Acoustic misalignment mechanism for axion dark matter
Abstract A rotation in the field space of a complex scalar field corresponds to a Bose-Einstein condensation of U(1) charges. We point out that fluctuations in this rotating condensate exhibit sound-wave modes, which can be excited by cosmic perturbations and identified with axion fluctuations once...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of High Energy Physics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP08(2025)131 |
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| author | Arushi Bodas Raymond T. Co Akshay Ghalsasi Keisuke Harigaya Lian-Tao Wang |
| author_facet | Arushi Bodas Raymond T. Co Akshay Ghalsasi Keisuke Harigaya Lian-Tao Wang |
| author_sort | Arushi Bodas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract A rotation in the field space of a complex scalar field corresponds to a Bose-Einstein condensation of U(1) charges. We point out that fluctuations in this rotating condensate exhibit sound-wave modes, which can be excited by cosmic perturbations and identified with axion fluctuations once the U(1) charge condensate has been sufficiently diluted by cosmic expansion. We consider the possibility that these axion fluctuations constitute dark matter and develop a formalism to compute its abundance. We carefully account for the growth of fluctuations during the epoch where the complex scalar field rotates on the body of the potential and possible nonlinear evolution when the fluctuations become non-relativistic. We find that the resultant dark matter abundance can exceed the conventional and kinetic misalignment contributions if the radial direction of the complex scalar field is sufficiently heavy. The axion dark matter may also be warm enough to leave imprints on structure formation. We discuss the implications of this novel dark matter production mechanism — acoustic misalignment mechanism — for the axion rotation cosmology, including kination domination and baryogenesis from axion rotation, as well as for axion searches. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a1a1dce6badd43dcb90287b69ad471b2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1029-8479 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of High Energy Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-a1a1dce6badd43dcb90287b69ad471b22025-08-24T11:05:10ZengSpringerOpenJournal of High Energy Physics1029-84792025-08-012025814010.1007/JHEP08(2025)131Acoustic misalignment mechanism for axion dark matterArushi Bodas0Raymond T. Co1Akshay Ghalsasi2Keisuke Harigaya3Lian-Tao Wang4Department of Physics, University of ChicagoPhysics Department, Indiana UniversityJefferson Physical Laboratory, Harvard UniversityDepartment of Physics, University of ChicagoDepartment of Physics, University of ChicagoAbstract A rotation in the field space of a complex scalar field corresponds to a Bose-Einstein condensation of U(1) charges. We point out that fluctuations in this rotating condensate exhibit sound-wave modes, which can be excited by cosmic perturbations and identified with axion fluctuations once the U(1) charge condensate has been sufficiently diluted by cosmic expansion. We consider the possibility that these axion fluctuations constitute dark matter and develop a formalism to compute its abundance. We carefully account for the growth of fluctuations during the epoch where the complex scalar field rotates on the body of the potential and possible nonlinear evolution when the fluctuations become non-relativistic. We find that the resultant dark matter abundance can exceed the conventional and kinetic misalignment contributions if the radial direction of the complex scalar field is sufficiently heavy. The axion dark matter may also be warm enough to leave imprints on structure formation. We discuss the implications of this novel dark matter production mechanism — acoustic misalignment mechanism — for the axion rotation cosmology, including kination domination and baryogenesis from axion rotation, as well as for axion searches.https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP08(2025)131Cosmology of Theories BSMEarly Universe Particle PhysicsAxions and ALPsBaryo-and Leptogenesis |
| spellingShingle | Arushi Bodas Raymond T. Co Akshay Ghalsasi Keisuke Harigaya Lian-Tao Wang Acoustic misalignment mechanism for axion dark matter Journal of High Energy Physics Cosmology of Theories BSM Early Universe Particle Physics Axions and ALPs Baryo-and Leptogenesis |
| title | Acoustic misalignment mechanism for axion dark matter |
| title_full | Acoustic misalignment mechanism for axion dark matter |
| title_fullStr | Acoustic misalignment mechanism for axion dark matter |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acoustic misalignment mechanism for axion dark matter |
| title_short | Acoustic misalignment mechanism for axion dark matter |
| title_sort | acoustic misalignment mechanism for axion dark matter |
| topic | Cosmology of Theories BSM Early Universe Particle Physics Axions and ALPs Baryo-and Leptogenesis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP08(2025)131 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT arushibodas acousticmisalignmentmechanismforaxiondarkmatter AT raymondtco acousticmisalignmentmechanismforaxiondarkmatter AT akshayghalsasi acousticmisalignmentmechanismforaxiondarkmatter AT keisukeharigaya acousticmisalignmentmechanismforaxiondarkmatter AT liantaowang acousticmisalignmentmechanismforaxiondarkmatter |