Standard Model Baryon Number Violation Seeded by Black Holes

TL;DR

Black holes at the electroweak scale can catalyze baryon number violation through sphaleron transitions, potentially affecting early universe dynamics without threatening existing baryon asymmetry.

Contribution

This paper demonstrates that small black holes can seed baryon number violation via sphalerons, a novel mechanism within the Standard Model context.

Findings

Black holes of electroweak scale can induce baryon violation.

Baryon violation rate is enhanced near black holes.

No threat to pre-existing baryon asymmetry from this process.

Abstract

We show that black holes with a Schwarzschild radius of the order of the electroweak scale may act as seeds for the baryon number violation within the Standard model via sphaleron transitions. The corresponding rate is faster than the one in the pure vacuum and baryon number violation around black holes can take place during the evolution of the universe after the electroweak phase transition. We show however that this does not pose any threat for a pre-existing baryon asymmetry in the universe.