arXiv subjects

Rupert Coy

Publications and source records attributed to Rupert Coy.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Light from darkness: history of a hot dark sector

We study a scenario in which the expansion of the Early Universe is driven by a hot hidden sector (HS) with an initial temperature $T'$ that is significantly higher than that of the visible sector (VS), $T' \gg T$. The latter is assumed to be made of Standard Model (SM) particles and our main focus is on the possibility that dark matter (DM) is part of the dominant HS and that its abundance is set by secluded freeze-out. In particular, we study the subsequent evolution and fate of the DM companion particle after freeze-out all the way toward reheating of the VS. To make this scenario more concrete, we work within dark QED, a framework in which the DM is a Dirac fermion and its companion, a massive dark photon; coupling between the SM and HS is through kinetic mixing. We provide a detailed and comprehensive numerical and analytical analysis of the different regimes of reheating of the VS. Extending and complementing the work of Coy et al on the``Domain of thermal dark matter candidates", we use our results to explore the viable parameter space of both the DM matter particle and its companion, here the dark photon. We show that current and future fixed target experiments can probe scenarios along which the expansion was driven by relativistic DM photons, a scenario dubbed relativistic reheating. We also set new bounds on the maximal temperature ratio $T'/T$ and argue for an extension of the domain toward very large DM masses, $m_{\rm dm} \sim 10^{11}$ GeV. These are possible assuming that DM annihilation is bounded by unitarity and that reheating of the VS occurs just before big bang nucleosynthesis. We also discuss some possible implications for (and constraints on) baryogenesis, including simple leptogenesis mechanisms, and how they may set additional constraints on the domain of DM candidates.

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arXiv2023

A forgotten fermion: the hypercharge -3/2 doublet, its phenomenology and connections to dark matter

A weak-doublet with hypercharge $-3/2$ is one of only a handful of fermions which has a renormalisable interaction with Standard Model fields. This should make it worthy of attention, but it has thus far received little consideration in the literature. In this paper, we perform a thorough investigation of the phenomenology which results from the introduction of this field, $F$. After expressing the model in terms of its effective field theory at dimension-6, we compute a range of electroweak and leptonic observables, the most stringent of which probe up to $M_F \sim 300$ TeV. The simplicity of this scenario makes it very predictive and allows us to correlate the different processes. We then study how this new fermion can connect the SM to various simple but distinct dark sectors. Some of the most minimal cases of $F$-mediated dark matter (DM) involve frozen-in keV-scale scalar DM, which may produce x-ray lines, and frozen-out TeV-scale fermionic DM.

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arXiv2022

A closer look at the seesaw-dark matter correspondence

In an earlier work, we showed that in very simple neutrino portal-like extensions of the Standard Model it is possible to achieve a one-to-one correspondence between dark matter physics and the seesaw parameters controlling the genesis of neutrino masses. Notably, this can occur both when the dark matter is produced via freeze-in and relativistic freeze-out. In this article, we carry out a detailed phenomenological study of such scenarios. Specifically, we find the allowed regions for the neutrino portal coupling within which the correspondence is valid. We further constrain the parameter space from various observational and theoretical considerations. Within this, we derive the distribution function of a doubly frozen-in particle in order to more accurately compute its free-streaming horizon.

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arXiv2022

Freeze-in and freeze-out of sterile neutrino dark matter

A sterile neutrino with a keV-scale mass is a compelling dark matter candidate. We propose a new production mechanism involving the decay and annihilation of a complex scalar singlet with a Higgs portal coupling which develops a vacuum expectation value. The interactions of the resulting pseudo Nambu-Goldstone boson may thermalise the dark sector. We determine the region of parameter space where dark sector thermalisation is reached and discuss the most relevant cosmological observables. The scenario can be considered as the combination of a freeze-in of the dark sector followed by relativistic freeze-out.

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arXiv2022

Neutrino forces and the Sommerfeld enhancement

The Sommerfeld enhancement plays an important role in dark matter (DM) physics, and can significantly enhance the annihilation cross section of non-relativistic DM particles. In this paper, we study the effect of neutrino forces, which are generated by the exchange of a pair of light neutrinos, on the Sommerfeld enhancement. We demonstrate that in certain cases, a neutrino force can cause a significant correction to the Sommerfeld enhancement. Models that can realise DM-neutrino interactions and sizeable Sommerfeld enhancement are also briefly discussed, together with the impacts on DM phenomenology of neutrino forces.

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arXiv2021

Effective comparison of neutrino-mass models

New physics in the lepton sector may account for neutrino masses, affect electroweak precision observables, induce charged-lepton flavour violation, and shift dipole moments. The low-energy predictions of different models are most conveniently compared within the formalism of effective field theory. To illustrate the benefits of this approach, we derive the Wilson coefficients for a set of representative models: the fermionic seesaw mechanisms (type I and III), the Zee model, and a minimal leptoquark model. In each case, the Weinberg and the dipole operators have qualitatively different origins. In parallel, we present the model-independent constraints on the Wilson coefficients coming from various lepton observables. We then show that it becomes straightforward to understand the allowed parameter space for each model, and to discriminate between them. The Zee and leptoquark models are suitable to address the muon $g-2$ anomaly. We also confront the models with the anomalies in the W-boson mass and semileptonic $B$-meson decays.

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arXiv2021

Probing the muon $g-2$ with future beam dump experiments

We consider the light $Z'$ explanation of the muon $g-2$ anomaly. Even if such a $Z'$ has no tree-level coupling to electrons, in general one will be induced at loop-level. We show that future beam dump experiments are powerful enough to place stringent constraints on$-$or discover$-$a $Z'$ with loop-suppressed couplings to electrons. Such bounds are avoided only if the $Z'$ has a large interaction with neutrinos, in which case the scenario will be bounded by ongoing neutrino scattering experiments. The complementarity between beam dump and neutrino scattering experiments therefore indicates that there are good prospects of probing a large part of the $Z'$ parameter space in the near future.

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arXiv2021

The domain of thermal dark matter candidates

We consider, in general terms, the possible parameter space of thermal dark matter candidates. We assume that the dark matter particle is fundamental and was in thermal equilibrium in a hidden sector with a temperature $T'$, which may differ from that of the Standard Model temperature, $T$. The candidates lie in a region in the $T'/T$ vs. $m_{\rm dm}$ plane, which is bounded by both model-independent theoretical considerations and observational constraints. The former consists of limits from dark matter candidates that decoupled when relativistic (the relativistic floor) and from those that decoupled when non-relativistic with the largest annihilation cross section allowed by unitarity (the unitarity wall), while the latter concerns big bang nucleosynthesis ($N_{\rm eff}$ ceiling) and free streaming. We present three simplified dark matter scenarios, demonstrating concretely how each fits into the domain.

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arXiv2021

Seesaw determination of the dark matter relic density

In this article, we show that in the usual type-I seesaw framework, augmented solely by a neutrino portal interaction, the dark matter (DM) relic density can be created through freeze-in in a manner fully determined by the seesaw interactions and the DM particle mass. This simple freeze-in scenario, where dark matter is not a seesaw state, proceeds through slow, seesaw-induced decays of Higgs, $W$ and $Z$ bosons. We identify two scenarios, one of which predicts the existence of an observable neutrino line.

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arXiv2021

Solving the electron and muon $g-2$ anomalies in $Z'$ models

We consider simultaneous explanations of the electron and muon $g-2$ anomalies through a single $Z'$ of a $U(1)'$ extension to the Standard Model (SM). We first perform a model-independent analysis of the viable flavour-dependent $Z'$ couplings to leptons, which are subject to various strict experimental constraints. We show that only a narrow region of parameter space with an MeV-scale $Z'$ can account for the two anomalies. Following the conclusions of this analysis, we then explore the ability of different classes of $Z'$ models to realise these couplings, including the SM$+U(1)'$, the $N$-Higgs Doublet Model$+U(1)'$, and a Froggatt-Nielsen style scenario. In each case, the necessary combination of couplings cannot be obtained, owing to additional relations between the $Z'$ couplings to charged leptons and neutrinos induced by the gauge structure, and to the stringency of neutrino scattering bounds. Hence, we conclude that no $U(1)'$ extension can resolve both anomalies unless other new fields are also introduced. While most of our study assumes the Caesium $(g-2)_e$ measurement, our findings in fact also hold in the case of the Rubidium measurement, despite the tension between the two.

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arXiv2020

Neutrino lines from DM decay induced by high-scale seesaw interactions

If the stability of the dark matter (DM) particle is due to an accidental symmetry, nothing prevents UV physics from destabilising it by inducing DM decays suppressed by powers of the UV scale. The seesaw physics, presumably at the origin of neutrino mass, could induce such a decay. We show that if the seesaw scale lies around the usual Weinberg operator scale, the induced DM decay could generically lead to neutrino lines whose intensity is of the order of the present sensitivity of neutrino telescopes. We illustrate this possibility with models in which the DM is made of the gauge boson(s) of an abelian or non-abelian gauge symmetry.

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arXiv2019

New physics in $b\to s\ell\ell$ transitions at one loop

We investigate new-physics contributions to $b\to s \ell\ell$ transitions in the context of an effective field theory extension of the Standard Model, including operator mixing at one loop. We identify the few scenarios where a single Wilson coefficient, $C/\Lambda^2 \sim 1/{\rm TeV}^2$, induces a substantial shift in the lepton flavour universality ratios $R_K$ and $R_{K^*}$ at one loop, while evading $Z$-pole precision tests, collider bounds, and other flavour constraints. Good fits to the present data are achieved by a left-handed current operator with quark-flavour indices $(2,2)$ or $(3,3)$, hitherto overlooked. Interestingly, the running of the Standard Model Yukawa matrices gives the dominant effect for these scenarios. We match the favoured effective-theory scenarios to minimal, single-mediator models, which are subject to additional stringent constraints. Notably, we recognise three viable instances of a leptoquark with one coupling to fermions only. If the anomalies were confirmed, it appears that one-loop explanations have good prospects of being directly tested at the LHC.

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arXiv2018

Effective approach to lepton observables: the seesaw case

In the absence of direct evidence of new physics, any ultraviolet theory can be reduced to its specific set of low-energy effective operators. As a case study, we derive the effective field theory for the seesaw extension of the Standard Model, with sterile neutrinos of mass $M>m_W$. We systematically compute all Wilson coefficients generated at one loop. Hence, it becomes straightforward to (i) identify the seesaw parameters compatible with the smallness of neutrino masses; (ii) compute precision lepton observables, which may be sensitive to scales as large as $M\sim 10^3$ TeV; and (iii) establish sharp correlations among those observables. We find that the flavour-conserving Wilson coefficients set an upper bound on the flavour-violating ones. The low-energy limits on $\mu\to e$ and $\tau\to e,\mu$ transitions suppress flavour violation in $Z$ and Higgs decays, as well as electric dipole moments, far beyond the experimental reach. The precision measurements of $G_F$, $m_W$, and $Z$ partial decay widths set more stringent bounds than present and future limits on $\tau\to e,\mu$ transitions. We also present a general spurion analysis, to compare the seesaw with different models, thus assessing the discriminating potential of the effective approach.

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arXiv2017

Dynamical Clockwork Axions

The clockwork mechanism is a novel method for generating a large separation between the dynamical scale and interaction scale of a theory. We demonstrate how the mechanism can arise from a sequence of strongly-coupled sectors. This framework avoids elementary scalar fields as well as ad hoc continuous global symmetries, both of which are subject to serious stability issues. The clockwork factor, $q$, is determined by the consistency of the strong dynamics. The preserved global $U(1)$ of the clockwork appears as an accidental symmetry, resulting from discrete or $U(1)$ gauge symmetries, and it is spontaneously broken by the chiral condensates. We apply such a dynamical clockwork to construct models with an effectively invisible QCD axion from TeV-scale strong dynamics. The axion couplings are determined by the localisation of the Standard Model interactions along the clockwork sequence. The TeV spectrum includes either coloured hadrons or vector-like quarks. Dark matter can be accounted for by the axion or the lightest neutral baryons, which are accidentally stable.

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