Some Comments on the `Quirks' Scenario

TL;DR

This paper analyzes models with long-lived colored particles called Quirks, demonstrating their cosmological viability, compatibility with cosmic ray bounds, and potential signatures at the LHC.

Contribution

It shows that Quirk models with very low confinement scales are cosmologically consistent and evade previous constraints, including cosmic ray bounds.

Findings

Quirk models with low mbda' are cosmologically viable.

Cosmic ray production of Quirks does not violate isotope bounds.

Potential LHC signatures are briefly discussed.

Abstract

We discuss various aspects of models with long-lived or stable colored particles. In particular we focus on an ideal Quirk model with electroweak neutral heavy (O(TeV)) particles which carry ordinary color and another $ SU'(3)$ color with a very low scale $\Lambda'$. We show that contrary to what one might think, such a model is cosmologically consistent and evades many "Pitfalls" even for very low O(10 eV) $\Lambda'$ and without assuming a low reheat temperature. We also show that the expected production of Quirks by cosmic rays which are incorporated in heavy Isotopes in Ocean water is consistent with the highly stringent bounds on the latter. This evades a real threat to the Quirk model which would have excluded it regardless of Cosmology. Finally we briefly comment on possible LHC signatures.