Multi-messenger constraints on Abelian-Higgs cosmic string networks

Nielsen-Olesen vortices in the Abelian-Higgs (AH) model are the simplest realisations of cosmic strings in a gauge field theory. Large-scale numerical solutions show that the dominant decay channel of a network of AH strings produced from random initial conditions is classical field radiation. However, they also show that with special initial conditions, loops of string can be created for which classical field radiation is suppressed, and which behave like Nambu-Goto (NG) strings with a dominant decay channel into gravitational radiation. This indicates that cosmic strings are generically sources of both high-energy particles and gravitational waves. Here we adopt a simple parametrisation of the AH string network allowing for both particle and gravitational wave production. With a reference to a specific model for NG-like loop distribution, this sets the basis for a ``multi-messenger'' investigation of this model. We find that, in order to explain the NANOGrav detection of a possible gravitational wave background, while satisfying the constraint on NG-like loop production from simulations and bounds from the cosmic microwave background, the tension of the AH string in Planck units $G\mu$ and the fraction of the NG-like loops $f_{\rm NG}$ should satisfy $G\mu f_{\rm NG}^{2.6} \gtrsim 3.2\times 10^{-13}$ at 95$\%$ confidence. On the other hand, for such string tensions, constraints from the diffuse gamma-ray background (DGRB) indicate that more than 97$\%$ of the total network energy should be converted to dark matter (DM) or dark radiation. We also consider joint constraints on the annihilation cross-section, the mass, and the relic abundance of DM produced by decays of strings. For example, for a DM mass of 500 GeV, the observed relic abundance can be explained by decaying AH strings that also account for the NANOGrav signal.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures; v3: references are added, assumptions are clarifie

Effective treatment of U(1) gauge field and charged particles in axion inflation

The axionic inflaton with the Chern-Simons coupling may generate U(1) gauge fields and charged particles simultaneously. In order to incorporate the backreaction from the charged particles on the gauge fields, we develop a procedure to obtain an equilibrium solution for the gauge fields by treating the induced current as effective electric and magnetic conductivities. Introducing mean field approximation, and numerically solving self-consistency equations, we find that the gauge field amplitudes are drastically suppressed. Interestingly, as the production becomes more efficient, the charged particles gain a larger part of the transferred energy from the inflaton and eventually dominate it. Our formalism offers a basis to connect this class of inflationary models to a rich phenomenology such as baryogenesis and magnetogenesis.Comment: 28 pages, 7 figure

First Results of Axion Dark Matter Search with DANCE

Axions are one of the well-motivated candidates for dark matter, originally proposed to solve the strong CP problem in particle physics. Dark matter Axion search with riNg Cavity Experiment (DANCE) is a new experimental project to broadly search for axion dark matter in the mass range of $10^{-17}~\mathrm{eV} < m_a < 10^{-11}~\mathrm{eV}$. We aim to detect the rotational oscillation of linearly polarized light caused by the axion-photon coupling with a bow-tie cavity. The first results of the prototype experiment, DANCE Act-1, are reported from a 24-hour observation. We found no evidence for axions and set 95% confidence level upper limit on the axion-photon coupling $g_{a \gamma} \lesssim 8 \times 10^{-4}~\mathrm{GeV^{-1}}$ in $10^{-14}~\mathrm{eV} < m_a < 10^{-13}~\mathrm{eV}$. Although the bound did not exceed the current best limits, this optical cavity experiment is the first demonstration of polarization-based axion dark matter search without any external magnetic field.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Search for eccentric black hole coalescences during the third observing run of LIGO and Virgo

Despite the growing number of confident binary black hole coalescences observed through gravitational waves so far, the astrophysical origin of these binaries remains uncertain. Orbital eccentricity is one of the clearest tracers of binary formation channels. Identifying binary eccentricity, however, remains challenging due to the limited availability of gravitational waveforms that include effects of eccentricity. Here, we present observational results for a waveform-independent search sensitive to eccentric black hole coalescences, covering the third observing run (O3) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors. We identified no new high-significance candidates beyond those that were already identified with searches focusing on quasi-circular binaries. We determine the sensitivity of our search to high-mass (total mass M&gt;70 M⊙) binaries covering eccentricities up to 0.3 at 15 Hz orbital frequency, and use this to compare model predictions to search results. Assuming all detections are indeed quasi-circular, for our fiducial population model, we place an upper limit for the merger rate density of high-mass binaries with eccentricities 0&lt;e≤0.3 at 0.33 Gpc−3 yr−1 at 90\% confidence level

Ultralight vector dark matter search using data from the KAGRA O3GK run

Among the various candidates for dark matter (DM), ultralight vector DM can be probed by laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors through the measurement of oscillating length changes in the arm cavities. In this context, KAGRA has a unique feature due to differing compositions of its mirrors, enhancing the signal of vector DM in the length change in the auxiliary channels. Here we present the result of a search for U(1)B−L gauge boson DM using the KAGRA data from auxiliary length channels during the first joint observation run together with GEO600. By applying our search pipeline, which takes into account the stochastic nature of ultralight DM, upper bounds on the coupling strength between the U(1)B−L gauge boson and ordinary matter are obtained for a range of DM masses. While our constraints are less stringent than those derived from previous experiments, this study demonstrates the applicability of our method to the lower-mass vector DM search, which is made difficult in this measurement by the short observation time compared to the auto-correlation time scale of DM

Stochastic effects on observation of ultralight bosonic dark matter

Ultralight bosonic particles are fascinating candidates of dark matter (DM). It behaves as classical waves in our Galaxy due to its large number density. There have been various methods proposed to search for the wave-like DM, such as methods utilizing interferometric gravitational-wave detectors. Understanding the characteristics of DM signals is crucial to extract the properties of DM from data. While the DM signal is nearly monochromatic with the angular frequency of its mass, the amplitude and phase are gradually changing due to the velocity dispersion of DMs in our Galaxy halo. The stochastic amplitude and phase should be properly taken into account to accurately constrain the coupling constant of DM from data. Previous works formulated a method to obtain the upper bound on the coupling constant incorporating the stochastic effects. One of these works compared the upper bound with and without the stochastic effect in a measurement time that is much shorter than the variation time scale of the amplitude and phase. In this paper, we extend their formulation to arbitrary measurement time and evaluate the stochastic effects. Moreover, we investigate the velocity-dependent signal for dark photon DM including an uncertainly of the velocity. We demonstrate that our method accurately estimates the upper bound on the coupling constant with numerical simulations. We also estimate the expected upper bound of the coupling constant of axion DM and dark photon DM from future experiments in a semi-analytic way. The stochasticity especially affects constraints on a small mass region. Our formulation offers a generic treatment of the ultralight bosonic DM signal with the stochastic effect.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figure