Dark-matter induced neutron-antineutron oscillations
Abstract If dark matter carries a baryon number of two, neutron-antineutron oscillations could require its presence to manifest themselves. If it is in addition very light, in the micro-eV range or up to a few orders of magnitude below, these oscillations could even exhibit a Rabi resonance. Though...
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SpringerOpen
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of High Energy Physics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP01(2025)132 |
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| author | Théo Brugeat Christopher Smith |
| author_facet | Théo Brugeat Christopher Smith |
| author_sort | Théo Brugeat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract If dark matter carries a baryon number of two, neutron-antineutron oscillations could require its presence to manifest themselves. If it is in addition very light, in the micro-eV range or up to a few orders of magnitude below, these oscillations could even exhibit a Rabi resonance. Though the magnetic tuning required to convert a macroscopic number of neutrons into antineutrons is not realistic, sizeable enhancements remain possible. Building on this observation, axionic realizations for this scenario are systematically analyzed. For true QCD axion models, we find that the Goldstone boson nature of the axion imposes the presence of axionless n − n ¯ $$ n-\overline{n} $$ mixing effects, either in vacuum or in decays, which are sufficiently constrained experimentally to leave no room for axion-induced oscillations. Thus, a generic scalar or axion-like dark matter background would have to exist to induce resonant n − n ¯ $$ n-\overline{n} $$ oscillations. Yet, if Nature has taken that path to relate dark matter and baryon number violation, the experimental signature would be striking and certainly worth pursuing. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-be73df9590cd40adb0f98b8a20b82b27 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1029-8479 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of High Energy Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-be73df9590cd40adb0f98b8a20b82b272025-02-09T12:07:37ZengSpringerOpenJournal of High Energy Physics1029-84792025-01-012025113510.1007/JHEP01(2025)132Dark-matter induced neutron-antineutron oscillationsThéo Brugeat0Christopher Smith1Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie, Université Grenoble-AlpesLaboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie, Université Grenoble-AlpesAbstract If dark matter carries a baryon number of two, neutron-antineutron oscillations could require its presence to manifest themselves. If it is in addition very light, in the micro-eV range or up to a few orders of magnitude below, these oscillations could even exhibit a Rabi resonance. Though the magnetic tuning required to convert a macroscopic number of neutrons into antineutrons is not realistic, sizeable enhancements remain possible. Building on this observation, axionic realizations for this scenario are systematically analyzed. For true QCD axion models, we find that the Goldstone boson nature of the axion imposes the presence of axionless n − n ¯ $$ n-\overline{n} $$ mixing effects, either in vacuum or in decays, which are sufficiently constrained experimentally to leave no room for axion-induced oscillations. Thus, a generic scalar or axion-like dark matter background would have to exist to induce resonant n − n ¯ $$ n-\overline{n} $$ oscillations. Yet, if Nature has taken that path to relate dark matter and baryon number violation, the experimental signature would be striking and certainly worth pursuing.https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP01(2025)132Axions and ALPsBaryon/Lepton Number ViolationModels for Dark MatterNew Light Particles |
| spellingShingle | Théo Brugeat Christopher Smith Dark-matter induced neutron-antineutron oscillations Journal of High Energy Physics Axions and ALPs Baryon/Lepton Number Violation Models for Dark Matter New Light Particles |
| title | Dark-matter induced neutron-antineutron oscillations |
| title_full | Dark-matter induced neutron-antineutron oscillations |
| title_fullStr | Dark-matter induced neutron-antineutron oscillations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dark-matter induced neutron-antineutron oscillations |
| title_short | Dark-matter induced neutron-antineutron oscillations |
| title_sort | dark matter induced neutron antineutron oscillations |
| topic | Axions and ALPs Baryon/Lepton Number Violation Models for Dark Matter New Light Particles |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP01(2025)132 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT theobrugeat darkmatterinducedneutronantineutronoscillations AT christophersmith darkmatterinducedneutronantineutronoscillations |