The cosmology of ultralight scalar dark matter coupled to right-handed neutrinos

Plestid, Ryan; Tevosyan, Sophia

doi:10.1007/JHEP07(2025)012

The cosmology of ultralight scalar dark matter coupled to right-handed neutrinos

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Journal of High Energy Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP07(2025)012· OSTI ID:3005993

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California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States)

We consider ultralight scalar dark matter that couples to right-handed neutrinos. Due to the high density of neutrinos in the early universe, the background neutrino density dominates the dynamics of the scalar field, and qualitatively alters the field’s cosmological evolution. This effect has not been included in previous literature, and changes the interpretation of cosmological data and its interplay with laboratory experiments. To illustrate these points a simplified model of a 1 + 1 setup with a single scalar field is analyzed.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-07CH11359; SC0011632

OSTI ID:: 3005993

Journal Information:: Journal of High Energy Physics, Journal Name: Journal of High Energy Physics Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 2025; ISSN 1029-8479

Publisher:: Springer Science and Business Media LLCCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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