Probing vector chirality in the early Universe

Abstract: We explore the potential of detecting parity violation in primordial vector fossils using late-time galaxy spins. Utilizing $N$-body simulations, we use halo spins as a reliable proxy for galaxy spins to investigate how effectively such primordial vectorial parity asymmetry remains in galaxy spins at low redshifts. We develop a novel approach to generate initial conditions with substantial parity asymmetry, while maintaining the initial matter power spectrum unchanged. From the parity broken initial condition and halos evolved from it, we construct the initial spin and halo spin fields, respectively. Focusing on the helicity of these vector fields, we detect substantial asymmetry in the initial spin field as a consequence of parity violation in the primordial vector fossil. In addition, we discover that over $50\%$ of the primordial asymmetry in the initial spin field remains in the late-time halo spin field on a range of scales. Given the tight correlation between halo spins and observable galaxy spins, we expect to detect the current amplitude of vectorial parity asymmetry potentially up to $16\sigma$-level in observation, when utilizing galaxy samples from DESI BGS. Our findings demonstrate that the primordial imprints of vectorial parity violation persist through non-linear gravitational evolution, highlighting the reliability of galaxy spin as a sensitive probe for testing the vectorial parity-invariance in the early Universe.