LIGO-Virgo constraints on dark matter and leptogenesis triggered by a first order phase transition at high scale

Abstract

We study the possibility of constraining a scenario with high scale first order phase transition (FOPT) responsible for the cogenesis of baryon and dark matter using gravitational wave (GW) (non)observations. While the FOPT at high scale is responsible for generating baryon asymmetry through leptogenesis and dark matter via the mechanism, the resulting GW spectrum falls within the ongoing LIGO-Virgo experimental sensitivity. The dark matter is preferred to be in the nonthermal ballpark with sub-GeV masses and the criteria of successful dark matter relic rules out a large portion of the parameter space consistent with high scale FOPT and successful leptogenesis. Some part of the parameter space allowed from dark matter and leptogenesis criteria also gives rise to a large signal-to-noise ratio at ongoing experiments and hence can be disfavored in a conservative way from the nonobservation of such stochastic GW background. Future data from ongoing and planned experiments will offer a complementary and indirect probe of the remaining parameter space which is typically outside the reach of any direct experimental probe. Published by the American Physical Society 2024