We explain the PAMELA positron excess and the PPB-BETS/ATIC e+ + e- data using a simple two component dark matter model (2DM). The two particle species in the dark matter sector are assumed to be in thermal equilibrium in the early universe. While one particle is stable and is the present day dark matter, the second one is metastable and decays after the universe is 10^-8 s old. In this model it is simple to accommodate the large boost factors required to explain the PAMELA positron excess without the need for large spikes in the local dark matter density. We provide the constraints on the parameters of the model and comment on possible signals at future colliders.
The self consistency between the impressive DAMA annual modulation signal and the differential energy spectrum is an important test for dark matter candidates.Mirror matter-type dark matter passes this test while other dark matter candidates, including standard (spin-independent) WIMPs and mini-electric charged particle dark matter, do not do so well.We argue that the unique properties of mirror matter-type dark matter seem to be just those required to fully explain the data, suggesting that the dark matter problem has finally been solved.
There are six main things which any non-baryonic dark matter theory should endeavour to explain: (1) The basic dark matter particle properties [mass, stability, darkness]; (2) The similarity in cosmic abundance between ordinary and non-baryonic dark matter, $Ω_B \sim Ω_{dark}$; (3) Large scale structure formation; (4) Microlensing (MACHO) events; (5) Asymptotically flat rotation curves in spiral galaxies; (6) The impressive DAMA/NaI annual modulation signal. Only mirror matter-type dark matter is capable of explaining all six of these desirable features. The purpose of this article is to provi…
Mirror matter-type dark matter is one dark matter candidate which is particularly well motivated from high energy physics. The theoretical motivation and experimental evidence are pedagogically reviewed, with emphasis on the implications of recent orthopositronium experiments, the DAMA/NaI dark matter search, anomalous meteorite events etc.
We show that if the neutralino in the minimal supersymmetric standard model is the dark matter in our galaxy, there cannot be a dark matter cusp extending to the galactic center. Conversely, if a dark matter cusp extends to the galactic center, the neutralino cannot be the dark matter in our galaxy. We obtain these results considering the synchrotron emission from neutralino annihilations around the black hole at the galactic center.
Two mechanisms by which the Quintessence scalar could enhance the relic abundance of dark matter particles are discussed. This effect can have an impact on supersymmetric candidates for dark matter.
The cosmological dust has begun to settle. A likely picture is a universe comprised (predominantly) of three components: ordinary baryons ($Ω_B \approx 0.05$), non-baryonic dark matter ($Ω_{Dark} \approx 0.22$) and dark energy ($Ω_Λ \approx 0.7$). We suggest that the observed similarity of the abundances of ordinary baryons and non-baryonic dark matter ($Ω_{B}/Ω_{Dark} \approx 0.20$) hints at an underlying similarity between the fundamental properties of ordinary and dark matter particles. This is necessarily the case if dark matter is identified with mirror matter. We examine a specific mirro…
We explore the feasibility and astrophysical consequences of a new long-range U(1) gauge field ("dark electromagnetism") that couples only to dark matter, not to the Standard Model. The dark matter consists of an equal number of positive and negative charges under the new force, but annihilations are suppressed if the dark matter mass is sufficiently high and the dark fine-structure constant $\hatα$ is sufficiently small. The correct relic abundance can be obtained if the dark matter also couples to the conventional weak interactions, and we verify that this is consistent with particle-physics…
We consider the cross section limits for light dark matter candidates ($m=0.4$ to 10 GeV). We calculate the interaction of dark matter in the crust above underground dark matter detectors and find that in the intermediate cross section range, the energy loss of dark matter is sufficient to fall below the energy threshold of current underground experiments. This implies the existence of a window in the dark matter exclusion limits in the micro-barn range.
We show that direct dark matter detection experiments can distinguish between pointlike and non-pointlike dark-matter candidates. The shape of the nuclear recoil energy spectrum from pointlike dark-matter particles, e.g., neutralinos, is determined by the velocity distribution of dark matter in the galactic halo and by nuclear form factors. In contrast, typical cross sections of non-pointlike dark matter, for example, Q-balls, have a new form factor, which decreases rapidly with the recoil energy. Therefore, a signal from non-pointlike dark matter is expected to peak near the experimental thre…
We explore some of the consequences of Dark Matter-photon interactions on structure formation, focusing on the evolution of cosmological perturbations and performing both an analytical and a numerical study. We compute the cosmic microwave background anisotropies and matter power spectrum in this class of models. We find, as the main result, that when Dark Matter and photons are coupled, Dark Matter perturbations can experience a new damping regime in addition to the usual collisional Silk damping effect. Such Dark Matter particles (having quite large photon interactions) behave like Cold Dark…
I review prospects for detecting dark matter in space-based experiments, with an emphasis on recent developments. I propose the ``Martha Stewart criterion'' for identifying dark matter candidates that are particularly worth investigation and focus on three that satisfy it: neutralino dark matter, Kaluza-Klein dark matter, and superWIMP gravitino dark matter.
In models of coupled dark energy and dark matter the mass of the dark matter particle depends on the cosmological evolution of the dark energy field. In this note we exemplify in a simple model the effects of this mass variation on the relic abundance of cold dark matter.
A new and inexpensive technique for detecting self interacting dark matter in the form of small grains in bulk matter is proposed. Depending on the interactions with ordinary matter, dark matter grains in bulk matter may be isolated by using a centrifuge and using ordinary matter as a filter. The case of mirror matter interacting with ordinary matter via photon-mirror photon kinetic mixing provides a concrete example of this type of dark matter candidate.
We study static configurations of dark matter coupled to a scalar field responsible for the dark energy of the Universe. The dark matter is modelled as a Fermi gas within the Thomas-Fermi approximation. The mass of the dark matter particles is a function of the scalar field. We analyze the profile of the dark matter halos in galaxies. In this case our framework is equivalent to the model of the isothermal sphere. In the presence of a scalar field, the velocity of a massive object orbiting the galaxy is not of the order of the typical velocity of the dark matter particles, as in the conventiona…
We study the possibility of Late Forming Dark Matter (LFDM), where a scalar field, previously trapped in a metastable state by thermal or finite density effects, begins to oscillate near the era matter-radiation equality about its true minimum. Such a theory is motivated generally if the dark energy is of a similar form, but has not yet made the transition to dark matter, and, in particular, arises automatically in recently considered theories of neutrino dark energy. If such a field comprises the present dark matter, the matter power spectrum typically shows a sharp break at small, presently …
We consider the possibility that the dark matter is coupled through its mass to a scalar field associated with the dark energy of the Universe. In order for such a field to play a role at the present cosmological distances, it must be effectively massless at galactic length scales. We discuss the effects of the field on the distribution of dark matter in galaxy halos. We show that the profile of the distribution outside the galaxy core remains largely unaffected and the approximately flat rotation curves persist. The dispersion of the dark matter velocity is enhanced by a potentially large fac…
Annihilation radiation from neutralino dark matter at the Galactic center (GC) would be greatly enhanced if the dark matter were strongly clustered around the supermassive black hole (SBH). The existence of a dark-matter "spike" is made plausible by the observed, steeply-rising stellar density near the GC SBH. Here the time-dependent equations describing gravitational interaction of the dark matter particles with the stars are solved. Scattering of dark matter particles by stars would substantially lower the dark matter density near the GC SBH over 10^10 yr, due both to kinetic heating, and to…
Since neither supersymmetry nor dark matter WIMPs have yet been observed, pessimism about their reality has been growing. Here we discuss a new supersymmetric theory and a new dark matter candidate which are naturally consistent with current experimental results, but which imply a plethora of new phenomena awaiting discovery within the foreseeable future.
We present a simple extension of the standard model that gives rise to baryogenesis a has a dark matter candidate of O(GeV) mass. A minimal set of new fields required for baryogenesis includes two O(TeV) colored scalars and a singlet fermion. The fermion also becomes a viable dark matter candidate when its is nearly degenerate in mass with the proton. Dark matter and baryon asymmetry are produced form the decay of heavy scalars, which can lead to a natural explanation of the baryon-dark matter coincidence problem. The dark matter candidate escapes direct and indirect detection, but can be prob…
We propose a unified scenario to generate the masses of Dirac neutrinos and cold dark matter at the TeV scale, understand the origin of dark energy and explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe. This model can lead to significant impact on the Higgs searches at LHC.
We introduce an $SU(2)_X^{}$ dark sector without any fermions and then realize a non-abelian kinetic mixing between the dark $SU(2)_X^{}$ gauge fields and the standard model $SU(2)_L^{}\times U(1)_Y^{}$ gauge fields. While one of the dark gauge bosons becomes a dark photon, the others can keep stable to form a dark matter particle. The nearly degenerate masses of dark photon and dark matter could be tested if the dark photon and the dark matter are both observed in the future.
A brief overview of our current understanding of abundance and properties of dark energy and dark matter is presented. A more focused discussion of supersymmetric dark matter follows. Included is a frequentist approach to the supersymmetric parameter space and consequences for the direct detection of dark matter.
It is a puzzle why the densities of dark matter and dark energy are nearly equal today when they scale so differently during the expansion of the universe. This conundrum may be solved if there is a coupling between the two dark sectors. In this paper we assume that dark matter is made of cold relics with masses depending exponentially on the scalar field associated to dark energy. Since the dynamics of the system is dominated by an attractor solution, the dark matter particle mass is forced to change with time as to ensure that the ratio between the energy densities of dark matter and dark en…
A simple model of the Majorana neutrino with the see-saw mechanism is studied, assuming that two light neutrinos are the hot dark matters with equal mass of 2.4 eV in the cold plus hot dark matter model of cosmology. We find that the heavy neutrino, which is the see-saw partner with the remaining one light neutrino, can be the cold dark matter, if the light neutrino is exactly massless. This cold dark matter neutrino is allowed to have the mass of the wide range from 5.9 x 10^2 eV to 2.2 x 10^7 eV.
We attempt to answer whether neutrinos and antineutrinos, such as those in the cosmic neutrino background, would clusterize among themselves or even with other dark-matter particles, under certain time span, say 1 Gyr. With neutrino masses in place, the similarity with the ordinary matter increases and so is our confidence for neutrino clustering if time is long enough. In particular, the clusterings could happen with some seeds (cf. see the text for definition), the chance in the dark-matter world to form dark-matter galaxies increases. If the dark-matter galaxies would exist in a time span o…
Even though the sensitivity of direct dark matter search experiments reach the level about $10^{-45}~{\rm cm}^2$, there is no confident signal of dark matter been observed. We point out that, if dark matter is a vector boson, the null result in direct dark matter search experiments may due to the destructive effects in dark-matter-nucleon elastic scattering. We illustrate the scenario using a modified Higgs portal model that includes exotic quarks. The significant cancellation can occur for certain mass gap between heavy quark and dark matter. As a result, the spin-independent dark-matter-nucl…
We analyze the annihilation cross section of dark matter which interacts with the standard model sector over the scalar unparticle propagator. We observe that the annihilation cross section of dark matter pair is sensitive to the dark matter mass and the scaling dimension of scalar unparticle. We estimate a range for the dark matter mass and the scaling dimension of scalar unparticle by using the current dark matter abundance.
What is the upper limit of the mass of the neutralino dark matter whose thermal relic is consistent with the observation? If the neutralino dark matter and colored sparticles are extremely degenerated in mass, with a mass difference less than the QCD scale, the dark matter annihilation is significantly increased and enjoys the "second freeze-out" after the QCD phase transition. In this case, the neutralino dark matter with a mass much greater than 100 TeV can realize the correct dark matter abundance. We study the dark matter abundance and its detection in the case of such highly degenerated m…
We construct an explicit, TeV-scale model of decaying dark matter in which the approximate stability of the dark matter candidate is a consequence of a global symmetry that is broken only by instanton-induced operators generated by a non-Abelian dark gauge group. The dominant dark matter decay channels are to standard model leptons. Annihilation of the dark matter to standard model states occurs primarily through the Higgs portal. We show that the mass and lifetime of the dark matter candidate in this model can be chosen to be consistent with the values favored by fits to data from the PAMELA …
Non-relativistic dark matter scattering with nucleons is constrained by direct detection experiments. We use the XENON constraints on the spin-independent and spin-dependent cross section for dark matter scattering with nucleons to constrain a hypothetical Majorana fermionic dark matter particle's couplings to the Higgs boson and Z boson. In the procedure we illustrate the change in the dark matter nucleon cross section as one goes from non-relativistic, coherent scattering to relativistic, incoherent scattering. While the Z invisible decay width excludes directly couplings of dark matter to o…
We attempt to understand the baryon-dark-matter coincidence problem within the quark seesaw extension of the standard model where parity invariance is used to solve the strong CP problem. The $SU(2)_L\times SU(2)_R\times U(1)_{B-L}$ gauge symmetry of this model is extended by a dark $U(1)_X$ group plus inclusion of a heavy neutral vector-like fermion $χ_{L,R}$ charged under the dark group which plays the role of dark matter. All fermions are Dirac type in this model. Decay of heavy scalars charged under $U(1)_X$ leads to simultaneous asymmetry generation of the dark matter and baryons after sp…
Dark matter can be produced in the early universe via the freeze-in or freeze-out mechanisms. Both scenarios were investigated in references, but the production of dark matters via the combination of these two mechanisms are not addressed. In this paper we propose a hybrid dark matter model where dark matters have two components with one component produced thermally and the other one produced non-thermally. We present for the first time the analytical calculation for the relic abundance of the Higgs portal hybrid dark matter, then we investigate constraints on the parameter space of the model …
We consider inelastic dark matter scenarios with dark photon mediator and a dark Higgs boson. The dark Higgs boson spontaneously breaks the gauge symmetry associated with the dark photon, and gives the mass to the dark photon and the mass difference to dark particles. Such a dark Higgs boson can decay into the dark particles and hence can be another source of the dark particles at collider experiments. We analyze the sensitivity to decays of the excited state into the dark matter and charged particles at the FASER 2 experiment in fermion and scalar inelastic dark matter scenarios. We consider …
What if the dark matter-nucleon scattering cross section is too small to be detected by direct detection experiments? It is well known in the literature that some interactions lead to dark matter-nucleon scattering cross sections that can be velocity and momentum suppressed. We show that in the case of bosonic dark matter, neutron star spectroscopy offers a possible detection. Firstly, we discuss the case of scalar dark matter with scalar, pseudoscalar, and vector mediators. Later, we do this exercise for vector dark matter. We show that, depending on the nature of dark matter and the interact…
WIMP dark matter and gauge coupling unification are considered in an R-parity violating MSSM with vector-like matter. Dark matter is contained in an additional vector-like SU(2)$_L$ doublet which possesses a new U(1) gauge symmetry. The Higgs fields are extended to be in a ${\bf 5\oplus \bar{5}}$ representation of SU(5). The stability of dark matter is a result of gauge symmetries, and the mass of the dark matter particle is between (1.1-1.5) TeV. Dark matter has a very small cross section with nucleis, thus the model is consistent with current dark matter direct detection experiments such as …
In some dark matter models, the coupling of the dark matter particle to the standard model Higgs determines the dark matter relic density while it is also consistent with dark matter direct detection experiments. On the other hand, the seesaw for generating the neutrino masses probably arises from a spontaneous symmetry breaking of global lepton number. The dark matter particle thus can significantly annihilate into massless Majorons when the lepton number breaking scale and hence the seesaw scale is near the electroweak scale. This leads to an interesting interplay between neutrino physics an…
We explore a simple extension to the Standard Model containing two gauge singlets: a Dirac fermion and a real pseudoscalar. In some regions of the parameter space both singlets are stable without the necessity of additional symmetries, then becoming a possible two-component dark matter model. We study the relic abundance production via freeze-out, with the latter determined by annihilations, conversions and semi-annihilations. Experimental constraints from invisible Higgs decay, dark matter relic abundance and direct/indirect detection are studied. We found three viable regions of the paramete…
Dark matter stability can result from a residual matter-parity symmetry surviving spontaneous breaking of an extended gauge symmetry. We propose the simplest scotogenic dark matter completion of the original SVS theory (Phys.Rev. D22 (1980) 738), in which the "dark sector" particles as well as matter-parity find a natural theoretical origin in the model. We briefly comment on its main features.
We study the electroweak phase transition in the framework of scalar singlet-doublet mixed dark matter model, where the particle dark matter candidate is the lightest neutral Higgs that comprised of the CP-even component of inert doublet and a singlet scalar. The dark matter can be dominated by the inert doublet or singlet scalar depending on the mixing. We present several benchmark models to investigate the two situations after imposing several theoretical and experimental constraints. An additional singlet scalar and the inert doublet drive the electroweak phase transition to be strongly fir…
We explore the minimal extension of the Standard Model with fermionic cold dark matter. The interactions between the dark matter and the Standard Model matters are described by the non-renormalizable dimension-5 term. We show that the measured relic abundance of the cold dark matter can be explained in our model and predict the direct detection cross section. The direct search of the dark matter provides severe constraints on the mass and coupling of the minimal fermionic dark matter with respect to the Higgs boson mass.
The problems of simple elementary weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) appeal to extend the physical basis for nonbaryonic dark matter. Such extension involves more sophisticated dark matter candidates from physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM) of elementary particles. We discuss several models of dark matter, predicting new colored, hyper-colored or techni-colored particles and their accelerator and non-accelerator probes. The nontrivial properties of the proposed dark matter candidates can shed new light on the dark matter physics. They provide interesting solutions for the puzzles…
We revisit the singlet-doublet dark matter model with a special emphasis on the effect of CP violation on the dark matter phenomenology. The CP violation in the dark sector induces a pseudoscalar interaction of a fermionic dark matter candidate with the SM Higgs boson. The pseudoscalar interaction helps the dark matter candidate evade the strong constraints from the dark matter direct detection experiments. We show that the model can explain the measured value of the dark matter density even if dark matter direct detection experiments do not observe any signal. We also show that the electron e…
We consider the case of light dark matter ($\sim 10$ GeV). We discuss a simple $Z_2$ model of scalar self-interacting dark matter, as well as a related model of unstable long-lived dark matter which can explain the anomalous Kolar events observed decades ago.
We propose a new out-of-equilibrium production mechanism of light dark matter: resonance scanning. If the dark matter mass evolved in the early Universe, resonant production may have occurred for a wide range of light dark matter masses today. We show that the dark matter relic abundance may be produced through the Higgs portal, in a manner consistent with current experimental constraints.
The current status of flavored dark matter is reviewed. We discuss the main experimental constraints on models of flavored dark matter and survey some possible considerations which are relevant for the constructions of models. We then review the application of existing flavor principles to dark matter, with an emphasis on minimal flavor violation, and discuss implications of flavored dark matter on collider phenomenology.
Expected event rates for a number of dark matter nuclear targets were calculated in the effective low-energy minimal supersymmetric standard model, provided the lightest neutralino is the dark matter Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP). These calculations allow direct comparison of sensitivities of different dark matter detectors to intermediate mass WIMPs expected from the measurements of the DArk MAtter (DAMA) experiment.
In the left-right twin Higgs model, one of the neutral Higgses is a natural candidate for WIMP dark matter. We analyzed the dark matter relic density in this framework and identified regions of parameter space that provide the right amount of dark matter. We also studied the dark matter in the more general inert Higgs doublet model in which the mass splittings between the dark matter and other particles do not follow the relations in the left-right twin Higgs model.
We extend the analysis of asymmetric Dark Matter relic density with Sommerfeld enhancement to the case where the mediator is massive. In asymmetric Dark Matter models, the asymmetric Dark Matter is assumed to couple to light scalar or vector boson. Asymmetric Dark Matter annihilation cross section is enhanced by the Sommerfeld effect which exists due to the distortion of wavefunction of asymmetric Dark Matter particle and anti--particle by long--range interactions. The impacts of Sommerfeld enhancement on the relic densities of asymmetric Dark Matter particle and anti--particle are discussed. …
Dark and baryonic matter contribute comparable energy density to the present Universe. The dark matter may also be responsible for the cosmic positron/electron excesses. We connect these phenomena with Dirac seesaw for neutrino masses. In our model (i) the dark matter relic density is a dark matter asymmetry generated simultaneously with the baryon asymmetry so that we can naturally understand the coincidence between the dark and baryonic matter; (ii) the dark matter mostly decays into the leptons so that its decay can interpret the anomalous cosmic rays with positron/electron excesses.
We study a mechanism where the dark matter number density today arises from asymmetries generated in the dark sector in the early universe, even though total dark matter number remains zero throughout the history of the universe. The dark matter population today can be completely symmetric, with annihilation rates above those expected from thermal WIMPs. We give a simple example of this mechanism using a benchmark model of flavored dark matter. We discuss the experimental signatures of this setup, which arise mainly from the sector that annihilates the symmetric component of dark matter.
Inelastic dark matter is an interesting scenario for light thermal dark matter which is fully consistent with all cosmological probes as well as direct and indirect dark matter detection. The required mass splitting between dark matter $χ_1$ and its heavier twin $χ_2$ is naturally induced by a dark Higgs field which also provides a simple mechanism to give mass to the dark photon $A'$ present in the setup. The corresponding dark Higgs boson $h'$ is naturally the lightest dark sector state and therefore decays into Standard Model particles via Higgs mixing. In this work we study signatures with…
An effective theory for dark matter has recently been proposed. The key assumption is that the dark matter particle which is a Dirac fermion is protected from decaying by a global U(1) symmetry. We point out that quantum gravity effects will violate this symmetry and that the dark matter candidate thus decays very fast. In order to solve that problem, we propose to consider a local gauge symmetry which implies a new force in the dark matter sector. It is likely that this new local U(1) symmetry will need to be spontaneously broken leading for a range of the parameters of the model to a Sommerf…
We investigate the invisible decay of positronium to probe the fermionic light dark matter mediated by the dark $Z$ boson. Too tiny is the invisible decay rate of positronium through weak interaction in the standard model to be detected in the experiment. We show that it can be enhanced to be observed in the future if the dark matter is lighter than the electron in the dark $Z$ model. We also compute the relic abundance of such light dark matter and discuss the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis constraint with an alternative thermal history scenario.
If dark matter is ultralight, the number density of dark matter is very high and the techniques of zero-temperature field theory are no longer valid. The dark matter number density modifies the vacuum giving it a non-negligible particle occupation number. For fermionic dark matter, this occupation number can be no larger than one. However, in the case of bosons the occupation number is unbounded. If there is a large occupation number, the Bose enhancement needs to be taken into consideration for any process involving particles which interact with the dark matter. Because the occupation number …
We investigate the possibility of unifying the inflation and dark matter physics in the minimal model for a complex scalar dark matter with gauged $Z_3$ symmetry. The dark local $U(1)$ symmetry is broken spontaneously into the $Z_3$ symmetry by the dark Higgs mechanism. As compared to dark matter models with $Z_2$ parity, the dark matter cubic self-interaction restricts the inflation with non-minimal couplings to take place beyond the pure dark matter direction and plays an important role in the loop corrections for the inflationary predictions as well as determining the correct dark matter re…
The paper brings a novel approach to unification of dark matter and dark energy in terms of a cosmic fluid. A model is introduced in which the cosmic fluid speed of sound squared is defined as a function of its equation of state (EoS) parameter. It is shown how logarithmic part of this function results in dynamical regimes previously not observed in cosmic fluid models. It is shown that in a particular dynamical regime the model behaves as a unification of dark matter and phantom dark energy. Further, it is shown that the model may describe dark matter - dark energy unification in which dark e…
