Improved cosmological limits on $Z^\prime$ models with light right-handed neutrinos

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Herbermann, Tim, Lindner, Manfred
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Herbermann, Tim
Lindner, Manfred
author_facet Herbermann, Tim
Lindner, Manfred
contents We improve limits on $Z^\prime$ extensions of the Standard Model (SM) with light right-handed neutrinos. The presence of shared gauge interactions between the light right-handed neutrinos and other SM fermions allows for production of $ν_R$ in the early Universe and we use the excess in the effective number of neutrino species $ΔN_\text{eff}$ to place limits. Our benchmark model is a minimal gauged $U(1)_{B-L}$ that often arises as a building block in other models, and we discuss applicability to more general $U(1)$ extensions. We devise an improved Monte Carlo integration scheme convenient for implementation of generic integrated Boltzmann equations with minimal simplifying assumptions. We sketch our numerical implementation in detail for future reference. Using the new ACT DR6 limit $ΔN_\text{eff}<0.17$, we improve constraints on the gauge coupling for $1\mathrm{\,GeV} < m_{Z^\prime} < 100\mathrm{\,TeV}$ by orders of magnitude and find the strongest limits thus far, surpassing even current and future colliders, and explore the potential of future CMB experiments to test $U(1)$ extensions up to the GUT scale. We perform a detailed analysis of the robustness of cosmological limits within standard and non-standard thermal histories and find that a strong first order phase transition, early dark energy or early matter domination could dilute $ν_R$ abundances beyond detection. We investigate the effect of reheating on $ν_R$-genesis and provide results and prescriptions to apply our bounds to non-standard thermal histories. Limits are generically weakened for reheating $T_\text{reh}\ll m_{Z^\prime}$. Our results suggest that projected limits on $Z^\prime$ with Dirac neutrinos can only be accommodated for in non-standard thermal histories, thus limiting the options to include dark matter candidates or Dirac leptogenesis.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_04695
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Improved cosmological limits on $Z^\prime$ models with light right-handed neutrinos
Herbermann, Tim
Lindner, Manfred
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
We improve limits on $Z^\prime$ extensions of the Standard Model (SM) with light right-handed neutrinos. The presence of shared gauge interactions between the light right-handed neutrinos and other SM fermions allows for production of $ν_R$ in the early Universe and we use the excess in the effective number of neutrino species $ΔN_\text{eff}$ to place limits. Our benchmark model is a minimal gauged $U(1)_{B-L}$ that often arises as a building block in other models, and we discuss applicability to more general $U(1)$ extensions. We devise an improved Monte Carlo integration scheme convenient for implementation of generic integrated Boltzmann equations with minimal simplifying assumptions. We sketch our numerical implementation in detail for future reference. Using the new ACT DR6 limit $ΔN_\text{eff}<0.17$, we improve constraints on the gauge coupling for $1\mathrm{\,GeV} < m_{Z^\prime} < 100\mathrm{\,TeV}$ by orders of magnitude and find the strongest limits thus far, surpassing even current and future colliders, and explore the potential of future CMB experiments to test $U(1)$ extensions up to the GUT scale. We perform a detailed analysis of the robustness of cosmological limits within standard and non-standard thermal histories and find that a strong first order phase transition, early dark energy or early matter domination could dilute $ν_R$ abundances beyond detection. We investigate the effect of reheating on $ν_R$-genesis and provide results and prescriptions to apply our bounds to non-standard thermal histories. Limits are generically weakened for reheating $T_\text{reh}\ll m_{Z^\prime}$. Our results suggest that projected limits on $Z^\prime$ with Dirac neutrinos can only be accommodated for in non-standard thermal histories, thus limiting the options to include dark matter candidates or Dirac leptogenesis.
title Improved cosmological limits on $Z^\prime$ models with light right-handed neutrinos
topic High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.04695