English

Distinguishing axions from generic light scalars using EDM and fifth-force experiments

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology 2014-09-19 v2 High Energy Physics - Experiment Nuclear Experiment

Abstract

We derive electric dipole moment (EDM) constraints on possible new macroscopic time reversal and parity violating (TVPV) spin-dependent forces. These constraints are compared to those derived from direct searches in fifth-force experiments and from combining laboratory searches with astrophysical bounds on stellar energy loss. For axion-mediated TVPV spin-dependent forces, EDM constraints dominate over fifth-force limits by several orders of magnitude. However, we show that for a generic light scalar, unrelated to the strong CP problem, present bounds from direct fifth- force searches are more stringent than those inferred from EDM limits, for the interaction ranges explored by fifth-force experiments. Thus, correlating observations in EDM and fifth-force experiments could help distinguish axions from more generic light scalar scenarios.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1401.7339,
  title  = {Distinguishing axions from generic light scalars using EDM and fifth-force experiments},
  author = {Sonny Mantry and Mario Pitschmann and Michael J. Ramsey-Musolf},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1401.7339},
  year   = {2014}
}

Comments

28 pages, 5 figures, references added, presentation clarified in some places

R2 v1 2026-06-22T02:56:40.131Z