Primordial non-Gaussianity as a probe of seesaw and leptogenesis

TL;DR

This paper explores how primordial non-Gaussianities can reveal details about the seesaw mechanism and leptogenesis, proposing a majoron curvaton model that links early universe physics with observable signatures.

Contribution

It introduces a novel majoron curvaton model that connects nonthermal leptogenesis and seesaw physics with observable non-Gaussianity in the cosmic microwave background.

Findings

Observable non-Gaussianity parameter $f_{NL} \,\gtrsim\, 0.1$ can be generated.

High-scale seesaw and leptogenesis scenarios are compatible with detectable non-Gaussianity.

Future experiments can probe significant parts of the model's parameter space.

Abstract

We present the possibility that the seesaw mechanism and nonthermal leptogenesis can be {investigated} via primordial non-Gaussianities in the context of a majoron curvaton model. Originating as a massless Nambu-Goldstone boson from the spontaneous breaking of the global baryon ($B$) minus lepton ($L$) number symmetry at a scale $v_{B-L}$, majoron becomes massive when it couples to a new confining sector through anomaly. Acting as a curvaton, majoron produces the observed red-tilted curvature power spectrum without relying on any inflaton contribution, and its decay in the post-inflationary era gives rise to a nonthermal population of right-handed neutrinos that participate in leptogenesis. A distinctive feature of the mechanism is the generation of observable non-Gaussianity, {in the parameter space where the red-tilted power spectrum and sufficient baryon asymmetry are produced.} We {find} that the non-Gaussianity parameter $f_{\rm NL} \gtrsim \mathcal{O} (0.1)$ is produced for high-scale seesaw ($v_{B-L}$ at $\mathcal{O}(10^{14-17})$ GeV) and leptogenesis ($M_1 \gtrsim \mathcal{O}(10^6)$ GeV) where the latter represents the lightest right-handed neutrino mass. While the current bounds on local non-Gaussianity excludes some part of parameter space, the rest can be fully probed by future experiments like CMB-S4, LSST, and 21 cm tomography.