Peccei-Quinn Inflation at the Pole and Axion Kinetic Misalignment
| Title: | Peccei-Quinn Inflation at the Pole and Axion Kinetic Misalignment |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Lee, Hyun Min, Menkara, Adriana G., Seong, Myeong-Jung, Song, Jun-Ho |
| Publication Year: | 2023 |
| Collection: | High Energy Physics - Phenomenology High Energy Physics - Theory |
| Subject Terms: | High Energy Physics - Phenomenology, High Energy Physics - Theory |
| More Details: | We propose a minimal extension of the Standard Model with the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) scalar field and explain the relic density of the QCD axion through the kinetic misalignment with a relatively small axion decay constant. To this purpose, we consider a slow-roll inflation from the radial component of the PQ field with the PQ conserving potential near the pole of its kinetic term and investigate the post-inflationary dynamics of the PQ field for reheating. The angular mode of the PQ field, identified with the QCD axion, receives a nonzero velocity during inflation due to the PQ violating potential, evolving with an approximately conserved Noether PQ charge. We determine the reheating temperature from the perturbative decays and scattering processes of the inflaton and obtain dark radiation from the axions produced from the inflaton scattering at a testable level in the future Cosmic Microwave Background experiments. We show the correlation between the reheating temperature, the initial velocity of the axion and the axion decay constant, realizing the axion kinetic misalignment for the correct relic density. Comment: 28 pages, 3 figures, v2: improved discussion on the evolution of the axion velocity with a changing equation of state of the inflaton. Version to be published in JHEP |
| Document Type: | Working Paper |
| Access URL: | http://arxiv.org/abs/2310.17710 |
| Accession Number: | edsarx.2310.17710 |
| Database: | arXiv |
| Description not available. |