QCD contributions to the thermal history of the early Universe

We discuss the deviations from the ideal relativistic thermal bath. These deviations are dominated from quantum chromodynamic (QCD) corrections in the most part of the parameter space of the Standard Model (SM) and the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). These effects are relevant for astrophysical precision measurements and dynamics of scalar tensor theories (SST).Comment: To appear in the AIP proceedings of "Quark Confinement and Hadron Spectrum IX" (QCHSIX), Madrid 30th August-3rd September 2010. 3 page

Whitepaper on Super-weakly Interacting Massive Particles for Snowmass 2013

Super-weakly interacting massive particles produced in the late decays of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are generic in large regions of supersymmetric parameter space and other frameworks for physics beyond the standard model. If their masses are similar to that of the decaying WIMP, then they could naturally account for all of the cosmological dark matter abundance. Their astrophysical consequences and collider signatures are distinct and different from WIMP candidates. In particular, they could modify Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, distort the Cosmic Microwave Background, reduce galactic substructure and lower central densities of low-mass galaxies.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, white paper for Snowmass 201

R^2 Dark Matter

There is a non-trivial four-derivative extension of the gravitational spectrum that is free of ghosts and phenomenologically viable. It is the so called $R^2$-gravity since it is defined by the only addition of a term proportional to the square of the scalar curvature. Just the presence of this term does not improve the ultraviolet behaviour of Einstein gravity but introduces one additional scalar degree of freedom that can account for the dark matter of our Universe.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, to appear in the Proceedings of the sixth International Workshop on the Dark Side of the Universe (DSU2010) Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico 1-6 June 201

New torsion black hole solutions in Poincar\'e gauge theory

We derive a new exact static and spherically symmetric vacuum solution in the framework of the Poincar\'e gauge field theory with dynamical massless torsion. This theory is built in such a form that allows to recover General Relativity when the first Bianchi identity of the model is fulfilled by the total curvature. The solution shows a Reissner-Nordstr\"om type geometry with a Coulomb-like curvature provided by the torsion field. It is also shown the existence of a generalized Reissner-Nordstr\"om-de Sitter solution when additional electromagnetic fields and/or a cosmological constant are coupled to gravity.Comment: 14 pages, 0 figures, minor changes, references adde

QCD Effects in Cosmology

The cosmological evolution in the radiation dominated regimen is usually computed by assuming an ideal relativistic thermal bath. In this note, we discuss the deviation from the non-interaction assumption. In either the standard model (SM) and the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM), the main contribution comes from the strong interaction. An understanding of these effects are important for precision measurements and for the evolution of scalar modes, where the commented corrections constitute the main source of the dynamics.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Contributed to CIPANP 2009: Tenth Conference on the Intersections of Particle and Nuclear Physics, May 26-31, 2009, San Diego, Californi

Extended Reissner-Nordstr\"om solutions sourced by dynamical torsion

We find a new exact vacuum solution in the framework of the Poincar\'e Gauge field theory with massive torsion. In this model, torsion operates as an independent field and introduces corrections to the vacuum structure present in General Relativity. The new static and spherically symmetric configuration shows a Reissner-Nordstr\"om-like geometry characterized by a spin charge. It extends the known massless torsion solution to the massive case. The corresponding Reissner-Nordstr\"om-de Sitter solution is also compatible with a cosmological constant and additional U(1) gauge fields.Comment: 12 pages, 0 figures, minor changes, references adde

Einstein-Yang-Mills-Lorentz black holes

Different black hole solutions of the coupled Einstein-Yang-Mills equations have been well known for a long time. They have attracted much attention from mathematicians and physicists since their discovery. In this work, we analyze black holes associated with the gauge Lorentz group. In particular, we study solutions which identify the gauge connection with the spin connection. This ansatz allows one to find exact solutions to the complete system of equations. By using this procedure, we show the equivalence between the Yang-Mills-Lorentz model in curved space-time and a particular set of extended gravitational theories.Comment: 10 pages, 0 figures, minor changes, references added. It matches the version published in Eur. Phys. J.

Correspondence between Einstein-Yang-Mills-Lorentz systems and dynamical torsion models

In the framework of Einstein-Yang-Mills theories, we study the gauge Lorentz group and establish a particular correspondence between this case and a certain class of theories with torsion within Riemann-Cartan space-times. This relation is specially useful in order to simplify the problem of finding exact solutions to the Einstein-Yang-Mills equations. The applicability of the method is divided into two approaches: one associated with the Lorentz group SO(1,n-1) of the space-time rotations and another one with its subgroup SO(n-2). Solutions for both cases are presented by the explicit use of this correspondence and, interestingly, for the last one by imposing on our ansatz the same kind of rotation and reflection symmetry properties as for a nonvanishing space-time torsion. Although these solutions were found in previous literature by a different approach, our method provides an alternative way to obtain them and it may be used in future research to find other exact solutions within this theory.Comment: 10 pages, 0 figures, minor changes, references added. It matches the version published in Phys. Rev.

Dark Matter and Higgs Sector

The inert doublet model is an extension of the Standard Model of Elementary Particles that is defined by the only addition of a second Higgs doublet without couplings to quarks or leptons. This minimal framework has been studied for many reasons. In particular, it has been suggested that the new degrees of freedom contained in this doublet can account for the Dark Matter of the Universe.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures,To appear in the Proceedings of the sixth International Workshop on the Dark Side of the Universe (DSU2010) Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico 1-6 June 201