Six flavor quark matter
Abstract Macroscopic nuggets of quark matter were proposed several decades ago as a candidate for dark matter. The formation of these objects in the early universe requires the QCD phase transition to be first order — a requirement that is not satisfied in the Standard Model where lattice simulation...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2018-06-01
|
| Series: | Journal of High Energy Physics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP06(2018)072 |
| _version_ | 1818413714216321024 |
|---|---|
| author | Yang Bai Andrew J. Long |
| author_facet | Yang Bai Andrew J. Long |
| author_sort | Yang Bai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Macroscopic nuggets of quark matter were proposed several decades ago as a candidate for dark matter. The formation of these objects in the early universe requires the QCD phase transition to be first order — a requirement that is not satisfied in the Standard Model where lattice simulations reveal a continuous crossover instead. In this article we point out that new physics may supercool the electroweak phase transition to below the QCD scale, and the QCD phase transition with six massless quarks becomes first-order. As a result, the quark nuggets composed of six-flavor quark matter (6FQM) may survive as a viable dark matter candidate. The size of a 6FQM nugget is estimated to be around 1010 grams in mass and 10−2 cm in radius. The calculated relic abundance of 6FQM nuggets is comparable to the observed dark matter energy density; therefore, this scenario provides a compelling explanation for the coincident energy densities of dark and baryonic matter. We have explored various potential signatures — including a gravitational wave background, gravitational lensing, and transient photon emission from collisions with compact stars and other nuggets — and demonstrated that the favored region of parameter space is still allowed by current constraints while discovery of 6FQM nugget dark matter may require new experimental probes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:07:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9a6e1b75008a4ab1834c01a79092ee37 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1029-8479 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:07:35Z |
| publishDate | 2018-06-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of High Energy Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-9a6e1b75008a4ab1834c01a79092ee372022-12-21T23:04:26ZengSpringerOpenJournal of High Energy Physics1029-84792018-06-012018613310.1007/JHEP06(2018)072Six flavor quark matterYang Bai0Andrew J. Long1Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-MadisonKavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of ChicagoAbstract Macroscopic nuggets of quark matter were proposed several decades ago as a candidate for dark matter. The formation of these objects in the early universe requires the QCD phase transition to be first order — a requirement that is not satisfied in the Standard Model where lattice simulations reveal a continuous crossover instead. In this article we point out that new physics may supercool the electroweak phase transition to below the QCD scale, and the QCD phase transition with six massless quarks becomes first-order. As a result, the quark nuggets composed of six-flavor quark matter (6FQM) may survive as a viable dark matter candidate. The size of a 6FQM nugget is estimated to be around 1010 grams in mass and 10−2 cm in radius. The calculated relic abundance of 6FQM nuggets is comparable to the observed dark matter energy density; therefore, this scenario provides a compelling explanation for the coincident energy densities of dark and baryonic matter. We have explored various potential signatures — including a gravitational wave background, gravitational lensing, and transient photon emission from collisions with compact stars and other nuggets — and demonstrated that the favored region of parameter space is still allowed by current constraints while discovery of 6FQM nugget dark matter may require new experimental probes.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP06(2018)072Cosmology of Theories beyond the SMConfinementHiggs PhysicsPhase Diagram of QCD |
| spellingShingle | Yang Bai Andrew J. Long Six flavor quark matter Journal of High Energy Physics Cosmology of Theories beyond the SM Confinement Higgs Physics Phase Diagram of QCD |
| title | Six flavor quark matter |
| title_full | Six flavor quark matter |
| title_fullStr | Six flavor quark matter |
| title_full_unstemmed | Six flavor quark matter |
| title_short | Six flavor quark matter |
| title_sort | six flavor quark matter |
| topic | Cosmology of Theories beyond the SM Confinement Higgs Physics Phase Diagram of QCD |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP06(2018)072 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yangbai sixflavorquarkmatter AT andrewjlong sixflavorquarkmatter |