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arXiv · 2410.09794

Positivity Bounds on parity-violating scalar-tensor EFTs

Hao Xu·Dong-Yu Hong·Zhuo-Hui Wang·Shuang-Yong Zhou
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Abstract

Using dispersion relations of the scattering amplitudes and semi-definite programming, we calculate causality bounds on the Wilson coefficients in scalar-tensor effective field theories that include parity-violating operators. Particular attention has been paid to the dynamical-Chern-Simons (dCS) and scalar-Gauss-Bonnet (sGB) couplings, along with higher order coefficients, and the interplay between them. For the leading terms, the bounds on the parity-conserving and -violating coefficients are simply projections of the complex coefficients. Some parity-violating coefficients are found to be upper bounded by the parity-conserving counterparts, or the higher order parity-conserving coefficients. While the observational constraints on parity-violating coefficients are weaker than the parity-conserving counterparts, the causality bounds are of comparable strength and thus may play a more prominent role in constraining strong gravity effects in upcoming observations.

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Hao Xu, Dong-Yu Hong, Zhuo-Hui Wang, Shuang-Yong Zhou. 2025-05-22. Positivity Bounds on parity-violating scalar-tensor EFTs. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516%2F2025%2F01%2F102

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