QCD axion strings or seeds?
We study the impact of QCD axion strings on 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...
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2025-01-01
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| Series: | SciPost Physics |
| Online Access: | https://scipost.org/SciPostPhys.18.1.016 |
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| author | Simone Blasi, Alberto Mariotti |
| author_facet | Simone Blasi, Alberto Mariotti |
| author_sort | Simone Blasi, Alberto Mariotti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We study the impact of QCD axion strings on 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-26ebb2ec6e8849f2a97eed14633b936c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2542-4653 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | SciPost |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SciPost Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-26ebb2ec6e8849f2a97eed14633b936c2025-01-15T12:12:42ZengSciPostSciPost Physics2542-46532025-01-0118101610.21468/SciPostPhys.18.1.016QCD axion strings or seeds?Simone Blasi, Alberto MariottiWe study the impact of QCD axion strings on 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.https://scipost.org/SciPostPhys.18.1.016 |
| spellingShingle | Simone Blasi, Alberto Mariotti QCD axion strings or seeds? SciPost Physics |
| title | QCD axion strings or seeds? |
| title_full | QCD axion strings or seeds? |
| title_fullStr | QCD axion strings or seeds? |
| title_full_unstemmed | QCD axion strings or seeds? |
| title_short | QCD axion strings or seeds? |
| title_sort | qcd axion strings or seeds |
| url | https://scipost.org/SciPostPhys.18.1.016 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT simoneblasialbertomariotti qcdaxionstringsorseeds |