Saxion Decay Research Articles

Axion dark radiation: Hubble tension and the Hyper-Kamiokande neutrino experiment

In this work, we investigate the dark sector of a supersymmetric axion model, consisting of the late-decaying gravitino/axino dark matter and axion dark radiation. In the early universe, the decay of the scalar superpartner of the axion (saxion) will produce a large amount of entropy. The additional entropy can not only dilute the relic density of the gravitino/axino dark matter to avoid overclosing the universe but also relax the constraint on the reheating temperature $T_{R}$ after inflation. Meanwhile, the axion dark radiation from the saxion decay will increase the effective number of neutrino species $N_{\rm eff}$, which can help to reduce the cosmological Hubble tension. In the late universe, the decay of long-lived gravitino/axino dark matter produces the axions with MeV-scale kinetic energy. We study the potential of searching for such energetic axions through the inverse Primakoff process $a+A \to \gamma+ A$ in the neutrino experiments, such as Hyper-Kamiokande.

Colder freeze-in axinos decaying into photons

We point out that 7 keV axino dark matter (DM) in the R-parity violating (RPV) supersymmetric (SUSY) Dine-Fischler-Srednicki-Zhitnitsky model can simultaneously reproduce the 3.5keV X-ray excess, and evade stringent constraints from the Ly-alpha forest data. Peccei-Quinn symmetry breaking naturally generates both axino interactions with minimal SUSY standard model particles and RPV interactions. The RPV interaction introduces an axino-neutrino mixing and provides axino DM as a variant of sterile neutrino DM, whose decay into a monochromatic photon can be detected by X-ray observations. Axinos, on the other hand, are produced by freeze-in processes of thermal particles in addition to the Dodelson-Widrow mechanism of sterile neutrinos. The resultant phase space distribution tends to be colder than the Fermi-Dirac distribution. The inherent entropy production from late-time saxion decay makes axinos even colder. The linear matter power spectrum satisfies even the latest and strongest constraints from the Ly-alpha forest data.

Light axinos from freeze-in: production processes, phase space distributions, and Ly-α forest constraints

We consider the freeze-in production of 7 keV axino dark matter (DM) in the supersymmetric Dine-Fischler-Srednicki-Zhitnitsky (DFSZ) model in light of the 3.5 keV line excess. The warmness of such 7 keV DM produced from the thermal bath, in general, appears in tension with Ly-α forest data, although a direct comparison is not straightforward. This is because the Ly-α forest constraints are usually reported on the mass of the conventional warm dark matter (WDM), where large entropy production is implicitly assumed to occur in the thermal bath after WDM particles are decoupled. The phase space distribution of freeze-in axino DM varies depending on production processes and axino DM may alleviate the tension with the tight Ly-α forest constraints. By solving the Boltzmann equation, we first obtain the resultant phase space distribution of axinos produced by 2-body decay, 3-body decay, and 2-to-2 scattering respectively. The reduced collision term and resultant phase space distribution are useful for studying other freeze-in scenarios as well. We then calculate the resultant linear matter power spectra for such axino DM and directly compare them with the linear matter power spectra for the conventional WDM . In order to demonstrate realistic axino DM production, we consider benchmark points with Higgsino next-to-light supersymmetric particle (NLSP) and wino NLSP. In the case of Higgsino NLSP, the phase space distribution of axinos is colder than that in the conventional WDM case, so the most stringent Ly-α forest constraint can be evaded with mild entropy production from saxion decay inherent in the supersymmetric DFSZ axion model.

Saxion cosmology for thermalized gravitino dark matter

In all supersymmetric theories, gravitinos, with mass suppressed by the Planck scale, are an obvious candidate for dark matter; but if gravitinos ever reached thermal equilibrium, such dark matter is apparently either too abundant or too hot, and is excluded. However, in theories with an axion, a saxion condensate is generated during an early era of cosmological history and its late decay dilutes dark matter. We show that such dilution allows previously thermalized gravitinos to account for the observed dark matter over very wide ranges of gravitino mass, keV < m3/2 < TeV, axion decay constant, 109 GeV < fa < 1016 GeV, and saxion mass, 10 MeV < ms < 100 TeV. Constraints on this parameter space are studied from BBN, supersymmetry breaking, gravitino and axino production from freeze-in and saxion decay, and from axion production from both misalignment and parametric resonance mechanisms. Large allowed regions of (m3/2, fa, ms) remain, but differ for DFSZ and KSVZ theories. Superpartner production at colliders may lead to events with displaced vertices and kinks, and may contain saxions decaying to (WW, ZZ, hh), gg, γγ or a pair of Standard Model fermions. Freeze-in may lead to a sub-dominant warm component of gravitino dark matter, and saxion decay to axions may lead to dark radiation.

Cosmological problems of the string axion alleviated by high scale SUSY of m3/2 ≃ 10–100 TeV

The string axion may provide the most attractive solution to the strong CP problem in QCD. However, the axion energy density easily exceeds the dark matter density in the present universe due to a large decay constant around 1016 GeV, unless the initial value of the axion field is finely tuned. We show that this problem is alleviated if and only if the SUSY particle mass scale is 10–100 TeV, since the decay of the saxion can produce a large enough amount of entropy after the QCD phase transition, not disturbing the BBN prediction. The saxion decay also produces a large number of the lightest SUSY particles (LSPs). As a consequence, R-parity needs to be violated to avoid the overproduction of the LSPs. The saxion field can be stabilized with relatively simple Kähler potentials, not inducing a too large axion dark radiation. Despite the large entropy production, the observed baryon number is explained by the Affleck–Dine mechanism. Furthermore, the constraint from isocurvature perturbations is relaxed, and the Hubble constant during inflation can be as large as several ×1010 GeV.

Cluster X-ray line at $$3.5~\mathrm{keV}$$ 3.5 keV from axion-like dark matter

The recently reported X-ray line signal at $E_\gamma \simeq 3.5\, {\rm keV}$ from a stacked spectrum of various galaxy clusters and the Andromeda galaxy may be originating from a decaying dark matter particle of the mass $2 E_\gamma$. A light axion-like scalar is suggested as a natural candidate for dark matter and its production mechanisms are closely examined. We show that the right amount of axion relic density with the preferred parameters, $m_a \simeq 7 \,{\rm keV}$ and $f_a \simeq 4\times 10^{14}\, {\rm GeV}$, can be naturally obtainable from the decay of inflaton. If the axions were produced from the saxion decay, it could not have constituted the total relic density due to the bound from structure formation. Nonetheless, the saxion decay is an interesting possibility, because the $3.5\, {\rm keV}$ line and dark radiation can be addressed simultaneously, being consistent with the Planck data. Small misalignment angles of the axion, ranging between $\theta_a\sim 10^{-4} -10^{-1}$ depending on the reheating temperature, can also be the source of axion production. The model with axion misalignment can satisfy the constraints for structure formation and iso-curvature perturbation.

Axino dark matter in moduli-induced baryogenesis

We consider axino dark matter in large R-parity violation (RPV). In moduli-dominated universe, axino is produced thermally or non-thermally via saxion decay, then late-decaying moduli dilute axino density, which results in the right abundance to explain the present dark matter. At the same time baryon asymmetry is generated due to moduli-induced baryogenesis via the large RPV. Axino is cosmologically stable in spite of the large RPV since its decay rate is suppressed by the axion decay constant, heavy squark mass or kinematics.

The 7 keV axion dark matter and the X-ray line signal

We propose a scenario where the saxion dominates the energy density of the Universe and reheats the standard model sector via the dilatonic coupling, while its axionic partner contributes to dark matter decaying into photons via the same operator in supersymmetry. Interestingly, for the axion mass ma≃7 keV and the decay constant fa≃1014–15 GeV, the recently discovered X-ray line at 3.5 keV in the XMM Newton X-ray observatory data can be explained. We discuss various cosmological aspects of the 7 keV axion dark matter such as the production of axion dark matter, the saxion decay process, hot dark matter and isocurvature constraints on the axion dark matter, and the possible baryogenesis scenarios.

Axions as hot and cold dark matter

The presence of a hot dark matter component has been hinted at 3σ by a combination of the results from different cosmological observations. We examine a possibility that pseudo Nambu-Goldstone bosons account for both hot and cold dark matter components. We show that the QCD axions can do the job for the axion decay constant fa≲\U0001d4aa(1010) GeV, if they are produced by the saxion decay and the domain wall annihilation. We also investigate the cases of thermal QCD axions, pseudo Nambu-Goldstone bosons coupled to the standard model sector through the Higgs portal, and axions produced by modulus decay.

Dark radiation and dark matter in supersymmetric axion models with high reheating temperature

Recent studies of the cosmic microwave background, large scale structure, and big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) show trends towards extra radiation. Within the framework of supersymmetric hadronic axion models, we explore two high-reheating-temperature scenarios that can explain consistently extra radiation and cold dark matter (CDM), with the latter residing either in gravitinos or in axions. In the gravitino CDM case, axions from decays of thermal saxions provide extra radiation already prior to BBN and decays of axinos with a cosmologically required TeV-scale mass can produce extra entropy. In the axion CDM case, cosmological constraints are respected with light eV-scale axinos and weak-scale gravitinos that decay into axions and axinos. These decays lead to late extra radiation which can coexist with the early contributions from saxion decays. Recent results of the Planck satellite probe extra radiation at late times and thereby both scenarios. Further tests are the searches for axions at ADMX and for supersymmetric particles at the LHC.

Mixed axion/neutralino dark matter in the SUSY DFSZ axion model

We examine mixed axion/neutralino cold dark matter production in the SUSY DFSZaxion model where an axion superfield couples to Higgs superfields.We calculate a wide array of axino and saxion decay modes along with theirdecay temperatures, and thermal and non-thermal production rates.For a SUSY benchmark model with a standard underabundance (SUA) of Higgsino-like dark matter (DM), we find for the PQ scale fa≲1012 GeV that the DM abundance is mainly comprised of axions as the saxion/axino decay occurs before the standard neutralino freeze-out and thus itsabundance remains suppressed. For 1012≲fa≲1014 GeV, thesaxion/axino decays occur after neutralino freeze-out so that the neutralino abundance is enhancedby the production via decay and subsequent re-annihilation.For fa≳1014 GeV, both neutralino dark matter and dark radiation aretypically overproduced. For judicious parameter choices, these can be suppressedand the combined neutralino/axion abundance brought into accord with measured values.A SUSY benchmark model with a standard overabundance (SOA) of bino DM is also examined and typically remains excluded due at least to too great a neutralino DM abundance forfa≲1015 GeV. For fa≳1015 GeV and lower saxion masses, large entropyproduction from saxion decay can dilute all relics and the SOA model can beallowed by all constraints.

Scalar trapping and Saxion cosmology

We study in detail the dynamics of a scalar field in thermal bath with symmetry breaking potential. In particular, we focus on the process of trapping of a scalar field at an enhanced symmetry point through the thermal/non-thermal particle production, taking into account the interactions of produced particles with the standard model particles. As an explicit example, we revisit the saxion dynamics with an initial amplitude much larger than the Peccei-Quinn scale and show that the saxion trapping phenomenon happens for the most cases and it often leads to thermal inflation. We also study the saxion dynamics after thermal inflation, and it is shown that thermal dissipation effect on the saxion can relax the axion overproduction problem from the saxion decay.

Dark radiation constraints on mixed Axion/Neutralino dark matter

Recent analyses of CMB data combined with the measurement of BAO and H0show that dark radiation — parametrized by the apparent number of additional neutrinos ΔNeff contributing to the cosmic expansion —is bounded from above by about ΔNeff≲1.6 at 95% CL. We consider the mixed axion/neutralino cold dark matter scenariowhich arises in R-parity conserving supersymmetric (SUSY) models wherein the strong CP problem is solved by hadronic axions with a concommitant axion(a)/saxion(s)/axino(ã) supermultiplet.Our new results include improved calculations of thermal axion and saxion production and include effects of saxion decay to axinos and axions. We show that the above bound on ΔNeff is easily satisfied if saxions are mainlythermally produced and mLSP < mã≲ms. However, if the dominantmechanism of saxion production is through coherent oscillations, the CMB dataprovides a strong bound on saxion production followed by saxion decays to axions.Furthermore we show that scenarios with mixed neutralino/axion dark matter are highlyconstrained by combined CMB, BBN and Xe-100 constraints. In particular,supersymmetric models with a standard overabundance of neutralino dark matterare excluded for all values of the Peccei-Quinn breaking scale.Next generation WIMP direct detection experiments may be able to discover or exclude mixedaxion-neutralino CDM scenarios where s → aa is the dominant saxion decay mode.

Axionic co-genesis of baryon, dark matter and dark radiation

We argue that coherent oscillations of the axion field excited by the misalignment mechanism and non-thermal leptogenesis by the saxion decay can naturally explain the observed abundance of dark matter and baryon asymmetry, thus providing a solution to the baryon-dark matter coincidence problem. The successful axionic co-genesis requires a supersymmetry breaking scale of O(10^{6-7}) GeV, which is consistent with the recently discovered standard-model like Higgs boson of mass about 126 GeV. Although the saxion generically decays into a pair of axions, their abundance sensitively depends on the saxion stabilization mechanism as well as couplings with the Higgs field. We discuss various ways to make the saxion dominantly decay into the right-handed neutrinos rather than into axions, and show that the abundance of axion dark radiation can be naturally as small as \Delta N_{\rm eff} \lesssim {\cal O}(0.1), which is allowed by the Planck data.

Axions and saxions from the primordial supersymmetric plasma and extra radiation signatures

We calculate the rate for thermal production of axions and saxions via scattering of quarks, gluons, squarks, and gluinos in the primordial supersymmetric plasma. Systematic field theoretical methods such as hard thermal loop resummation are applied to obtain a finite result in a gauge-invariant way that is consistent to leading order in the strong gauge coupling. We calculate the thermally produced yield and the decoupling temperature for both axions and saxions. For the generic case in which saxion decays into axions are possible, the emitted axions can constitute extra radiation already prior to big bang nucleosynthesis and well thereafter. We update associated limits imposed by recent studies of the primordial helium-4 abundance and by precision cosmology of the cosmic microwave background and large scale structure. We show that the trend towards extra radiation seen in those studies can be explained by late decays of thermal saxions into axions and that upcoming Planck results will probe supersymmetric axion models with unprecedented sensitivity.

Light Higgsino from axion dark radiation

The recent observations imply that there is an extra relativistic degree of freedom coined dark radiation. We argue that the QCD axion is a plausible candidate for the dark radiation, not only because of its extremely small mass, but also because in the supersymmetric extension of the Peccei-Quinn mechanism the saxion tends to dominate the Universe and decays into axions with a sizable branching fraction. We show that the Higgsino mixing parameter mu is bounded from above when the axions produced at the saxion decays constitute the dark radiation: mu \lesssim 300 GeV for a saxion lighter than 2m_W, and mu less than the saxion mass otherwise. Interestingly, the Higgsino can be light enough to be within the reach of LHC and/or ILC even when the other superparticles are heavy with mass about 1 TeV or higher. We also estimate the abundance of axino produced by the decays of Higgsino and saxion.

Coupled Boltzmann calculation of mixed axion/neutralino cold dark matter production in the early universe

We calculate the relic abundance of mixed axion/neutralino cold dark matter which arises in R-parity conserving supersymmetric (SUSY) models wherein the strong CP problem is solved by the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) mechanism with a concommitant axion/saxion/axino supermultiplet.By numerically solving the coupled Boltzmann equations, we include the combined effects of 1. thermal axino production with cascade decays to a neutralino LSP, 2. thermal saxion production and production via coherent oscillations along with cascade decays and entropy injection, 3. thermal neutralino production and re-annihilation after both axino and saxion decays, 4. gravitino production and decay and 5. axion production both thermally and via oscillations. For SUSY models with too high a standard neutralino thermal abundance, we find the combined effect of SUSY PQ particles is not enough to lower theneutralino abundance down to its measured value, while at the same time respectingbounds on late-decaying neutral particles from BBN.However, models with a standard neutralino underabundance can now be allowed with either neutralino or axion domination of dark matter, and furthermore,these models can allow the PQ breaking scale fato be pushed up into the 1014−1015 GeV range, which is where it is typically expected to be in string theory models.

Increasing the effective number of neutrinos with decaying particles

We present models of decaying particles for increasing the effective number of neutrinosNν after big bang nucleosynthesis but before the structure formation begins. We point outthat our scenario not only solves the discrepancy between the constraints onNν from these two epochs, but also provides a possible answer to deeper inconsistency in theestimation of the matter power spectrum amplitude at small scales, represented byσ8, between the WMAP and some small scale matter power measurements such as theLyman-α forest and weak lensing. We consider (a) saxion decay into two axions; (b) gravitino decayinto axino and axion; (c) Dirac right-handed sneutrino decay into gravitino andright-handed neutrino.