Axi-Higgs cosmology: Cosmic Microwave Background and cosmological tensions

Abstract

Non-canonical cosmology with an uplifted Higgs vacuum expectation value (Higgs-VEV) in the early universe is believed to provide the solution for existing tensions within the $\Lambda$CDM regime. We recently proposed a theoretical model called axi-Higgs to explore this framework. The axi-Higgs model features an ultralight axion with mass $m_a\sim 10^{-29}$ eV, which couples to the Higgs field such that the Higgs-VEV is driven by the axion background evolution. Phenomenologically, the axi-Higgs model is equivalent to $\Lambda$CDM+$m_e$+${\omega }_a$ which is defined as $\Lambda$CDM with electron mass variation and the presence of an ultralight axion. In this paper, we perform Markov Chain Monte Carlo analyses to investigate the parameter space of axi-Higgs and compare it with $\Lambda$CDM, $\Lambda$CDM+$m_e$ where only electron mass variation is allowed, and $\Lambda$CDM+${\omega }_a$ where only an ultralight axion is present. Combining observational data from Cosmic Microwave Background, Baryon Acoustic Oscillations, weak-lensing cosmic shear survey we found $H_0=69.4\pm 1.3$ km/s/Mpc, which reduces the Hubble tension to approximately $2.4\sigma$. Including data from supernovae Type IA and local Hubble measurement from SH0ES we found $H_0=71.34\pm 0.96$ km/s/Mpc. The presence of this Higgs-VEV-driving axion may be tested by atomic clock and quasar spectral measurements in the near future.

arXiv comment18 pages, 8 figures. Final version

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