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QCD Axion Strings or Seeds?

by Simone Blasi, Alberto Mariotti

Submission summary

Authors (as registered SciPost users): Simone Blasi
Submission information
Preprint Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.08060v2  (pdf)
Date accepted: 2024-11-26
Date submitted: 2024-10-21 09:57
Submitted by: Blasi, Simone
Submitted to: SciPost Physics
Ontological classification
Academic field: Physics
Specialties:
  • Gravitation, Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
  • High-Energy Physics - Theory
  • High-Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Approaches: Theoretical, Phenomenological

Abstract

We study the impact of QCD axion strings in the cosmological history of electroweak (EW) symmetry breaking, focussing on the minimal KSVZ axion model. We consider the case of the pure SM Higgs potential as well as a simple scenario with a first order EW phase transition. We capture the effect of the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) sector within an effective-theory approach for the Higgs field, where the axion string core and the heavy PQ states are integrated out. The relevant parameters in this effective theory are controlled by the size of the portal coupling between the Higgs and the PQ scalar, and the mass of the PQ radial excitation. We determine the range of portal couplings for which the axion strings can strongly affect the dynamics of EW symmetry breaking. In the case of a first order EW phase transition, the strings can act as seeds by either catalyzing the nucleation of (non-spherical) bubbles, or leading to the completion of the phase transition by triggering a classical instability.

Author indications on fulfilling journal expectations

  • Provide a novel and synergetic link between different research areas.
  • Open a new pathway in an existing or a new research direction, with clear potential for multi-pronged follow-up work
  • Detail a groundbreaking theoretical/experimental/computational discovery
  • Present a breakthrough on a previously-identified and long-standing research stumbling block

List of changes

- Added footnote 4 on the naturalness of the PQ-Higgs portal
- Expanded discussion on the phenomenological implications of the Higgs condensate inside the string (end of section 4)
- Comment added on the possible modifications for the DFSZ model (section 6)
- Comment added on the connection between the PQ-Higgs portal and the metastability of the SM vacuum (section 6)

Current status:
Accepted in target Journal

Editorial decision: For Journal SciPost Physics: Publish
(status: Editorial decision fixed and (if required) accepted by authors)


Reports on this Submission

Report #2 by Anonymous (Referee 1) on 2024-11-20 (Invited Report)

Report

The authors have responded constructively to the comments. The work is ready for publication.

Recommendation

Publish (surpasses expectations and criteria for this Journal; among top 10%)

  • validity: -
  • significance: -
  • originality: -
  • clarity: -
  • formatting: -
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Report #1 by Anonymous (Referee 2) on 2024-10-24 (Invited Report)

Report

The Authors have answered to the comments and I recommend the publication of the article.

Recommendation

Publish (easily meets expectations and criteria for this Journal; among top 50%)

  • validity: -
  • significance: -
  • originality: -
  • clarity: -
  • formatting: -
  • grammar: -

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