Neutron's Dark Secret

Abstract

The existing discrepancy between neutron lifetime measurements in bottle and beam experiments has been interpreted as a sign of the neutron decaying to dark particles. We summarize the current status of this proposal, including a discussion of particle physics models involving such a portal between the Standard Model and a baryonic dark sector. We also review further theoretical developments around this idea and elaborate on the prospects for verifying the neutron dark decay hypothesis in current and upcoming experiments.

19 pages, 4 figures; Invited review for Modern Physics Letters A

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• Effects of Dark Matter on $f$-mode oscillations of Neutron Stars
• Novel neutron decay mode inside neutron stars
• Feasibility of dark matter admixed neutron star based on recent observational constraints
• Dark sectors in neutron-shining-through-a-wall and nuclear absorption signals
• Possible nature of Dark Matter
• Search for a neutron dark decay in ${}^6$He
• How Macroscopic Limits on Neutron Star Baryon Loss Yield Microscopic Limits on Non-Standard-Model Baryon Decay
• Leptoquarks, axions and the unification of B, L, and Peccei-Quinn symmetries
• Decay dynamics of $N\to \ell \pi$ and $N\to \ell \gamma$
• Baryonic and Leptonic GeV Dark Matter
• Effect of Dark matter and $\sigma$-cut potential on radial and non-radial oscillation modes in neutron stars
• F-mode Oscillations of Neutron Stars with Dark Matter from Neutron Decay: Implications for Gravitational-Wave Detectability
• $g$-mode oscillations of dark matter admixed neutron stars
• Invisible neutron decay and light BSM particles
• New Physics Searches at Kaon and Hyperon Factories
• The Strange Physics of Dark Baryons
• Dark Matter Induced Nucleon Decay Through the Neutron Portal