Implications of a matter-antimatter mass asymmetry in Penning-trap experiments

The Standard Model (SM) of particle physics, being a local, unitary and Lorentz-invariant quantum field theory, remains symmetric under the combined action of Charge, Parity, and Time Reversal (CPT) symmetry. This automatically implies that fundamental properties of particles and antiparticles should be equal in magnitude. These fundamental tenets of the CPT principle have been put to stringent tests in recent Penning-trap experiments, where the matter-antimatter mass asymmetry has been measured. In light of these recent advances, we compare the bounds arising on CPT invariance from kaon systems with those from Penning-trap experiments. Using a simple yet powerful argument of mass decomposition of hadrons, we show that bounds on quark-antiquark mass differences from kaon oscillations are way beyond the reach of Penning-trap experiments. We lay out a roadmap to discuss possible reformulations of our understanding of the SM in the case of a discovery of CPT violation by these precision experiments.& COPY; 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons .org /licenses /by /4 .0/). Funded by SCOAP3.

Automated summary

The Standard Model, a quantum field theory with local, unitary, and Lorentz-invariant properties, upholds the combined action of Charge, Parity, and Time Reversal (CPT) symmetry. Recent Penning-trap experiments have rigorously tested the fundamental principles of CPT symmetry in terms of matter-antimatter mass asymmetry. Comparing the limits on CPT invariance from kaon systems with those from Penning-trap experiments, it is found that the bounds on quark-antiquark mass differences derived from kaon oscillations are beyond the reach of Penning-trap experiments. A possible reformulation of our understanding of the Standard Model is discussed in the event of a discovery of CPT violation by these precision experiments.