Asymmetric matter from $B-L$ symmetry breaking

Abstract

The present matter content of our universe may be governed by a $U(1{)}_{B-L}$ symmetry -- the simplest gauge completion of the seesaw mechanism which produces small neutrino masses. The matter parity results as a residual gauge symmetry, implying dark matter stability. The Higgs field that breaks the $B-L$ charge inflates the early universe successfully and then decays to right-handed neutrinos, which reheats the universe and generates both normal matter and dark matter manifestly.

21 pages; substantially improved with references and figures added; matches published version in EPJC