Environment-dependent mass splitting to suppress solar capture in the inelastic-doublet interpretation of the LZ event
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: The inelastic electroweak-doublet interpretation of the $248\,{\rm keV}$ recoil energy event reported by LUX-ZEPLIN faces strong constraints from solar capture. We propose an environment-dependent mass splitting generated by an ultralight scalar coupled quadratically to electrons. Its density-induced expectation value enhances the splitting in the Sun while preserving the laboratory value, providing a mechanism to suppress solar capture. We derive conditions for this mechanism and examine constraints from stellar cooling and electron-mass variations. We find that this scenario is phenomenologically viable, while it suffers from severe fine-tuning of the scalar potential.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Girmohanta, Sudhakantha, Jung, Tae Hyun
Institution: Institute for Basic Science
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7214157133