No Arabic abstract
One class of solutions to the strong CP problem relies on generalized parity symmetries. A minimal model of this type, constructed by Babu and Mohapatra and based on a softly broken parity symmetry, has the remarkable property that effective QCD vacuum angle $bartheta$ vanishes up to one-loop order. We compute the leading two-loop contributions to $bartheta$ in this model and estimate subleading contributions. In contrast to previous estimates, we argue that $bar theta$ is not suppressed by the weak scale, and we find contributions of order $10^{-3}$-$10^{-2}$ multiplying unknown mixing angles and phases. Thus the model does not generically address the strong CP problem, but it might be made consistent with $bartheta<10^{-10}$ in some corners of parameter space. For such non-generic parameters, $bartheta$ is still likely to be just below present bounds, and therefore provides the dominant source of hadronic EDMs. We discuss the resulting EDM phenomenology.
Many meson processes are related to the U_A(1) axial anomaly, present in the Feynman graphs where fermion loops connect axial vertices with vector vertices. However, the coupling of pseudoscalar mesons to quarks does not have to be formulated via axial vertices. The pseudoscalar coupling is also possible, and this approach is especially natural on the level of the quark substructure of hadrons. In this paper we point out the advantages of calculating these processes using (instead of the anomalous graphs) the graphs where axial vertices are replaced by pseudoscalar vertices. We elaborate especially the case of the processes related to the Abelian axial anomaly of QED, but we speculate that it seems possible that effects of the non-Abelian axial anomaly of QCD can be accounted for in an analogous way.
We construct a theory in which the solution to the strong CP problem is an emergent property of the background of the dark matter in the Universe. The role of the axion degree of freedom is played by multi-body collective excitations similar to spin-waves in the medium of the dark matter of the Galactic halo. The dark matter is a vector particle whose low energy interactions with the Standard Model take the form of its spin density coupled to $G widetilde{G}$, which induces a potential on the average spin density inducing it to compensate $overline{theta}$, effectively removing CP violation in the strong sector in regions of the Universe with sufficient dark matter density. We discuss the viable parameter space, finding that light dark matter masses within a few orders of magnitude of the fuzzy limit are preferred, and discuss the associated signals with this type of solution to the strong CP problem.
We derive sufficient conditions that guarantee a robust solution of the strong CP problem in theories with spontaneous CP violation, and introduce a class of models satisfying these requirements. In the simplest scenarios the dominant contribution to the topological angle arises at 3-loop order in the Yukawa couplings. A variety of realizations are possible on a warped extra dimension, which can simultaneously address the Planck-TeV hierarchy. Experimental signatures of this approach to the strong CP problem include flavor violation and vector-like partners of the top or bottom quarks.
We present a new solution to the strong CP problem in which the imaginary component of the up quark mass, $mathcal{I}[m_u]$, acquires a tiny, but non-vanishing value. This is achieved via a Dirac seesaw mechanism, which is also responsible for the generation of the small neutrino masses. Consistency with the observed value of the up quark mass is achieved via instanton contributions arising from QCD-like interactions. In this framework, the value of the neutron electric dipole moment is directly related to $mathcal{I}[m_u]$, which, due to its common origin with the neutrino masses, implies that the neutron electric dipole moment is likely to be measured in the next round of experiments. We also present a supersymmetric extension of this Dirac seesaw model to stabilize the hierarchy among the scalar mass scales involved in this new mechanism.
Current upper bounds of the neutron electric dipole moment constrain the physically observable quantum chromodynamic (QCD) vacuum angle $|bartheta| lesssim 10^{-11}$. Since QCD explains vast experimental data from the 100 MeV scale to the TeV scale, it is better to explain this smallness of $|bartheta|$ in the QCD framework, which is the strong CaPa problem. Now, there exist two plausible solutions to this problem, one of which leads to the existence of the very light axion. The axion decay constant window, $10^9 {gev}lesssim F_alesssim 10^{12} gev$ for a ${cal O}(1)$ initial misalignment angle $theta_1$, has been obtained by astrophysical and cosmological data. For $F_agtrsim 10^{12}$ GeV with $theta_1<{cal O}(1)$, axions may constitute a significant fraction of dark matter of the universe. The supersymmetrized axion solution of the strong CaPa problem introduces its superpartner the axino which might have affected the universe evolution significantly. Here, we review the very light axion (theory, supersymmetrization, and models) with the most recent particle, astrophysical and cosmological data, and present prospects for its discovery.