VISH[formula omitted]: solving five Standard Model shortcomings with a Poincaré-protected electroweak scale

Abstract

We propose a Standard Model extension, coined VISHν (Variant-axIon Seesaw Higgs ν-trino), that is an NDW=1 variation of its predecessor, the νDFSZ model. In accounting for the origin of neutrino masses, dark matter and the baryon asymmetry of the universe, VISHν inherits the explanatory power of νDFSZ while, of course, resolving the strong CP problem. In both models, the electroweak scale is naturally protected from a high seesaw scale that is identified with the Peccei–Quinn (PQ) spontaneous symmetry breaking scale. Through a variant flavor coupling structure, VISHν evades a domain wall problem, extending the cosmological reach of the νDFSZ to include a viable period of inflation. The primary focus of this paper is on the possible inflaton configurations of a class of three-scalar models and when these preserve natural features of VISHν. We find that non-minimal gravitational couplings, generically developed by the VISHν scalar fields, support a viable inflaton field which typically has both a PQ scalar and Higgs component. An axion mass window [40μeV,∼2meV] accessible to forthcoming searches, results for the case where PQ symmetry is restored during the (p)reheating phase.