Superstring-Inspired Particle Cosmology: Inflation, Neutrino Masses, Leptogenesis, Dark Matter & the SUSY Scale

TL;DR

This paper presents a string-inspired cosmological model integrating inflation, neutrino masses, leptogenesis, and dark matter within a no-scale supergravity framework, exploring implications for supersymmetry and observable predictions.

Contribution

It develops a comprehensive particle cosmology model based on flipped SU(5)×U(1) with detailed analysis of inflation, reheating, dark matter, and neutrino physics, including the role of a key superpotential coupling.

Findings

Starobinsky-like inflation with strong reheating achieved.

Dark matter density influenced by gravitino decay and entropy release.

Supersymmetry-breaking scale constrained to around 10 TeV, consistent with LHC data.

Abstract

We develop a string-inspired model for particle cosmology, based on a flipped SU(5)$\times$U(1) gauge group formulated in a no-scale supergravity framework. The model realizes Starobinsky-like inflation, which we assume to be followed by strong reheating, with the GUT symmetry being broken subsequently by a light `flaton' field whose decay generates a second stage of reheating. We discuss the production of gravitinos and the non-thermal contribution made by their decays to the density of cold dark matter, which is assumed to be provided by the lightest neutralino. We also discuss the masses of light and heavy neutrinos and leptogenesis. As discussed previously [1], a key r\^ole is played by a superpotential coupling between the inflaton, matter and GUT Higgs fields, called $\lambda_6$. We scan over possible values of $\lambda_6$, exploring the correlations between the possible values of observables. We emphasize that the release of entropy during the GUT transition allows large regions of supersymmetry-breaking parameter space that would otherwise lead to severe overdensity of dark matter. Furthermore, we find that the Big Bang nucleosynthesis lower limit on the reheating temperature of $\sim 1$ MeV restricts the supersymmetry-breaking scale to a range ${\cal O}(10)$ TeV that is consistent with the absence of supersymmetric particles at the LHC.