New Insights into Ultralight Scalar Dark Matter and Right-Handed Neutrinos

Recent research by Clara Murgui and Ryan Plestid explores the dynamics of ultralight scalar dark matter and GeV-scale right-handed neutrinos, as detailed in their paper titled "Coleman-Weinberg dynamics of ultralight scalar dark matter and GeV-scale right-handed neutrinos" (arXiv:2306.13799). The authors propose an extension of the Standard Model that includes three singlet fermions and one singlet real scalar field, positioning the scalar as a candidate for ultralight dark matter.

The study emphasizes that the abundance of this dark matter is determined by a dynamically induced misalignment from the Higgs portal. The authors focus on a parameter space where the Coleman-Weinberg potential not only stabilizes the dark matter relic abundance but also predicts the mass scale of right-handed neutrinos. Their findings suggest that the model favors scalar masses within the range of 10 μeV to 10 meV.

Furthermore, the research indicates that this model can be tested through direct searches for a light scalar, such as fifth force tests, or by investigating right-handed neutrinos in laboratory experiments. This work contributes to the ongoing efforts to understand the nature of dark matter and its interactions, potentially impacting future experimental designs and theoretical frameworks in high-energy physics.