In particle physics, the crypton is a hypothetical superheavy particle, thought to exist in a hidden sector of string theory. It has been proposed as a candidate particle to explain the dark matter content of the universe. Cryptons arising in the hidden sector of a superstring-derived flipped SU(5) GUT model have been shown to be metastable with a lifetime exceeding the age of the universe. Their slow decays may provide a source for the ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECR).
References
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- Karim Benakli; John Ellis; D.V. Nanopoulos (1999). "Natural Candidates for Superheavy Dark Matter in String and M Theory". Physical Review D. 59 (4): 047301. arXiv:hep-ph/9803333. Bibcode:1999PhRvD..59d7301B. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.59.047301. S2CID 119382848.
- John Ellis; V.E. Mayes; D.V. Nanopoulos (2004). "Flipped Cryptons and the Ultra-high Energy Cosmic Rays". Physical Review D. 70 (7): 075015. arXiv:hep-ph/0403144. Bibcode:2004PhRvD..70g5015E. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.70.075015. S2CID 119360169.
- John Ellis; V.E. Mayes; D.V. Nanopoulos (2006). "Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Ray Particle Spectra from Crypton Decays". Physical Review D. 74 (11): 115003. arXiv:astro-ph/0512303. Bibcode:2006PhRvD..74k5003E. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.74.115003. S2CID 119382442.
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