Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Longevity of supersymmetric flat directions
AU - Allahverdi, Rouzbeh
AU - Mazumdar, Anupam
N1 - 9 revtex pages, v3: expanded discussion on two flat directions, minor modifications, conclusions unchanged
PY - 2006/8/31
Y1 - 2006/8/31
N2 - We examine the fate of supersymmetric flat directions. We argue that the non-perturbative decay of the flat direction via preheating is an unlikely event. In order to address this issue, first we identify the physical degrees of freedom and their masses in presence of a large flat direction VEV (Vacuum Expectation Value). We explicitly show that the (complex) flat direction and its fermionic partner are the only light {\it physical} fields in the spectrum. If the flat direction VEV is much larger than the weak scale, and it has a rotational motion, there will be no resonant particle production at all. The case of multiple flat directions is more involved. We illustrate that in many cases of physical interest, the situation becomes effectively the same as that of a single flat direction, or collection of independent single directions. In such cases preheating is not relevant. In an absence of a fast non-perturbative decay, the flat direction survives long enough to affect thermalization in supersymmetric models as described in hep-ph/0505050 and hep-ph/0512227. It can also ``terminate'' an early stage of non-perturbative inflaton decay as discussed in hep-ph/0603244.
AB - We examine the fate of supersymmetric flat directions. We argue that the non-perturbative decay of the flat direction via preheating is an unlikely event. In order to address this issue, first we identify the physical degrees of freedom and their masses in presence of a large flat direction VEV (Vacuum Expectation Value). We explicitly show that the (complex) flat direction and its fermionic partner are the only light {\it physical} fields in the spectrum. If the flat direction VEV is much larger than the weak scale, and it has a rotational motion, there will be no resonant particle production at all. The case of multiple flat directions is more involved. We illustrate that in many cases of physical interest, the situation becomes effectively the same as that of a single flat direction, or collection of independent single directions. In such cases preheating is not relevant. In an absence of a fast non-perturbative decay, the flat direction survives long enough to affect thermalization in supersymmetric models as described in hep-ph/0505050 and hep-ph/0512227. It can also ``terminate'' an early stage of non-perturbative inflaton decay as discussed in hep-ph/0603244.
KW - cosmology of theories beyond the SM
KW - physics of the early universe
U2 - 10.1088/1475-7516/2007/08/023
DO - 10.1088/1475-7516/2007/08/023
M3 - Journal article
VL - 2007
JO - Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
JF - Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
SN - 1475-7516
IS - 8
M1 - 23
ER -