Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hao, Yongliang, Chen, Zhenwei
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.05447
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866909809938268160
author Hao, Yongliang
Chen, Zhenwei
author_facet Hao, Yongliang
Chen, Zhenwei
contents We focus on a novel baryon-number ($\mathcal{B}$) violating process within neutron stars, where two neutrons convert into two dark photons ($nn \rightarrow VV$) via new Higgs-like scalar bosons. This process is believed to be greatly suppressed at low energies but could be highly amplified in a dense neutron environment like neutron stars. The $nn \rightarrow VV$ process could give rise to non-trivial effects that are distinct from similar processes in previous studies and could alter the properties of neutron stars, such as orbital periods, collapse thresholds, stability conditions, cooling rates, gravitational wave emissions, etc. The emitted dark photons may serve as dark-matter candidates and exhibit special red-shifted energy spectra mainly linked to the compactness of the neutron star. We point out that the dark photons emitted from neutron stars may yield detectable signals in future experiments. We also show that the precision pulsar-timing data provides a powerful tool to constrain the parameter space of new-physics models. The study of the $nn \rightarrow VV$ process, which combines astronomical observations and particle physics models together, may open new windows into the detection of the $\mathcal{B}$-violating effects and may also provide new insights on the study of dark matter.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_05447
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Dark photons from dineutron decays in neutron stars
Hao, Yongliang
Chen, Zhenwei
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
We focus on a novel baryon-number ($\mathcal{B}$) violating process within neutron stars, where two neutrons convert into two dark photons ($nn \rightarrow VV$) via new Higgs-like scalar bosons. This process is believed to be greatly suppressed at low energies but could be highly amplified in a dense neutron environment like neutron stars. The $nn \rightarrow VV$ process could give rise to non-trivial effects that are distinct from similar processes in previous studies and could alter the properties of neutron stars, such as orbital periods, collapse thresholds, stability conditions, cooling rates, gravitational wave emissions, etc. The emitted dark photons may serve as dark-matter candidates and exhibit special red-shifted energy spectra mainly linked to the compactness of the neutron star. We point out that the dark photons emitted from neutron stars may yield detectable signals in future experiments. We also show that the precision pulsar-timing data provides a powerful tool to constrain the parameter space of new-physics models. The study of the $nn \rightarrow VV$ process, which combines astronomical observations and particle physics models together, may open new windows into the detection of the $\mathcal{B}$-violating effects and may also provide new insights on the study of dark matter.
title Dark photons from dineutron decays in neutron stars
topic High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.05447