Axions in Gauge Mediation

TL;DR

This paper explores the role of axions in gauge mediated supersymmetric models, analyzing their cosmological implications and constraints on related particle properties for dark matter viability.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of axion properties and cosmological constraints within gauge mediation frameworks, highlighting their potential as dark matter candidates.

Findings

Gravitino mass constrained to be above 10 MeV

Axion decay constant limited to below 10^{13} GeV

Axinos are generally heavy and cosmologically insignificant

Abstract

In supersymmetric theories, the presence of axions usually implies the existence of a non-compact, (pseudo)moduli space. In gauge mediated models, the axion would seem a particularly promising dark matter candidate. The cosmology of the moduli then constrains the gravitino mass and the axion decay constant; the former can't be much below 10 MeV; the latter can't be much larger than 10^{13} GeV. Axinos, when identifiable, are typically heavy and do not play an important role in cosmology.