Title: Astrophysical constraints on dark-matter $Q$ -balls in the presence of baryon-violating operators

Abstract

Supersymmetric extensions of the standard model predict the existence of non-topological solitons, Q-balls. Assuming the standard cosmological history preceded by inflation, Q-balls can form in the early universe and can make up the dark matter. The relatively large masses of such dark-matter particles imply a low number density, making direct detection very challenging. The strongest limits come from the existence of neutron stars because, if a baryonic Q-ball is captured by a neutron star, the Q-ball can absorb the baryon number releasing energy and eventually destroying a neutron star. Yet, in the presence of baryon number violating higher-dimension operators, the growth of a Q-ball inside a neutron star is hampered once the Q-ball reaches a certain size. We re-examine the limits and identify some classes of higher-dimensional operators for which supersymmetric Q-balls can account for dark matter. The current limits leave a wide range of parameters available for dark matter in the form of supersymmetric Q-balls.

Authors:

Cotner, Eric ^[1]; Kusenko, Alexander ^[2]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
2. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Univ. of Tokyo (Japan). Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (WPI)

Publication Date:

Mon Dec 12 00:00:00 EST 2016

Research Org.:

Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP); National Science Foundation (NSF)

OSTI Identifier:

1609079

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1335191

Grant/Contract Number:  

SC0009937; PHY-1066293

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Physical Review D

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 94; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0010

Publisher:

American Physical Society (APS)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS