Related papers: Quintessential Axions
I describe how the QCD vacuum structure, necessary to resolve the $U(1)_A$ problem, predicts the presence of a P, T and CP violating term proportional to the vacuum angle $\bar{\theta}$. To agree with experimental bounds, however, this…
Axions arise in many theoretical extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics, in particular the "string axiverse". If the axion masses, $m_a$, and (effective) decay constants, $f_a$, lie in specific ranges, then axions contribute…
A slow-rolling scalar field ($Q\equiv$ Quintessence) with potential energy $V_Q\sim (3\times 10^{-3} {\rm eV})^4$ has been proposed as the origin of accelerating universe at present. We investigate the effective potential of $Q$ in the…
It is shown that the antiscalar approach to dark energy, whereby the energy-momentum tensor of the scalar field has the sign opposite to that of the rest of the matter, follows from the considerations of thermodynamic stability, as well as…
We consider the low energy realization of QCD in terms of meson fields when an axial chemical potential is present; a situation that may be relevant in heavy ion collisions. We shall demonstrate that the presence of an axial charge…
We address the fine-tuning problem of dark energy cosmologies which arises when the dark energy density needs to initially lie in a narrow range in order for its present value to be consistent with observations. As recently noticed, this…
We implement the scenario of early relaxation of the axion via a high scale confinement within $SU(5)$ grand unified theory and study an epoch of strong QCD in inflationary cosmology. We consider scenarios in which, during inflation, the…
Axions and other pseudoscalar fields comprise an interesting class of ultralight dark matter candidates, that may independently play a role in solving the strong $CP$ problem. In the presence of $CP$-violating sources, these pseudoscalar…
We revisit the status of scalar-tensor theories with applications to dark energy in the aftermath of the gravitational wave signal GW170817 and its optical counterpart GRB170817A. At the level of the cosmological background, we identify a…
We investigate the possibility of a dark energy universe emerging from an action with higher-order string loop corrections to Einstein gravity in the presence of a massless dilaton. These curvature corrections (up to $R^4$ order) are…
Supersymmetric (SUSY) models and dynamical breaking of symmetries have been used to explain hierarchies of mass scales. We find that a chiral representation, $\overline{\bf 10}\, \oplus\, \overline{\bf 5}\, \oplus\, 2\cdot{\bf 5}$ in SUSY…
We study cosmic strings in the complex symmetron model, a scalar-tensor theory with a spontaneously broken local $U(1)$ symmetry in low matter density regions. Using numerical simulations, we show that these strings preferentially attach to…
We modify the symmetric-teleparallel dark energy through the addition of a further Yukawa-like term, in which the non-metricity scalar, $Q$, is non-minimally coupled to a scalar field Lagrangian where the phion acts as quintessence,…
Dark energy can be characterized by a canonical scalar field, known as quintessence. Quintessence allows for a dynamical equation of state $-1 \le \omega \le -\frac{1}{3}$. A previous study by Oikonomou and Chatzarakis have shown that a…
The energy density of the universe today may be dominated by the vacuum energy of a slowly rolling scalar field. Making a quantum expansion around such a time dependent solution is found to break fundamental symmetries of quantum field…
We point out that pseudomoduli -- tree-level flat directions that often accompany dynamical supersymmetry breaking -- can be natural candidates for TeV-scale dark matter in models of gauge mediation. The idea is general and can be applied…
The axion solution of the strong CP problem is reviewed together with the other strong CP solutions. We also point out the quintessential axion(quintaxion) whose potential can be extremely flat due to the tiny ratio of the hidden sector…
The serious cosmological problems created by the axion-string/axion-domain-wall system in standard axion models are alleviated by positing the existence of a new confining force. The instantons of this force can generate an axion potential…
Present laboratory limits on the coupling strength of anomalous pseudoscalar and axial interactions are many orders of magnitude weaker than their scalar and vector analogs. Here we investigate two mechanisms which can circumvent this…
The discovery of cosmic acceleration motivated extensive studies of dynamical dark energy and modified gravity models. Of particular interest are the scalar-tensor theories, with a scalar field dark energy non-minimally coupled to matter.…