Dark Matter and Dark Energy from a single scalar field and CMB data

Axions are likely to be the Dark Matter (DM) that cosmological data require. They arise in the Peccei Quinn solution of the strong CP problem. In a previous work we showed that their model has a simple and natural generalization which yields also Dark Energy (DE), in fair proportions, without tuning any parameter: DM and DE arise from a single scalar field and are weakly coupled in the present era. In this paper we extend the analysis of this dual-axion cosmology and fit it to WMAP data, by using a Markov chain technique. We find that LCDM, dynamical DE with a SUGRA potential, DE with a SUGRA potential and a constant DE-DM coupling, as well as the dual-axion model with a SUGRA potential, fit data with a similar accuracy. The best-fit parameters are however fairly different, although consistency is mostly recovered at the 2-sigma level. A peculiarity of the dual-axion model with SUGRA potential is to cause more stringent constraints on most parameters and to favor high values of the Hubble parameter.Comment: 34 pages, 15 figures, replaced with accepted versio

Dark Matter & Dark Energy from a single scalar field: CMB spectrum and matter transfer function

The dual axion model (DAM), yielding bot DM and DE form a PQ-like scalar field solving the strong CP problem, is known to allow a fair fit of CMB data. Recently, however, it was shown that its transfer function exhibits significant anomalies, causing difficulties to fit deep galaxy sample data. Here we show how DAM can be modified to agree with the latter data set. The modification follows the pattern suggested to reconcile any PQ-like approach with gravity. Modified DAM allows precise predictions which can be testable against future CMB and/or deep sample data.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in JCA

Perturbative QCD Forbidden Charmonium Decays and Gluonia

We address the problem of observed charmonium decays which should be forbidden in perturbative QCD. We examine the model in which these decays proceed through a gluonic component of the $J/\Psi$ and the $\eta_c$, arising from a mixing of $(c\bar c)$ and glueball states. We give some bounds on the values of the mixing angles and propose the study of the $p \bar{p} \to \phi \phi$ reaction, at $\sqrt{s} \simeq 3$ GeV, as an independent test of the model.Comment: 8pages, lateX, DFTT 64-9

Axion Emission by Magnetic-Field Induced Conversion of Longitudinal Plasmons

Magnetic fields mix axions with photons, allowing for the cyclotron process e -> e + a by virtue of an intermediate plasmon even if axions do not couple to electrons at tree level. The axion and longitudinal-plasmon dispersion relations always cross for a certain wave number, leading to a resonant enhancement of this process. Even then, however, it cannot quite compete with the usual nucleon processes in a supernova core. The well-known axion window 10^{-5} eV < m_a < 10^{-2} eV remains open and axions may still constitute the cosmic dark matter.Comment: 5 pages, REVTEX, 3 eps figs include