Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Edge modes as dynamical frames: charges from post-selection in generally covariant theories

  Sylvain Carrozza, Stefan Eccles, Philipp A. Hoehn

  SciPost Phys. 17, 048 (2024) · published 13 August 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We develop a framework based on the covariant phase space formalism that identifies gravitational edge modes as dynamical reference frames. As such, they enable both the identification of the associated spacetime region and the imposition of boundary conditions in a gauge-invariant manner. While recent proposals considered the finite region in isolation and sought the maximal corner symmetry algebra compatible with that perspective, we here advocate to regard it as a subregion embedded in a global spacetime and study the symmetries consistent with such an embedding. This leads to advantages and differences. It clarifies that the frame, although appearing as "new" for the subregion, is built out of the field content of the complement. Given a global variational principle, it also permits us to invoke a systematic post-selection procedure, previously used in gauge theory [J. High Energy Phys. 02, 172 (2022)], to produce a consistent dynamics for a subregion with timelike boundary. As in gauge theory, requiring the subregion presymplectic structure to be conserved by the dynamics leads to an essentially unique prescription and unambiguous Hamiltonian charges. Unlike other proposals, this has the advantage that all (field-independent) spacetime diffeomorphisms acting on the subregion remain gauge and integrable (as in the global theory), and generate a first-class constraint algebra realizing the Lie algebra of spacetime vector fields. By contrast, diffeomorphisms acting on the frame-dressed spacetime, that we call relational spacetime, are in general physical, and those that are parallel to the timelike boundary are integrable. Upon further restriction to relational diffeomorphisms that preserve the boundary conditions (and hence are symmetries), we obtain a subalgebra of conserved corner charges. Physically, they correspond to reorientations of the frame and so to changes in the relation between the subregion and its complement. Finally, we explain how the boundary conditions and conserved presymplectic structure can both be encoded into boundary actions. While our formalism applies to any generally covariant theory, we illustrate it on general relativity, and conclude with a detailed comparison of our findings to earlier works.

  17 citations

• Density induced vacuum instability

  Reuven Balkin, Javi Serra, Konstantin Springmann, Stefan Stelzl, Andreas Weiler

  SciPost Phys. 14, 071 (2023) · published 14 April 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We consider matter density effects in theories with a false ground state. Large and dense systems, such as stars, can destabilize a metastable minimum and allow for the formation of bubbles of the true minimum. We derive the conditions under which these bubbles form, as well as the conditions under which they either remain confined to the dense region or escape to infinity. The latter case leads to a phase transition in the universe at star formation. We explore the phenomenological consequences of such seeded phase transitions.

  16 citations

• Closed universes in two dimensional gravity

  Mykhaylo Usatyuk, Zi-Yue Wang, Ying Zhao

  SciPost Phys. 17, 051 (2024) · published 14 August 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study closed universes in simple models of two dimensional gravity, such as Jackiw-Teiteilboim (JT) gravity coupled to matter, and a toy topological model that captures the key features of the former. We find there is a stark contrast, as well as some connections, between the perturbative and non-perturbative aspects of the theory. We find rich semi-classical physics. However, when non-perturbative effects are included there is a unique closed universe state in each theory. We discuss possible meanings and interpretations of this observation.

  16 citations

• Latest observations on the low energy excess in CRESST-III

  G. Angloher, S. Banik, G. Benato, A. Bento, A. Bertolini, R. Breier, C. Bucci, L. Canonica, A. D'Addabbo, S. Di Lorenzo, L. Einfalt, A. Erb, F. von Feilitzsch, N. Ferreiro Iachellini, S. Fichtinger, D. Fuchs, A. Fuss, A. Garai, V. M. Ghete, S. Gerster, P. Gorla, P. V. Guillaumon, S. Gupta, D. Hauff, M. Ješkovský, J. Jochum, M. Kaznacheeva, A. Kinast, H. Kluck, H. Kraus, A. Langenkämper, M. Mancuso, L. Marini, L. Meyer, V. Mokina, A. Nilima, M. Olmi, T. Ortmann, C. Pagliarone, L. Pattavina, F. Petricca, W. Potzel, P. Povinec, F. Pröbst, F. Pucci, F. Reindl, J. Rothe, K. Schäffner, J. Schieck, D. Schmiedmayer, S. Schönert, C. Schwertner, M. Stahlberg, L. Stodolsky, C. Strandhagen, R. Strauss, I. Usherov, F. Wagner, M. Willers, V. Zema

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 12, 013 (2023) · published 3 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The CRESST experiment observes an unexplained excess of events at low energies. In the current CRESST-III data-taking campaign we are operating detector modules with different designs to narrow down the possible explanations. In this work, we show first observations of the ongoing measurement, focusing on the comparison of time, energy and temperature dependence of the excess in several detectors. These exclude dark matter, radioactive backgrounds and intrinsic sources related to the crystal bulk as a major contribution.

  16 citations

• DELight: A Direct search Experiment for Light dark matter with superfluid helium

  Belina von Krosigk, Klaus Eitel, Christian Enss, Torben Ferber, Loredana Gastaldo, Felix Kahlhoefer, Sebastian Kempf, Markus Klute, Sebastian Lindemann, Marc Schumann, Francesco Toschi, Kathrin Valerius

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 12, 016 (2023) · published 3 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  To reach ultra-low detection thresholds necessary to probe unprecedentedly low Dark Matter masses, target material alternatives and novel detector designs are essential. One such target material is superfluid $^4$He which has the potential to probe so far uncharted light Dark Matter parameter space at sub-GeV masses. The new "Direct search Experiment for Light dark matter", DELight, will be using superfluid helium as active target, instrumented with magnetic micro-calorimeters. It is being designed to reach sensitivity to masses well below 100 MeV in Dark Matter-nucleus scattering interactions.

  16 citations

• Lattice simulations of non-minimally coupled scalar fields in the Jordan frame

  Daniel G. Figueroa, Adrien Florio, Toby Opferkuch, and Ben A. Stefanek

  SciPost Phys. 15, 077 (2023) · published 4 September 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The presence of scalar fields with non-minimal gravitational interactions of the form $\xi |\phi|^2 R$ may have important implications for the physics of the early universe. We propose a procedure to solve the dynamics of non-minimally coupled scalar fields directly in the Jordan frame, where the non-minimal couplings are maintained explicitly. Our algorithm can be applied to lattice simulations that include minimally coupled fields and an arbitrary number of non-minimally coupled scalars, with the expansion of the universe sourced by all fields present. This includes situations when the dynamics become fully inhomogeneous, fully non-linear (due to e.g. backreaction or mode rescattering effects), and/or when the expansion of the universe is dominated by non-minimally coupled species. As an example, we study geometric preheating with a non-minimally coupled scalar spectator field when the inflaton oscillates following the end of inflation.

  15 citations

• An introduction to axions and their detection

  Igor García Irastorza

  SciPost Phys. Lect. Notes 45 (2022) · published 29 March 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In these notes I try to introduce the reader to the topic of axions: their theoretical motivation and expected phenomenology, their role in astrophysics and as dark matter candidate, and the experimental techniques to detect them. Special emphasis is made in this last point, for which a relatively updated review of worldwide efforts and future prospects is made. The material is intended as an introduction to the topic, and it was prepared as lecture notes for Les Houches summer school 2021. Abundant references are included to direct the reader to deeper insight on the different aspects of axion physics.

  15 citations

• How open is the asteroid-mass primordial black hole window?

  Matthew Gorton, Anne M. Green

  SciPost Phys. 17, 032 (2024) · published 2 August 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Primordial black holes (PBHs) can make up all of the dark matter (DM) if their mass, $m$, is in the so-called "asteroid-mass window", $10^{17} g ≲ m ≲ 10^{22} g$. Observational constraints on the abundance of PBHs are usually calculated assuming they all have the same mass, however this is unlikely to be a good approximation. PBHs formed from the collapse of large density perturbations during radiation domination are expected to have an extended mass function (MF), due to the effects of critical collapse. The PBH MF is often assumed to be lognormal, however it has recently been shown that other functions are a better fit to numerically calculated MFs. We recalculate both current and potential future constraints for these improved fitting functions. We find that for current constraints the asteroid-mass window narrows, but remains open (i.e. all of the DM can be in the form of PBHs) unless the PBH MF is wider than expected. Future evaporation and microlensing constraints may together exclude all of the DM being in PBHs, depending on the width of the PBH MF and also the shape of its low and high mass tails.

  15 citations

• Indirect searches for dark matter bound state formation and level transitions

  Iason Baldes, Francesca Calore, Kalliopi Petraki, Vincent Poireau, Nicholas L. Rodd

  SciPost Phys. 9, 068 (2020) · published 10 November 2020 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Indirect searches for dark matter (DM) have conventionally been applied to the products of DM annihilation or decay. If DM couples to light force carriers, however, it can be captured into bound states via dissipation of energy that may yield detectable signals. We extend the indirect searches to DM bound state formation and transitions between bound levels, and constrain the emission of unstable dark photons. Our results significantly refine the predicted signal flux that could be observed in experiments. As a concrete example, we use Fermi-LAT dwarf spheroidal observations to obtain constraints in terms of the dark photon mass and energy which we use to search for the formation of stable or unstable bound states.

  15 citations

• Neutrinoless double beta decay overview

  Laura Cardani

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 1, 024 (2019) · published 20 February 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay is a hypothesised nuclear process in which two neutrons simultaneously decay into protons with no neutrino emission. The prized observation of this decay would point to the existence of a process that violates a fundamental symmetry of the Standard Model of Particle Physics, and would allow to establish the nature of neutrinos. Today, the lower limits on the half-life of this process exceed 10$^{25}$-10$^{26}$ yr. I will review the current status of the searches for Double Beta Decay and the perspectives to enhance the experimental sensitivity in the next years.

  14 citations