Kuver Sinha

The Poker Face of the Majoron Dark Matter Model: LUX to keV Line

Abstract We study the viability of pseudo Nambu–Goldstone bosons (Majorons) arising in see-saw models as dark matter candidates. Interestingly the stability of the Majoron as dark matter is related to the scale that sets the see-saw and leptogenesis mechanisms, while its annihilation and scattering cross section off nuclei can be set through the Higgs portal. For O ( GeV ) – O ( TeV ) Majorons, we compute observables such as the abundance, scattering cross section, Higgs invisible decay width, and emission lines and compare with current data in order to outline the excluded versus still viable parameter space regions. We conclude that the simplest Majoron dark matter models coupling through the Higgs portal, except at the Higgs resonance, are excluded by current direct detection data for Majorons lighter than 225 GeV and future runnings are expected to rule out decisively the 1 GeV–1 TeV window. Lastly, we point out that light keV-scale Majorons whose relic density is set by thermal freeze-in from sterile neutrinos can account for the keV line observed by XMM-Newton observatory in the spectrum of 73 galaxy clusters, within a see-saw model with a triplet Higgs.

Metastable supersymmetry breaking and multitrace deformations of SQCD

Metastable vacua in supersymmetric QCD in the presence of single and multitrace deformations of the superpotential are explored, with the aim of obtaining an acceptable phenomenology. The metastable vacua appear at one loop, have a broken R-symmetry, and a magnetic gauge group that is completely Higgsed. With only a single trace deformation, the adjoint fermions from the meson superfield are approximately massless at one loop, even though they are massive at tree level and R-symmetry is broken. Consequently, if charged under the standard model, they are unacceptably light. A multitrace quadratic deformation generates fermion masses proportional to the deformation parameter. Phenomenologically viable models of direct gauge mediation can then be obtained, and some of their features are discussed.

Cladogenesis: Baryon-Dark Matter Coincidence from Branchings in Moduli Decay

We propose late-time moduli decay as the common origin of baryons and dark matter. The baryon asymmetry is produced from the decay of new TeV-scale particles, while dark matter is created from the (chain) decay of R-parity odd particles without undergoing any annihilation. The baryon and dark matter abundances are mainly controlled by the dilution factor from moduli decay, which is typically in the range 10{sup -9}-10{sup -7}. The exact number densities are determined by simple branching fractions from modulus decay, which are expected to be of similar order in the absence of symmetries. This scenario can naturally lead to the observed baryon asymmetry and, for moderate suppression of the two-body decays of the modulus to R-parity odd particles, can also yield the correct dark matter abundance for a dark matter mass in the (5-500) GeV range.

Cosmological moduli and the post-inflationary universe: A critical review

We critically review the role of cosmological moduli in determining the post-inflationary history of the universe. Moduli are ubiquitous in string and M-theory constructions of beyond the Standard Model physics, where they parametrize the geometry of the compactification manifold. For those with masses determined by supersymmetry breaking this leads to their eventual decay slightly before Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (without spoiling its predictions). This results in a matter dominated phase shortly after inflation ends, which can influence baryon and dark matter genesis, as well as observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background and the growth of large-scale structure. Given progress within fundamental theory, and guidance from dark matter and collider experiments, non-thermal histories have emerged as a robust and theoretically well-motivated alternative to a strictly thermal one. We review this approach to the early universe and discuss both the theoretical challenges and the observational implications.

Nonthermal dark matter in string compactifications

Non-thermal cosmological histories are capable of greatly increasing the available parameter space of different particle physics dark matter (DM) models and are well-motivated by the ubiquity of late-decaying gravitationally coupled scalars in UV theories like string theory. A non-thermal DM model is presented in the context of LARGE Volume Scenarios in type IIB string theory. The model is capable of addressing both the moduli-induced gravitino problem as well as the problem of overproduction of axionic dark radiation and/or DM. We show that the right abundance of neutralino DM can be obtained in both thermal under and overproduction cases for DM masses between O(GeV) to O(TeV). In the latter case the contribution of the QCD axion to the relic density is totally negligible, while in the former case it can be comparable to that of the neutralino thus resulting in a multi-component DM scenario.

Probing Dark Matter at the LHC using Vector Boson Fusion Processes

Vector boson fusion processes at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) provide a unique opportunity to search for new physics with electroweak couplings. A feasibility study for the search of supersymmetric dark matter in the final state of two vector boson fusion jets and large missing transverse energy is presented at 14 TeV. Prospects for determining the dark matter relic density are studied for the cases of wino and bino-Higgsino dark matter. The LHC could probe wino dark matter with mass up to approximately 600 GeV with a luminosity of 1000  fb(-1).

A D-brane landscape on Calabi-Yau manifolds

We explore the dynamics of nonsupersymmetric D-brane configurations on Calabi-Yau orientifolds with fluxes. We show that supergravity D-terms capture supersymmetry breaking effects predicted by more abstract ?-stability considerations. We also investigate the vacuum structure of such configurations in the presence of fluxes. Based on the shape of the potential, we argue that metastable nonsupersymmetric vacua can be in principle obtained by tuning the values of fluxes.

Non-thermal Higgsino dark matter, heavy gravitino and 125 GeV Higgs boson in modulus/anomaly-mediated supersymmetric models

If the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) is Higgsino-like, the thermal relic density is lower than the observed dark matter content for a LSP mass in the sub-TeV region. We outline constraints arising from the Fermi Gamma-Ray Telescope data and LSP production from gravitino decay that must be satisfied by a successful non-thermal Higgsino scenario. We show that in a generic class of models where anomaly and modulus mediated contributions to supersymmetry breaking are of comparable size, Higgsino arises as the only viable sub-TeV dark matter candidate if gravitinos are heavy enough to decay before the onset of big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN). The correct relic density can be obtained via modulus decay in these models. As an explicit example, we consider a modulus sector in effective field theory (D = 4, N = 1 supergravitiy arising from type IIB KKLT compactification). Within this class of mirage mediation models, heaviness of the gravitino forces a sub-TeV Higgsino LSP and gives a Higgs mass around 125 GeV. In this example, the constraints from direct detection experiments are also satisfied.

Baryogenesis and late-decaying moduli

Late-decaying string moduli dilute the baryon asymmetry of the Universe created in any previous era. The reheat temperature for such moduli is below a GeV, thus motivating baryogenesis at very low temperatures. We present an extension of the minimal supersymmetric standard model with TeV-scale colored fields that can yield the correct baryon asymmetry of the Universe in this context. Modulus decay, which reheats the Universe at a temperature below GeV, produces the visible sector fields and neutralino dark matter in nonthermal fashion. We discuss various possibilities for baryogenesis from TeV-scale colored fields and show that they can generate an acceptable baryon asymmetry, while being compatible with phenomenological constraints like neutron-antineutron oscillation.

Correlation between dark matter and dark radiation in string compactifications

Reheating in string compactifications is generically driven by the decay of the lightest modulus which produces Standard Model particles, dark matter and light hidden sector degrees of freedom that behave as dark radiation. This common origin allows us to find an interesting correlation between dark matter and dark radiation. By combining present upper bounds on the effective number of neutrino species N{sub eff} with lower bounds on the reheating temperature as a function of the dark matter mass m{sub DM} from Fermi data, we obtain strong constraints on the (N{sub eff}, m{sub DM})-plane. Most of the allowed region in this plane corresponds to non-thermal scenarios with Higgsino-like dark matter. Thermal dark matter can be allowed only if N{sub eff} tends to its Standard Model value. We show that the above situation is realised in models with perturbative moduli stabilisation where the production of dark radiation is unavoidable since bulk closed string axions remain light and do not get eaten up by anomalous U(1)s.