Destabilizing Matter through a Long-Range Force

TL;DR

This paper explores a long-range scalar force violating baryon number, affecting nucleon lifetimes in astrophysical settings, with implications for dark matter and observable signals like neutrinos and neutron star heating.

Contribution

It introduces a model where an ultralight scalar mediates a long-range force causing baryon number violation, with novel astrophysical and dark matter implications.

Findings

Neutron star heating provides strong current bounds on the model.

Potential detection of solar neutrinos at around 10 MeV.

Ultralight scalar could serve as a dark matter candidate.

Abstract

We consider a long-range force, mediated by an ultralight scalar, which can give rise to violation of baryon number. This would lead to very different lifetimes for nucleons in different astrophysical environments. Possible signals of this scenario include a flux of O(10 MeV) solar neutrinos or anomalous heating of old neutron stars; we find the latter to yield the strongest current bounds, which could be improved in the coming years. The ultralight scalar employed here can potentially be a good dark matter candidate.