First-order phase transitions in hidden gauge sectors can generate stochastic gravitational wave backgrounds and provide a powerful new probe of dark sector physics. In this talk, I will present a gauge-independent analysis of gravitational waves from a minimal dark U(1) sector containing a dark Higgs and a dark photon, with the option of an additional vectorlike dark fermion as a viable dark...
We present precision predictions for the quantum scaling of the post-confinement plateau of the energy-energy correlator (EEC). The analysis follows the light-ray operator product expansion (OPE) description of the near-side EEC, in which the plateau is controlled by the leading $J=5$ channel and its timelike anomalous dimension. We assess the impact of the plateau prediction on possible...
The diffusion of high-energy cosmic rays (CRs) through the dark matter (DM) spikes of active galactic nuclei entails significant energy loss via interactions with DM. While previous studies of sub-GeV DM have focused on elastic scattering, this process becomes insufficient at higher proton energies and DM masses. In this work, we investigate the CR-DM deep inelastic scattering (DIS) as...