Peccei-Quinn Genesis

TL;DR

This paper introduces a unified model linking QCD axion dark matter, baryon asymmetry, neutrino masses, and inflation through Peccei-Quinn pole inflation, naturally sourcing initial conditions and constraining axion decay constants.

Contribution

It presents a novel cogenesis mechanism integrating Peccei-Quinn symmetry with the seesaw model, enabling spontaneous leptogenesis during pole inflation.

Findings

Achieves simultaneous dark matter and baryon asymmetry with axion decay constant below 10^9 GeV.

Demonstrates the model's ability to solve four fundamental problems in cosmology and particle physics.

Provides constraints on axion parameters consistent with observational data.

Abstract

We propose a cogenesis mechanism that unifies the origin of QCD axion dark matter and the baryon asymmetry of the Universe in the framework of Peccei-Quinn pole inflation. The model integrates the Peccei-Quinn symmetry with the seesaw mechanism for neutrino masses. This allows for spontaneous leptogenesis, which generates the required $B-L$ asymmetry around the seesaw scale. The necessary initial axion kinetic misalignment is naturally sourced by a PQ field driving pole inflation. Analysis within the KSVZ axion model demonstrates that achieving simultaneous correct DM abundance and baryon asymmetry limits the axion decay constant to be smaller than about $10^9$ GeV. This framework offers a unified solution to four fundamental problems: the strong CP problem, neutrino mass, matter-antimatter asymmetry, and inflation.