High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)

Abstract: The QCD axion has been postulated to exist because it solves the strong CP problem. Furthermore, if it exists axions should be created in the early Universe and could account for all the observed dark matter. In particular, axion masses of order $10^{-10}$ to $10^{-7}$ eV correspond to axions in the vicinity of the GUT-scale. In this mass range many experiments have been proposed to search for the axion through the standard QED coupling parameter $g_{a\gamma\gamma}$. Recently axion electrodynamics has been expanded to include two more coupling parameters, $g_{aEM}$ and $g_{aMM}$, which could arise if heavy magnetic monopoles exist. In this work we show that both $g_{aMM}$ and $g_{aEM}$ may be searched for using a high voltage capacitor. Since the experiment is not sensitive to $g_{a\gamma\gamma}$, it gives a new way to search for effects of heavy monopoles if the GUT-scale axion is shown to exist, or to simultaneously search for both the axion and the monopole at the same time.

Abstract: We revisit stellar constraints on dark photons. We undertake dynamical stellar evolution simulations which incorporate the resonant and off-resonant production of transverse and longitudinal dark photons. We compare our results with observables derived from measurements of globular cluster populations, obtaining new constraints based on the luminosity of the tip of the red-giant branch (RGB), the ratio of populations of RGB to horizontal branch (HB) stars (the $R$-parameter), and the ratio of asymptotic giant branch to HB stars (the $R_2$-parameter). We find that previous bounds derived from static stellar models do not capture the effects of the resonant production of light dark photons leading to overly conservative constraints, and that they over-estimate the effects of heavier dark photons on the RGB-tip luminosity. This leads to differences in the constraints of up to an order of magnitude in the kinetic mixing parameter.

Abstract: Ultralight dark matter exhibits an order-one density fluctuation over the spatial scale of its wavelength. These fluctuations gravitationally interact with gravitational wave interferometers, leading to an additional noise floor or signals. We investigate the ultralight dark matter-induced effects in the gravitational wave interferometers. We perform a systematic computation of the power spectrum of ultralight dark matter in interferometers. We show that the ultralight dark matter-induced effect is most relevant for the interferometers with long baseline and that it only constitutes a sub-leading noise floor compared to the estimated noise level in the case of Laser Interferometer Space Antenna or future interferometers with an arm-length comparable to a few astronomical units. Gravitational wave interferometers can then place upper limits on the ultralight dark matter density in the solar system. We find that, under certain assumptions, future interferometers with AU-scale arm-length might probe the dark matter density a few hundred times the local dark matter density, which is measured over a much larger spatial scale.

Abstract: We revisit the contributions of order $\alpha^2(Z\alpha)^5m$ and $\alpha^2(Z\alpha)E_F$, respectively, to the Lamb shift and to the hyperfine splitting from mixed self-energy-vacuum-polarization diagrams, involving fermionic loop. We use modern multi-loop calculation techniques based on IBP reduction and differential equations. We construct the $\epsilon$-regular basis [LeeOnishchenko2019] and explicitly demonstrate that it is compatible with the renormalization. We obtain analytic results in terms of one-fold integral involving elliptic function and dilogarithm. As a by-product, we obtain the analogous contribution for the limiting cases of heavy and light fermionic loop.

Abstract: We revisit the constraints on the parameter space for dark photons arising from electroweak precision observables in light of the recent W boson mass anomaly reported by the CDF Collaboration. We also extend previous work by placing the first electroweak precision observable constraints on the coupling of dark photons to the fermionic dark matter sector.

Abstract: Measuring precisely top-pair-associated processes at hadron colliders will become possible with the upcoming LHC running stages. The increased data statistics will especially enable differential measurements leading to an improved characterisation of such processes. Aiming at a consistent data-theory comparison, precise Standard-Model predictions are needed, including higher-order corrections and full off-shell effects. In this work we present NLO-accurate predictions for the production and decay of a top-antitop pair in association with a Z boson at the LHC, in the multi-lepton decay channel. The complete set of LO contributions and NLO corrections of EW and QCD origin is included. The calculation is based on full matrix elements, computed with all resonant and non-resonant contributions, complete spin correlations and interference effects. Integrated and differential cross-sections are presented for a realistic fiducial setup.

Abstract: In dark matter (DM) cosmology, the central question is how the present-day density of DM is generated from some initial conditions in the early universe. Different production mechanisms of DM are instrumental in probing DM microphysics in current and future experiments and observations. In this context, thermal dark matter is historically most-studied scenario, in which DM is thermalized with the visible sector in the early universe. Thermalized DM sector is described by visible sector temperature and a chemical potential in general. In particular, a non-zero chemical potential of DM indicates a difference (asymmetry) between particle-antiparticle number densities in the dark sector. In this work, we have studied the generation of DM chemical potential only from DM scatterings and their interplay in the early universe, consequently its effect on the present-day density and the composition of DM.