Light scalar explanation for 18 TeV GRB 221009A

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel light scalar particle model to explain the detection of extremely high-energy gamma rays from GRB 221009A, challenging standard expectations of gamma-ray attenuation by the extragalactic background light.

Contribution

It introduces a minimal scalar singlet model that allows gamma rays to bypass EBL attenuation via decay of boosted scalars into photons, providing a new physics explanation for the observations.

Findings

Scalar singlet S can produce high-energy photons via decay, bypassing EBL attenuation.

The model explains the 18 TeV gamma-ray detection from GRB 221009A.

Proposes a mechanism for gamma-ray propagation involving scalar decay instead of direct transmission.

Abstract

Recent astrophysical transient Swift J1913.1+1946 may be associated with the $\gamma$-ray burst GRB 221009A. The redshift of this event is $z\simeq 0.151$. Very high-energy $\gamma$-rays (up to 18 TeV) followed the transient and were observed by LHAASO, additionally Carpet-2 detected a photon-like air shower of 251 TeV. Photons of such high energy are expected to readily annihilate with the diffuse extragalactic background light (EBL) before reaching Earth. If the $\gamma$-ray identification and redshift measurements are correct, new physics could be necessary to explain these measurements. This letter provides the first CP-even scalar explanation of the most energetic 18 TeV event reported by LHAASO. In this minimal scenario, the light scalar singlet $S$ mixes with the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson $h$. The highly boosted $S$ particles are produced in the GRB and then undergo the radiative decay di-photon $S\rightarrow \gamma\gamma$ while propagating to Earth. The resulting photons may thus be produced at a remote region without being nullified by the EBL. Hence, the usual exponential reduction of $\gamma$-rays is lifted due to an attenuation that is inverse in the optical depth, which becomes much larger due to the scalar carriers.