Dark Matter Interpretation of the Neutron Decay Anomaly
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
2018-05-10 v3 Nuclear Experiment
Nuclear Theory
Abstract
There is a long-standing discrepancy between the neutron lifetime measured in beam and bottle experiments. We propose to explain this anomaly by a dark decay channel for the neutron, involving one or more dark sector particles in the final state. If any of these particles are stable, they can be the dark matter. We construct representative particle physics models consistent with all experimental constraints.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1801.01124,
title = {Dark Matter Interpretation of the Neutron Decay Anomaly},
author = {Bartosz Fornal and Benjamin Grinstein},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1801.01124},
year = {2018}
}
Comments
5 pages, 2 figures; v2: references added, further nuclear physics experimental signatures proposed; v3: published PRL version with an extended section on $n \rightarrow \chi \ e^+ e^-$ and some inline equations highlighted for visibility