Constraints on the Electrical Charge Asymmetry of the Universe

Journal article

We use the isotropy of the Cosmic Microwave Background to place stringent constraints on a possible electrical charge asymmetry of the universe. We find the excess charge per baryon to be $q_{e-p}<10^{-26}e$ in the case of a uniform distribution of charge, where $e$ is the charge of the electron. If the charge asymmetry is inhomogeneous, the constraints will depend on the spectral index, $n$, of the induced magnetic field and range from $q_{e-p}<5\times 10^{-20}e$ ($n=-2$) to $q_{e-p}<2\times 10^{-26}e$ ($n\geq 2$). If one could further assume that the charge asymmetries of individual particle species are not anti-correlated so as to cancel, this would imply, for photons, $q_\gamma< 10^{-35}e$; for neutrinos, $q_\nu<4\times10^{-35}e$; and for heavy (light) dark matter particles $q_{\rm dm}<4\times10^{-24}e$ ($q_{\rm dm}<4\times10^{-30}e$).

Authors: Caprini, C; Ferreira, P

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: JCAP
• Volume: 0502
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 006
• Publication date: 2003-10-06
• DOI: 10.1088/1475-7516/2005/02/006
• EISSN: 1475-7516
• ISSN: 1475-7516
• Keywords: astro-ph; hep-ph