Electric Dipole Moments and New Physics

Abstract

Searches for intrinsic electric dipole moments (EDMs) of nucleons, atoms and molecules are precision flavor-diagonal probes of new $CP$-odd physics, as motivated by the need to explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. We review and summarise the effective field theory analysis of the observable EDMs in terms of a general set of $CP$-odd operators at 1~GeV, and the ensuing model-independent constraints on new physics. We also review and discuss the EDMs induced by $CP$-violation in the Standard Model, and the implications of EDM limits for various models of physics beyond the Standard Model.

Comments: 20 pages, 6 figures, chapter for the Encyclopedia of Particle Physics (edited by C. Fischer, section editor A. Pich) to be published by Elsevier; v2: references added