrictions imposed by anomaly cancellation on the chiral fermion content of nonsupersymmetric gauge theories based on various groups are studied in spacetime dimension D=6, 8, and 10. In particular, we show that the only mathematically consistent chiral SU(5) theory in D=6 contains three nonidentical generations.

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Instability of Non-Commutative SYM Theories at Finite Temperature

We extend our previous work on the quasi-particle excitations in N=4 non-commutative U(1) Yang-Mills theory at finite temperature. We show that above some critical temperature there is a tachyon in the spectrum of excitations. It is a collective transverse photon mode polarized in the non-commutative plane. Thus the theory seems to undergo a phase transition at high temperature. Furthermore we find that the group velocity of quasi-particles generically exceeds the speed of light at low momentum.

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Excitations in Hot Non-Commutative Theories

We study the dispersion relation for scalar excitations in supersymmetric, non-commutative theories at finite temperature. In N=4 Yang-Mills the low momenta modes have superluminous group velocity. In the massless Wess-Zumino model the minimum of the dispersion relation is at non zero momentum for temperatures above T_0 ~ (g θ)^(-1\2). We briefly comment on N=2 Yang-Mills at finite density.

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Aspects of parity, CP, and time reversal violation in hot QCD

We discuss various aspects of parity, CP, and time reversal invariances in QCD. In particular, we focus attention on the previously proposed possibility that these experimentally established symmetries of strong interactions may be broken at finite temperature and/or density. This would have dramatic signatures in relativistic heavy ion collisions; we describe some of the most promising signals.

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Sum Rules in the CFL Phase of QCD at finite density

We study the asymmetry between the vector current and axial-vector current correlators in the colour-flavour locking (CFL) phase of QCD at finite density. Using Weinberg's sum rules, we compute the decay constant $f_π$ of the Goldstone modes and find agreement with previous derivations. Using Das's sum rule, we also estimate the contribution of electromagnetic interactions to the mass of the charged modes. Finally, we comment on low temperature corrections to the effective field theory describing the Goldstone bosons.

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QCD at Theta ~ Pi reexamined: domain walls and spontaneous CP violation

We consider QCD at Theta ~ Pi with two, one and zero light flavours Nf, using the Di Vecchia-Veneziano-Witten effective lagrangian. For Nf=2, we show that CP is spontaneously broken at Theta = Pi for finite quark mass splittings, z= Md/Mu \not= 1. In the z-Theta plane, there is a line of first order transitions at Theta = Pi with two critical endpoints, z1* < z < z2*. We compute the tension of the domain walls relating the two CP violating vacua. For Mu=Md the tension of the family of equivalent domain walls agrees with the expression derived by Smilga from chiral perturbation theory at next-to-leading order. For z1* < z < z2*, z \not= 1, there is only one domain wall and a wall-some sphaleron at Theta = Pi. At the critical points, z = z*, the domain wall fades away, CP is restored and the transition becomes of second order. For Nf = 1, CP is spontaneously broken only if the number of colours Nc is large and/or if the quark is sufficiently heavy. Taking the heavy quark limit (~ Nf= 0) provides a simple derivation of the multibranch Theta dependence of the vacuum energy of large Nc pure Yang-Mills theory. In the large Nc limit, there are many quasi-stable vacua with decay rate Gamma ~ exp(-N_c^4).

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