MICROSCOPE limits for new long-range forces and implications for unified theories

TL;DR

This paper uses MICROSCOPE experiment data to set new stringent limits on hypothetical long-range forces mediated by light gauge bosons, with implications for theories beyond the Standard Model, including grand unification and supersymmetry.

Contribution

It derives the first experimental bounds on new long-range forces coupled to B-L and L from space-based Equivalence Principle tests, constraining gauge couplings to extremely small values.

Findings

Limits on psilon_{B-L} and psilon_L are below 8 ^{-25}.

Limits on psilon_B are below 5 ^{-24}.

Implications for supersymmetric theories and vacuum energy scales.

Abstract

Many theories beyond the Standard Model involve an extra U(1) gauge group. The resulting gauge boson U, in general mixed with the Z and the photon, may be massless or very light, and very weakly coupled. It may be viewed as a generalized dark photon interacting with matter through a linear combination (\epsilon_Q Q + \epsilon_B B+\epsilon_L L) e, involving B-L in a grand-unified theory, presumably through B-L-.61 Q, inducing effectively a very small repulsive force between neutrons. This new force, if long-ranged, may manifest through apparent violations of the Equivalence Principle. They are approximately proportional to \epsilon_B+\epsilon_L/2, times a combination involving mostly \epsilon_L. New forces coupled to B-L or L should lead to nearly opposite values of the E\"otv\"os parameter \delta, and to almost the same limits for \epsilon_{B-L} or \epsilon_L, as long as no indication for \delta \neq 0 is found. We derive new limits from the first results of the MICROSCOPE experiment testing the Equivalence Principle in space. A long-range force coupled to (\epsilon_Q Q + \epsilon_{B-L} (B-L)) e or (\epsilon_Q Q + \epsilon_L L) e should verify |\epsilon_{B-L}| or |\epsilon_L| < .8 10^{-24}, and a force coupled to (\epsilon_Q Q + \epsilon_B B) e, |\epsilon_B| < 5 10^{-24}. We also discuss, within supersymmetric theories, how such extremely small gauge couplings g", typically \simle 10^{-24}, may be related to a correspondingly large \xi"D" term associated with a huge initial vacuum energy density, \propto 1/g"^2. The corresponding hierarchy between energy scales, by a factor \propto 1/\sqrt g" \simge 10^{12}, involves a very large scale ~ 10^{16} GeV, that may be associated with inflation, or supersymmetry breaking with a very heavy gravitino, leading to possible values of {\delta} within the experimentally accessible range.