Cosmological phase transition: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:11, 23 September 2023

Revision as of 08:50, 24 September 2023

Line 21:

===Strong force phase transition===

Today the strong force binds together [[quarks]] into [[protons]] and [[neutrons]], in a phenomenon known as [[color confinement]]. However, at sufficiently high temperatures, protons and neutrons disassociate into free quarks. The strong force phase transition marks the end of the [[quark epoch]]. Studies of this transition based on [[lattice QCD]] have demonstrated that it tookwould have taken place at a temperature of approximately 155 [[MeV]], and iswould have been a smooth crossover transition.<ref name="aoki-qcd">{{cite journal |last1=Aoki |first1=Y. |last2=Endrodi |first2=G. |last3=Fodor |first3=Z. |last4=Katz |first4=S. D. |last5=Szabo |first5=K. K. |title=The order of the quantum chromodynamics transition predicted by the standard model of particle physics |journal=Nature |date=2006 |volume=443 |issue=7112 |pages=675–678 |doi=10.1038/nature05120|pmid=17035999 |arxiv=hep-lat/0611014 |bibcode=2006Natur.443..675A }}</ref>

This conclusion assumes the simplest scenario at the time of the transition, and first- or second-order transitions are possible in the presence of a quark, baryon or neutrino [[chemical potential]], or strong magnetic fields.<ref name="Boeckel2011">{{cite journal |last1=Boeckel |first1=Tillman |last2=Schettler |first2=Simon |last3=Schaffner-Bielich |first3=Jurgen |title=The Cosmological QCD Phase Transition Revisited |journal=Prog. Part. Nucl. Phys. |date=2011 |volume=66 |pages=266-270 |doi=10.1016/j.ppnp.2011.01.017|arxiv=1012.3342}}</ref><ref name="Schwarz2009">{{cite journal |last1=Schwarz |first1=Dominik J. |last2=Stuke |first2=Maik |title=Lepton asymmetry and the cosmic QCD transition |journal=JCAP |date=2009 |volume=11 |pages=025 |doi=10.1088/1475-7516/2009/11/025|arxiv=0906.3434}}</ref><ref name="Cao2023">{{cite journal |last1=Cao |first1=Gaoging |title=First-order QCD transition in a primordial magnetic field |journal=Phys. Rev. D |date=2023 |volume=107 |pages=014021 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevD.107.014021|arxiv=2210.09794

}}</ref>

The different possible phase transition types are summarised by the [[QCD matter#Phase diagram|strong force phase diagram]].

===Electroweak phase transition===

Line 37 ⟶ 41:

}}

</ref>

Just as for the strong force, this conclusion assumes the minimal scenario, and is modified by the presence of additional fields or particles. Particle physics models which account for [[dark matter]] or which lead to successful [[baryogenesis]] may predict a strongly first-order electroweak phase transition.<ref name="Cline2013">{{cite journal |last1=Cline |first1=James |last2=Kainulainen |first2=Kimmo |title=Electroweak baryogenesis and dark matter from a singlet Higgs |journal=JCAP |date=2013 |volume=01 |pages=012 |doi=10.1088/1475-7516/2013/01/012|arxiv=1210.4196}}</ref>

===Phase transitions beyond the Standard Model===