Altered Axion Abundance from a Dynamical Peccei-Quinn Scale

Abstract

We build a model in which the relic abundance of axions is altered from the standard misalignment mechanism, either increased or decreased, due to the presence of a new light scalar that couples to the radial part of the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) field. The light scalar makes the effective PQ symmetry-breaking scale dynamical, altering the early-time dynamics for the axion and affecting its late-time dark matter abundance. We analyze this new mechanism semianalytically and numerically, showing that we can accommodate both lighter or heavier axion dark matter, compared to the standard treatments. We discuss implications of the model for axion searches and fundamental physics.

arXiv comment12 pages, 10 figures, in double column format

References in corpus (32)

• Axions In String Theory
• Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Cosmological Constraints from Galaxy Clustering and Weak Lensing
• The chiral and deconfinement aspects of the QCD transition
• KiDS-1000 Cosmology: Multi-probe weak gravitational lensing and spectroscopic galaxy clustering constraints
• The QCD axion, precisely
• CFHTLenS tomographic weak lensing cosmological parameter constraints: Mitigating the impact of intrinsic galaxy alignments
• The landscape of QCD axion models
• Cosmology from cosmic shear power spectra with Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam first-year data
• Dimensionless constants, cosmology and other dark matters
• KiDS+VIKING-450: Cosmic shear tomography with optical+infrared data
• Axion Cosmology and the Energy Scale of Inflation
• Search for "Invisible" Axion Dark Matter in the $3.3\text{-}4.2\mu$eV Mass Range
• Axion Kinetic Misalignment Mechanism
• KiDS+VIKING-450 and DES-Y1 combined: Cosmology with cosmic shear
• New Constraints on Dark Photon Dark Matter with Superconducting Nanowire Detectors in an Optical Haloscope
• A new experimental approach to probe QCD axion dark matter in the mass range above 40$\mu$eV
• KiDS+VIKING-450 and DES-Y1 combined: Mitigating baryon feedback uncertainty with COSEBIs
• QCD Axion Dark Matter with a Small Decay Constant
• Future CMB tests of dark matter: ultra-light axions and massive neutrinos
• Dark Sector to Restore Cosmological Concordance
• Axion Misalignment Driven to the Hilltop
• A Model of Anthropic Reasoning, Addressing the Dark to Ordinary Matter Coincidence
• Axion Misalignment Driven to the Bottom
• Strong CP problem and axion dark matter with small instantons
• Probing a QCD String Axion with Precision Cosmological Measurements
• REMOVING THE COSMOLOGICAL BOUND ON THE AXION SCALE
• A Tale of Two Timescales: Mixing, Mass Generation, and Phase Transitions in the Early Universe
• Resurrecting Low-Mass Axion Dark Matter Via a Dynamical QCD Scale
• Kaluza-Klein Towers in the Early Universe: Phase Transitions, Relic Abundances, and Applications to Axion Cosmology
• The Hubble Constant in the Axi-Higgs Universe
• Hidden Photon and Axion Dark Matter from Symmetry Breaking
• Impact of Helical Electromagnetic Fields on the Axion Window

Cited by in corpus (9)

• Addressing the Hubble and $S_8$ Tensions with a Kinetically Mixed Dark Sector
• Cosmologically Varying Kinetic Mixing
• Dark Matter Axions in the Early Universe with a Period of Increasing Temperature
• Axion dark matter from frictional misalignment
• Axion dark matter with thermal friction
• Opening up a window on the postinflationary QCD axion
• Reduced Axion Abundance from an Extended Symmetry
• Is the $\bar{\theta }$ parameter of QCD constant?
• Axion Free-kick Misalignment Mechanism