The observed density of dark matter is of the magnitude expected for a thermal relic weakly-interacting massive particle (WIMP). In addition, the observed baryon density is within an order of magnitude of the dark matter density. This suggests that the baryon density is physically related to a typical thermal relic WIMP dark matter density. We present a model which simultaneously generates thermal relic WIMP-like densities for both baryons and dark matter by modifying a large initial baryon asymmetry. Production of unstable scalars carrying baryon number at the LHC would be a clear signature of the model.
We propose a novel probe of weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter (DM) candidates of a wide mass range which fall short of the required annihilation rates to satisfy correct thermal relic abundance, dubbed as \textit{Miracle-less WIMP}. If the DM interactions are mediated by an Abelian gauge boson like B-L, its annihilation rates typically remain smaller than the WIMP ballpark for very high scale B-L symmetry breaking, leading to overproduction. The thermally overproduced relic is brought within observed limits via late entropy dilution from one of the three right handed neutr…
We examine a real electroweak triplet scalar field as dark matter, abandoning the requirement that its relic abundance is determined through freeze out in a standard cosmological history (a situation which we refer to as a 'miracle-less WIMP'). We extract the bounds on such a particle from collider searches, searches for direct scattering with terrestrial targets, and searches for the indirect products of annihilation. Each type of search provides complementary information, and each is most effective in a different region of parameter space. LHC searches tend to be highly dependent on the mass…
In Twin Higgs models which contain the minimal particle content required to address the little hierarchy problem (i.e. fraternal models), the twin tau has been identified as a promising candidate for dark matter. In this class of scenarios, however, the elastic scattering cross section of the twin tau with nuclei exceeds the bounds from XENON1T and other recent direct detection experiments. In this paper, we propose a modification to the Fraternal Twin Higgs scenario that we call $\mathbb{Z}_2$FTH, incorporating visible and twin hypercharged scalars (with $Y = 2$) which break twin electromagne…
We examine the possibility that dark matter (DM) consists of a gapped continuum, rather than ordinary particles. A Weakly-Interacting Continuum (WIC) model, coupled to the Standard Model via a Z-portal, provides an explicit realization of this idea. The thermal DM relic density in this model is naturally consistent with observations, providing a continuum counterpart of the "WIMP miracle". Direct detection cross sections are strongly suppressed compared to ordinary Z-portal WIMP, thanks to a unique effect of the continuum kinematics. Continuum DM states decay throughout the history of the univ…
We propose a new mechanism where asymmetric dark matter (ADM) and the baryon asymmetry are both generated in the same decay chain of a metastable weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) after its thermal freeze-out. Dark matter and baryons are connected by a generalized baryon number that is conserved, while the DM asymmetry and baryon asymmetry compensate each other. This unified framework addresses the DM-baryon coincidence while inheriting the merit of the conventional WIMP miracle in predicting relic abundances of matter. Examples of renormalizable models realizing this scenario are pre…
We study the possibility of generating baryon asymmetry of the universe from dark matter (DM) annihilations during non-standard cosmological epochs. Considering the DM to be of weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) type, the generation of baryon asymmetry via leptogenesis route is studied where WIMP DM annihilation produces a non-zero lepton asymmetry. Adopting a minimal particle physics model to realise this along with non-zero light neutrino masses, we consider three different types of non-standard cosmic history namely, (i) fast expanding universe, (ii) early matter domination and (iii…
Real scalar triplet dark matter, which is known to be an attractive candidate for a thermal WIMP, is comprehensively studied paying particular attention to the Sommerfeld effect on the dark matter annihilation caused by the weak interaction and the other interaction between the dark matter and the Higgs boson. We find a parameter region that includes the so-called 'WIMP-Miracle' one is still surviving, i.e. it respects all constraints imposed by dark matter searches at collider experiments, underground experiments (direct detection) and astrophysical observations (indirect detection). The regi…
We address the possibility of realizing successful leptogenesis from dark matter annihilations in the scotogenic model of neutrino masses to explain the same order of magnitude abundance of dark matter and baryons in the present Universe. After showing that the minimal model in this category cannot satisfy all these requirements, we study a minimal extension of this model and find that the scale of leptogenesis can be as low as 5 TeV, lower than the one in vanilla leptogenesis scenario in scotogenic model along with the additional advantage of explaining the baryon-dark matter coincidence. Due…
We discuss the possibility of realising a two-component dark matter (DM) scenario where the two DM candidates differ from each other by virtue of their production mechanism in the early universe. One of the DM candidates is thermally generated in a way similar to the weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) paradigm where the DM abundance is governed by its freeze-out while the other candidate is produced only from non-thermal contributions similar to freeze-in mechanism. We discuss this in a minimal extension of the standard model where light neutrino masses arise radiatively in a way simil…
Fermionic dark matter interacting with the Standard Model sector through a pseudoscalar portal could evade the direct detection constraints while preserving a WIMP miracle. We study the LHC constraints on the pseudoscalar production in simplified models with the pseudoscalar either dominantly coupled to b quarks or tau leptons and explore their implications for the GeV excesses in gamma ray observations. We also investigate models with new vector-like fermions that could realize the simplified models of pseudoscalar portal dark matter. These models yield new decay channels and signatures of ve…
