Dark matter from a complex scalar singlet: the role of dark CP and other discrete symmetries

We study the case of a pseudo-scalar dark matter candidate which emerges from a complex scalar singlet, charged under a global U(1) symmetry, which is broken both explicitly and spontaneously. The pseudo-scalar is naturally stabilized by the presence of a remnant discrete symmetry: dark CP. We study and compare the phenomenology of several simplified models with only one explicit symmetry breaking term. We find that several regions of the parameter space are able to reproduce the observed dark matter abundance while respecting direct detection and invisible Higgs decay limits: in the resonances of the two scalars, featuring the known as forbidden or secluded dark matter, and through non-resonant Higgs-mediated annihilations. In some cases, combining different measurements would allow one to distinguish the breaking pattern of the symmetry. Moreover, this setup admits a light DM candidate at the sub-GeV scale. We also discuss the situation where more than one symmetry breaking term is present. In that case, the dark CP symmetry may be spontaneously broken, thus spoiling the stability of the dark matter candidate. Requiring that this does not happen imposes a constraint on the allowed parameter space. Finally, we consider an effective field theory approach valid in the pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson limit and when the U(1) breaking scale is much larger than the electroweak scale.

Novel thick brane solutions with U(1) symmetry breaking

In this work, using two scalar fields ($$\phi $$ ϕ , $$\psi $$ ψ ) coupled to 4 + 1 dimensional gravity, we construct novel topological brane solutions through an explicit U(1) symmetry breaking term. The potential of this model is constructed so that two distinct degenerate vacua in the $$\phi $$ ϕ field exist, in analogy to the $$\phi ^{4}$$ ϕ 4 potential. Therefore, brane solutions appear due to the vacuum structure of the $$\phi $$ ϕ field. However, the topology and vacuum structure in the $$\psi $$ ψ direction depends on the symmetry breaking parameter $$\beta ^{2}$$ β 2 , which leads to different types of branes. As a result, one can interpret the present model as a combination of a $$\phi ^{4}$$ ϕ 4 brane with an auxiliary field, which leads to deviations from the $$\phi ^{4}$$ ϕ 4 system with the brane achieving a richer internal structure. Furthermore, we analyse in detail the behaviour of the superpotentials, the warp factors, the Ricci and Kretschmann scalars and the Einstein tensor components. In addition to this, we explore the stability of the brane in terms of the free parameters of the model. The analysis presented here complements previous work and is sufficiently novel to be interesting.

Extended Divisibility Relations for Constraint Polynomials of the Asymmetric Quantum Rabi Model

The quantum Rabi model (QRM) is widely regarded as one of the fundamental models of quantum optics. One of its generalizations is the asymmetric quantum Rabi model (AQRM), obtained by introducing a symmetry-breaking term depending on a parameter $$\varepsilon \in \mathbb {R}$$ to the Hamiltonian of the QRM. The AQRM was shown to possess degeneracies in the spectrum for values $$\epsilon \in 1/2\mathbb {Z}$$ via the study of the divisibility of the so-called constraint polynomials. In this article, we aim to provide further insight into the structure of Juddian solutions of the AQRM by extending the divisibility properties and the relations between the constraint polynomials with the solution of the AQRM in the Bargmann space. In particular we discuss a conjecture proposed by Masato Wakayama.

Corrections to Wigner–Eckart Relations by Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking

The matrix elements of operators transforming as irreducible representations of an unbroken symmetry group G are governed by the well-known Wigner–Eckart relations. In the case of infinite-dimensional systems, with G spontaneously broken, we prove that the corrections to such relations are provided by symmetry breaking Ward identities, and simply reduce to a tadpole term involving Goldstone bosons. The analysis extends to the case in which an explicit symmetry breaking term is present in the Hamiltonian, with the tadpole term now involving pseudo Goldstone bosons. An explicit example is discussed, illustrating the two cases.

Inverse mass hierarchy of light scalar mesons driven by anomaly-induced flavor breaking

We propose a novel mechanism to reproduce the observed mass hierarchy for scalar mesons lighter than 1 GeV (called the inverse hierarchy), regarding them as mesons made of a quark and an anti-quark ($q\bar{q}$ mesons). The source is provided by the SU(3) flavor-symmetry breaking induced by the U(1) axial anomaly. In particular, the anomaly term including the explicit chiral symmetry breaking plays a significant role in the light scalar meson spectrum. To be concrete, we construct a linear sigma model for scalar mesons of $q\bar{q}$ type together with their pseudoscalar chiral partners, including an anomaly-induced explicit chiral symmetry-breaking term. We find that, due to the proposed mechanism, the inverse hierarchy, i.e., $m\left[ a_0 (980) \right] \simeq m\left[ f_0 (980) \right] > m \left[ K_0^\ast (700) \right] > m \left[ f_0(500) \right]$, is indeed realized. Consequently, the quark content of $f_0 (500)$ is dominated by the isoscalar $\bar uu+ \bar dd$ component, and $f_0 (980)$ by the strange quark bilinear one, $s\bar{s}$.

Retrocausal Quantum Effects from Broken Time Reversal Symmetry

Quantum effects arising from manifestly broken time-reversal symmetry are investigated using time-dependent perturbation theory in a simple model. The forward time and the backward time Hamiltonians are taken to be different and hence the forward and backward amplitudes become unsymmetrical and are not complex conjugates of each other. The effects vanish when the symmetry breaking term is absent and ordinary quantum mechanical results such as Fermi Golden rule are recovered.

An effective theory with Lorentz violation and minimum length

We have made an initial investigation of an effective theory with Lorentz violation with Minimum Length. We investigate a scenario of anisotropy generated by a Lorentz symmetry breaking term which appears in Standard Model Extension (SME) on the even gauge sector with deformed Heisenberg algebra associated to the Minimum Length (ML). To study such possible correction of the gauge sector of SME, we analyze the dispersion relations of this model.

EFFECTIVE POTENTIAL FOR LIFSHITZ-TYPE z = 3 GAUGE THEORIES

We consider the one-loop effective potential at zero temperature in Lifshitz-type field theories with anisotropic space–time scaling, with critical exponent z = 3, including scalar, fermion and gauge fields. The fermion determinant generates a symmetry breaking term at one loop in the effective potential and a local minimum appears, for nonzero scalar field, for every value of the Yukawa coupling. Depending on the relative strength of the coupling constants for the scalar and the gauge field, we find a second symmetry breaking local minimum in the effective potential for a bigger value of the scalar field.