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Dark photons from light with cosmic domain walls

Nemanja Kaloper*

  • *Contact author: kaloper@physics.ucdavis.edu
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Phys. Rev. D 114, L051901 – Published 8 September, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/d6dz-ljwj

Abstract

Light crossing dark domain walls that source a top form coupled to gauge Chern-Simons terms mixing visible and dark U(1) gauge fields generically convert into dark photons. The effect is entirely localized on the wall and requires no additional ingredients. The conversion rate is a sharp function of the photon frequency in the wall rest frame, vanishing above the ultraviolet cutoff of the top form sector. Partial cloaking may also induce a rotation of the polarization of transmitted light of order Δϑ∼10−3 radians, modify the cosmic microwave background power spectrum, and violate Etherington’s reciprocity relation at low frequencies. These effects can impact cosmological determinations of the Hubble rate.

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Phys. Rev. D 114, L051901– Published 8 September, 2026
  • Received 20 April 2026
  • Accepted 13 August 2026
Article part of CHORUS
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