List of hypothetical particles

This is a list of hypothetical subatomic particles in physics.

Elementary particles

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Some theories predict the existence of additional elementary bosons and fermions that are not found in the Standard Model.

Hypothetical bosons and fermions
Name Spin Notes
axion
0
A pseudoscalar particle introduced in Peccei–Quinn theory to solve the strong-CP problem.
dilaton
0
Predicted in some string theories.
graviphoton
1
Also known as "gravivector".[1]
graviton
0
Massless boson associated to gravitation. Included in many beyond the Standard Model theories.
dual graviton
2
Has been hypothesized as dual of graviton under electric–magnetic duality in supergravity.
graviscalar
0
Also known as "radion".
hyperphoton
0
Hypothetical photon-like particle related to CP violations in kaon decay.
inflaton
0
Unidentified scalar force-carrier that is presumed to have physically caused cosmic inflation.
majoron
0
Predicted to understand neutrino masses by the seesaw mechanism.
sterile neutrino
 1 /2
Right-handed neutrinos are compatible with the Standard Model but have never been observed.
dual photon
1
Dual of the photon under electric–magnetic duality
magnetic photon
1
Hypothetical particle similar to the photon in the presence of magnetic monopoles.
pressuron
0
hypothetical scalar particle which couples to both gravity and matter theorised in 2013.
symmetron
0
Mediates the fifth force of the hypothetical symmetron field.
X and Y bosons
1
These leptoquarks are predicted by Grand Unified Theories to be heavier equivalents of the W and Z.
W′ and Z′ bosons
1
Predicted by several extension of the electroweak interaction.

Particles predicted by supersymmetric theories

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Supersymmetry predicts the existence of superpartners to particles in the Standard Model, none of which have been confirmed experimentally. The sfermions (spin-0) include:

squarks
Name Symbol Superpartner of Symbol
sup squark up quark
sdown squark down quark
scharm squark charm quark
sstrange squark strange quark
stop squark top quark
sbottom squark bottom quark
Sleptons
Name Symbol Superpartner of Symbol
selectron electron
selectron sneutrino electron neutrino
smuon muon
smuon sneutrino muon neutrino
stau tau
stau sneutrino tau neutrino

Another hypothetical sfermion is the saxion, superpartner of the axion. Forms a supermultiplet, together with the axino and the axion, in supersymmetric extensions of Peccei–Quinn theory.

The predicted bosinos (spin 12) are

Bosinos (superpartners of bosons)
Name superpartner of: Notes
axino axion Forms a supermultiplet, together with the saxion and axion, in supersymmetric extensions of Peccei–Quinn theory.
dilatino dilaton
gluino gluon Eight gluons and eight gluinos.
gravitino graviton Predicted by supergravity (SUGRA).
higgsino Higgs boson For supersymmetry there is a need for several Higgs bosons, neutral and charged, according with their superpartners.
photino photon Mixing with zino and neutral Higgsinos for neutralinos.
wino, zino W and Z bosons The charged wino mixing with the charged Higgsino for charginos, for the zino see line above.

Just as the photon, Z and W± bosons are superpositions of the B0, W0, W1, and W2 fields, the photino, zino, and wino± are superpositions of the bino0, wino0, wino1, and wino2. No matter if one uses the original gauginos or this superpositions as a basis, the only predicted physical particles are neutralinos and charginos as a superposition of them together with the Higgsinos.

Other superpartner categories include:

  • Charginos, superpositions of the superpartners of charged Standard Model bosons: charged Higgs boson and W boson. The Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) predicts two pairs of charginos.
  • Neutralinos, superpositions of the superpartners of neutral Standard Model bosons: neutral Higgs boson, Z boson and photon. The lightest neutralino is a leading candidate for dark matter. The MSSM predicts four neutralinos.
  • Goldstinos are fermions produced by the spontaneous breaking of supersymmetry; they are the supersymmetric counterpart of Goldstone bosons.
  • Sgoldstino, superpartners of goldstinos.

Dark energy candidates

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The following hypothetical particles have been proposed to explain dark energy:

Name Spin Description
Chameleon 0 Couples to matter more weakly than gravity, with non-linear variable effective mass
Acceleron ? Particle that relates neutrino masses to dark energy

Dark matter candidates

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The following categories are not unique or distinct: For example, either a WIMP or a WISP is also a FIP.

Meaning Abbreviation Explanation Candidates
Feebly interacting particle FIP Particles that interacts very weakly with conventional matter Massive gravitons
Gravitationally interacting massive particle GIMP Massive particles that only interact with matter gravitationaly
Lightest supersymmetric particle LSP Predictions by supersymmetry Sneutrino, gravitino, neutralino
Strongly interacting massive particle SIMP Particle that interact strongly between themselves and weakly with ordinary matter
Stable massive particles SMP Long-lived particle with appreciable mass
Weakly interacting massive particle WIMP Heavy particles that only interact with matter weakly neutralino, sterile neutrino
Weakly interacting slender particle WISP Light particles that only interact with matter weakly axion

Hidden sector theories have also proposed forces that only interact with dark matter, like dark photons.

From experimental anomalies

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These hypothetical particles were claimed to be found or hypothesized to explain unsual experimental results. They relate to experimental anomalies but have not been reproduced independently or might be due to experimental errors:

Name Date of anomaly Origin of the anomaly Details
750 GeV diphoton 2015 Large Hadron Collider. Resonance at 750 GeV signature of a bosonic particle
Amaterasu particle 2021 Telescope Array Project 240 EeV cosmic ray
Meshugatron 1989 Fleischmann–Pons experiment Predicted by Edward Teller in 1989 in an attempt to understand cold fusion claims[2]
N-ray 1903 Prosper-René Blondlot An unknown form of radiation.
Oh-My-God particle 1991 High Resolution Fly's Eye Cosmic Ray Detector 320 EeV cosmic ray, most energetic ultra-high-energy cosmic ray detected as of 2015
Oops-Leon 1976 Fermilab 6 GeV resonance
Valentine's day monopole 1982 Blas Cabrera Navarro Single magnetic monopole detected on February 14, 1982.[3]
X17 particle 2015 ATOMKI Hypothesized new vector boson to explain nuclear experiments with beryllium.

Other

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  • Cosmon, hypothetical state containing the observable universe before the Big Bang.
  • Diproton (He-2), nuclei consisting of two protons and no neutrons. Yet unobserved.
  • Diquark, hypothetical state of two quarks grouped inside a baryon.
  • Geons are electromagnetic or gravitational waves which are held together in a confined region by the gravitational attraction of their own field of energy.
  • Kaluza–Klein towers of particles are predicted by some models of extra dimensions. The extra-dimensional momentum is manifested as extra mass in four-dimensional spacetime.
  • Pomerons, used to explain the elastic scattering of hadrons and the location of Regge poles in Regge theory. A counterpart to odderons.

By type

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Maartens, R. (2004). "Brane-world gravity" (PDF). Living Reviews in Relativity. 7 (1): 7. arXiv:gr-qc/0312059. Bibcode:2004LRR.....7....7M. doi:10.12942/lrr-2004-7. PMC 5255527. PMID 28163642.
  2. ^ Huizenga, John R. (John Robert) (1992). Cold fusion : the scientific fiasco of the century. Internet Archive. Rochester, N.Y., U.S.A. : University of Rochester Press. ISBN 978-1-878822-07-9.
  3. ^ Brumfiel, Geoff (2004-05-01). "The waiting game". Nature. 429 (6987): 10–11. doi:10.1038/429010a. ISSN 1476-4687.