Lee-Wick Theories at High Temperature

TL;DR

This paper investigates the high-temperature behavior of Lee-Wick resonances in an extended standard model, revealing their negative contributions to energy density and pressure, and their impact on the equation of state at extreme temperatures.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of Lee-Wick resonances at high temperatures, showing their unique thermodynamic effects and how they influence the equation of state.

Findings

Lee-Wick resonances contribute negatively to energy density and pressure.

At high temperatures, their contributions cancel with ordinary particles.

The equation of state approaches w=1 from below as temperature increases.

Abstract

An extension of the standard model, the Lee-Wick standard model, based on ideas of Lee and Wick was recently introduced. It does not contain quadratic divergences in the Higgs mass and hence solves the hierarchy puzzle. The Lee-Wick standard model contains new heavy Lee-Wick resonances at the TeV scale that decay to ordinary particles. In this paper we examine the behavior of Lee-Wick resonances at high temperature. We argue that they contribute negatively to the energy density rho and pressure p and at temperatures much greater than their mass M their O(T^4) contributions to rho and p cancel against those of the ordinary (light) particles. The remaining O(M^2*T^2) contributions are positive and result in an equation of state that approaches w=1 from below as T goes to infinity.