arXiv subjects

Priyanka Sarmah

Publications and source records attributed to Priyanka Sarmah.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Neutrino superradiance constraint on asteroid-mass PBH Dark Matter and beyond

Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) are an attractive candidate for Dark Matter (DM) and there has been extensive experimental efforts to look for them. The asteroid-mass window, $M_{\text{PBH}} \sim 10^{17} - 10^{23}$ g, is particularly interesting, since PBHs in this range may still constitute all of DM. In this work, we study a scenario in which rotating PBHs are surrounded by superradiantly produced boson clouds that emit an approximately steady and nearly monochromatic flux of neutrinos in the few MeV range. We compute both the Galactic and extragalactic neutrino fluxes from such PBH populations and compare them with existing low-energy antineutrino limits from Borexino, KamLAND, and Super-Kamiokande. For scalar bosons, we find that these neutrino searches can strongly constrain a significant part of the asteroid-mass window and extend to somewhat larger masses. For instance, for rapidly rotating PBHs with spin ã = 0.9 and gravitational fine-structure coupling $α_g=0.25$, the strongest bound on dark matter fraction reaches approximately $f_{\text{PBH}} \sim 10^{-7}$ around $M_{\text{PBH}} \sim 2 \times 10^{22}$ g for a Yukawa coupling $g_{νϕ} = 10^{-4}$. These constraints can be significantly stronger than existing microlensing limits in the same mass range. Our results provide a complementary neutrino probe of PBH DM, distinct from previous neutrino constraints based mainly on Hawking evaporation from lighter PBHs.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Microlensing Black Hole Shadows-II: Constraining Primordial Black Hole Dark Matter using the photon rings of M87 and Sgr A*

The resolution of photon rings of Sgr~A$^*$ and M87 is the next milestone of upcoming EHT-like interferometries. We extend the formalism developed in our previous work~\cite{Verma:2023hes} to constrain primordial black hole (PBH) dark matter using microlensing-induced distortions of black hole shadows. Building upon the theoretical framework for microlensing of photon rings, we apply this methodology to both Sgr A* and M87, considering multiple PBH populations: (i) PBH dark matter spikes around central supermassive black holes, (ii) NFW halo contributions in the Milky Way and M87 galaxies, and (iii) foreground Milky Way PBH dark matter affecting M87* observations. The microlensing signal manifests as a time-dependent asymmetry and deformation of the photon ring, providing the most sensitive observable for lensing effects. We assess the detectability of these signatures with future EHT-like interferometers. Our analysis reveals that M87* provides the strongest constraints on PBH dark matter. We show that the absence of photon-ring asymmetries in observations with angular resolution of order $0.1\,μ{\rm as}$ can constrain PBHs in the mass range $10^{-5}\,M_\odot \lesssim M_{\rm PBH} \lesssim 10^{6}\,M_\odot$, with maximal sensitivity near $M_{\rm PBH}\sim10^{3}\,M_\odot$, for PBH dark matter fractions as small as $f_{\rm PBH}\sim10^{-2}$.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Probing memory-burdened Primordial Black Holes with global 21 cm signal

We investigate the imprints of memory-burdened primordial black holes (PBH) on the global 21 cm signal during the cosmic dawn. Recent studies reopened the possibility of a mass window of PBHs as a compelling candidate for dark matter, particularly in low-mass regimes ($M_{\text {PBH}}< 10^{15}$ g) where conventional constraints from evaporation are being revisited in light of quantum gravitational effects. One such effect, the \textit{memory burden effect}, slows down black hole evaporation by incorporating the backreaction of radiation on the black hole microstates, substantially extending the lifetime of light PBHs and thus modifying their late-time emission spectra. This prolonged emission can dramatically alter the energy injection history in the early universe. By computing the modified energy injection rates into the intergalactic medium and incorporating them into the thermal and ionization evolution of neutral hydrogen, we obtain projected constraints on the fraction of dark matter. The bounds are obtained from the fact that these low mass PBHs, which were thought otherwise evaporated, can modify the absorption amplitude in the global 21 cm signal at redshift $z\approx17$. Considering the two viable scenarios of transition to the memory-burden phase: fast (or instantaneous) and slow (transition with a finite width), we show how the 21 cm bounds are sensitive to different mass ranges. For a broad transition with $δ=10^{-2}$ we find that PBHs in the mass range $M_{\rm PBH}\simeq10^{8}$-$10^{13}$ g are excluded at the level of $f_{\rm PBH}\gtrsim10^{-8}$. In contrast, for a fast-transition case ($k=1$), the evaporation is suppressed so efficiently that no meaningful 21 cm constraint remains for $M_{\rm PBH}\gtrsim10^{7}$ g.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Effects of Superradiance in Active Galactic Nuclei

A supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the core of an active galactic nucleus (AGN) provides room for the elusive ultra-light scalar particles (ULSP) to be produced through a phenomenon called \textit{superradiance}. This phenomenon produces a cloud of scalar particles around the black hole by draining its spin angular momentum. In this work, we present a study of the superradiant instability due to a scalar field in the vicinity of the central SMBH in an AGN. We begin by showing that the time-evolution of the gravitational coupling $α$ in a realistic ambiance created by the accretion disk around the SMBH in AGN leads to interesting consequences such as the amplified growth of the scalar cloud, enhancement of the gravitational wave emission rate, and appearance of higher modes of superradiance within the age of the Universe. We then explore the consequence of superradiance on the characteristics of the AGN. Using the Novikov-Thorne model for an accretion disk, we divide the full spectrum into three wavelength bands- X-ray ($10^{-4}-10^{-2}~μ$m), UV (0.010-0.4~$μ$m), and Vis-IR (0.4-100~$μ$m) and observe sudden drops in the time-variations of the luminosities across these bands and Eddington ratio ($f_{\textrm{Edd}}$) with a characteristic timescale of superradiance. Using a uniform distribution of spin and mass of the SMBHs in AGNs, we demonstrate the appearance of depleted regions and accumulations along the boundaries of these regions in the planes of different band-luminosities and $f_{\textrm{Edd}}$. Finally, we discuss some possible signatures of superradiance that can be drawn from the observed time-variation of the AGN luminosities.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Exploring interference effects between two ALP effective operators at the LHC

We observe that most studies of axion-like particle (ALP) production channels at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) focus on a single type of ALP operator for each process in the effective field theory framework. In this work, we propose an alternative approach that considers two or more types of relevant ALP effective operators together in some specific ALP production channels and study their interference effects. Using the $p p\rightarrow t j a$ process with $a\rightarrowγγ$ as an example, we show that this approach allows us to constrain the ALP interactions with both the $W$ boson and the top quark, as well as their interference in a single process. For the final state with two isolated photons and a top quark decaying semi-leptonically, we predict that the future bounds on the ALP decay constant can reach around $f_a \sim 10\;(20) $ TeV for $25$ GeV $< M_a < 100$ GeV at the LHC with 300 (3000) fb$^{1}$ luminosity.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

$Z$ polarization at an $e^+e^-$ collider and properties of decay-lepton angular asymmetries

$Z$ production at an $e^+e^-$ collider, associated with production of other particles, can be an accurate source of information of details of electroweak interactions, including possible interactions beyond the standard model. We discuss from a general physical point of view the properties of the density matrix as well as lepton angular asymmetries. While most considerations will be applicable to processes of $Z$ production associated with any other particle or particles, for some discussions, we specialize to a $HZ$ final state. While many of the results can be found in earlier literature, especially for the process $e^+e^- \to HZ$, we give details of the reasoning, which are not always found. We discuss the properties of the spin density matrix under C, P and T transformations, and combinations thereof, as also the predictions of these for the corresponding leptonic asymmetries. The specific transformations P, CP, T and CPT are of special importance and we discuss the consequences of these symmetries or their absence for the leptonic asymmetries. A specific issue which has been given attention to is the role of beam polarization, and how one can infer on general grounds which asymmetries get enhanced by the use of beam polarization. Similarly, we also discuss which asymmetries would be sensitive to the measurement of tau polarization in $Z$ decay in to $τ^+τ^-$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Polarized $Z$ cross sections in Higgsstrahlung for the determination of anomalous $ZZH$ couplings

The production of a Higgs boson in association with a $Z$ at an electron-positron collider is one of the cleanest methods for the measurement of the couplings of the Higgs boson. In view of the large production cross section at energies a little above the threshold, it seems feasible to make a more detailed study of the process by measuring the cross sections for polarized $Z$ in order to measure possible anomalous $ZZH$ couplings. We show that certain combinations of cross sections in $e^+e^- \to ZH$ with different $Z$ polarizations help to enhance or isolate the effect of one of the two kinds of anomalous $ZZH$ couplings possible on general grounds of CP and Lorentz invariance. These combinations can be useful to get information on the $ZZH$ coupling in the specific contexts of an effective field theory, two-Higgs-doublet models, and composite Higgs models, in a relatively model-independent fashion. We find in particular that the longitudinal helicity fraction of the $Z$ is expected to be insensitive to anomalous couplings, and would be close to its value in the standard model in the scenarios we consider. We also discuss the sensitivity of the proposed measurements to the anomalous couplings, including longitudinal beam polarizations, which suppress backgrounds, and can improve the sensitivity if appropriately chosen.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Polarized $Z$ cross sections in Higgsstrahlung for the determination of anomalous $ZZH$ couplings

The production of a Higgs boson in association with a $Z$ at an electron-positron collider is one of the cleanest methods for the measurement of the couplings of the Higgs boson. In view of the large production cross section at energies a little above the threshold, it seems feasible to make a more detailed study of the process by measuring the cross sections for polarized $Z$ in order to measure possible anomalous $ZZH$ couplings. We show that certain combinations of cross sections in $e^+e^- \to ZH$ with different $Z$ polarizations help to enhance or isolate the effect of one of the two kinds of $ZZH$ couplings possible on general grounds of CP and Lorentz invariance. These combinations can be useful to get information on the $ZZH$ coupling in the specific contexts of an effective field theory, two-Higgs-doublet models, and composite Higgs models, in a relatively model-independent fashion. We find in particular that the longitudinal helicity fraction of the $Z$ is expected to be insensitive to anomalous couplings, and would be close to its value in the standard model in the scenarios we consider. We also discuss the sensitivity of the proposed measurements to the anomalous couplings.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Use of $Z$ polarization in $e^+e^- \to ZH$ to measure the triple-Higgs coupling

It is shown that a certain angular asymmetry of charged leptons produced in the decay of $Z$ in the process $e^+e^- \to ZH$, related to a tensor polarization component of the $Z$, can be used to constrain the anomalous triple-Higgs coupling, independent of the other anomalous couplings like the $ZZH$ coupling which dominate at tree level. This is because the angular asymmetry is odd under na\" ive time reversal, and hence dependent on loop-level contributions. At a future $e^+e^-$ collider like the International Linear Collider (ILC), for example, a limit of about $3.4$ might be placed on the ratio of the actual triple Higgs coupling to that predicted in the standard model for a centre-of-mass energy of 500 GeV and an integrated luminosity of 30 fb$^{-1}$ with electron and positron beams having longitudinal polarization of $-80\%$ and $+30\%$, respectively.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

A strong broadband 21 cm cosmological signal from dark matter spin-flip interactions

In the standard cosmology, it is believed that there are two relatively weak and distinct band-limited absorption features, with the first absorption minima near 20 MHz ($z\sim70$) and the other minima at higher frequencies between 50-110 MHz ($z\sim12-27$) in the global cosmological 21cm signal, which are signatures of collisional gas dynamics in the cosmic dark ages and Lyman-$α$ photons from the first stars at cosmic dawn, respectively. A similar prediction of two distinct band-limited, but stronger, absorption features is expected in models with excess gas cooling, which have been invoked to explain the EDGES signal. In this work, we explore a novel mechanism, where dark matter spin-flip interactions with electrons through a light axial-vector mediator could directly induce a 21cm absorption signal which is characteristically different from either of these. We find generically, that our model predicts a strong, broadband absorption signal extending from frequencies as low as 1.4 MHz ($z\sim1000$), from early in the cosmic dark ages where no conventional signal is expected, all the way up to higher frequencies where star formation and X-ray heating effects are expected to terminate the absorption signal. In the standard cosmology and in excess gas cooling models it is expected that the gas spin temperature as inferred from the absorption signal is a tracer of the gas kinetic temperature. However, in our model we find in certain regions of parameter space that the spin temperature and kinetic temperature of the gas evolve differently, and the absorption signal only measures the spin temperature evolution. Large swathes of our model parameter space of interest are safe from existing constraints, however future searches for short range spin-dependent forces between electrons on the mm to nm scale have the potential to discover the light mediator responsible for our predicted signal.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2021

Study of anomalous gauge-Higgs couplings using $Z$ boson polarization at LHC

We estimate model-independent bounds that could be obtained on the anomalous $ZZH$ vertex using polarization parameters of the $Z$ boson produced in the Higgstrahlung process at the LHC. We calculate the eight independent polarization parameters from the spin density matrix elements of the $Z$, which can probe underlying new physics contributions to $ZH$ production. By using the approach that connects these polarization observables to the coefficients in the angular distribution of the decay products of the $Z$, we estimate the limits on the anomalous $ZZH$ coupling that can be obtained at the 14 TeV LHC.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Probing anomalous gauge-Higgs couplings using $Z$ boson polarization at $e^+ e^-$ colliders

We study possible new physics interactions in the $ZZH$ vertex contributing to the Higgsstrahlung process $e^+ e^- \to ZH$ at proposed future $e^+e^-$ colliders using the polarization of the $Z$ as a probe. We calculate the spin density matrix of the $Z$ for the process and determine the eight independent polarization parameters of the $Z$ boson which have the potential to constrain the anomalous couplings. We study angular asymmetries using the decay leptons from the $Z$ boson which are simply related to the polarization observables. We also estimate the limits that can be placed on the anomalous couplings using measurements of these angular asymmetries at centre of mass energies of 250 GeV and 500 GeV and various combinations of polarized $e^+$ and $e^-$ beams.

hep-ph↗