We explore the constraints current collider searches place on a QCD-like dark sector. A combination of multi-jet, multi-jet plus missing energy and emerging jets searches is used to derive constraints on the mediator mass across the full range of the dark meson lifetimes for the first time. The dark sector inherits a flavour structure from the coupling between the dark quarks and the SM quarks through the mediator. When this is taken into account, the differently flavoured dark pions become distinguishable through their lifetime. We show that also in these cases the above mentioned searches remain sensitive, and we obtain limits on the mediator mass also for the flavoured scenario. We then contrast the constraints from collider searches with direct detection bounds on the dark matter candidate itself in both the flavoured and unflavoured scenario. Using a simple prescription it becomes possible to display all constraints in the dark matter and mediator mass plane. Constraints from direct detection tend to be stronger than the collider constraints, unless the coupling to the first generation quarks is suppressed, in which case the collider searches place the most stringent limits on the parameter space.
We discuss how to consistently use Effective Field Theories (EFTs) to set universal bounds on heavy-mediator Dark Matter at colliders, without prejudice on the model underlying a given effective interaction. We illustrate the method for a Majorana fermion, universally coupled to the Standard Model quarks via a dimension-6 axial-axial four-fermion operator. We recast the ATLAS mono-jet analysis and show that a considerable fraction of the parameter space, seemingly excluded by a naïve EFT interpretation, is actually still unexplored. Consistently set EFT limits can be reinterpreted in any speci…
A preponderance of astrophysical and cosmological evidence indicates that the universe contains not only visible matter but also dark matter. In order to suppress the couplings between the dark and visible sectors, a standard assumption is that these two sectors communicate only through a mediator. In this paper we make a simple but important observation: if the dark sector contains multiple components with similar quantum numbers, then this mediator also generically gives rise to dark-sector decays, with heavier dark components decaying to lighter components. This in turn can even give rise t…
Constraints on selected mediator-based dark matter models and a scalar dark energy model using up to $37~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ $\sqrt s = 13$ TeV $pp$ collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC during 2015-2016 are summarised in this paper. The results of experimental searches in a variety of final states are interpreted in terms of a set of spin-1 and spin-0 single-mediator dark matter simplified models and a second set of models involving an extended Higgs sector plus an additional vector or pseudo-scalar mediator. The searches considered in this paper constrain spin-1 leptophobic…
The mono-jet search, looking for events involving missing transverse energy (MET) plus one or two jets, is the most prominent collider dark matter search. We show that multi-jet searches, which look for MET plus two or more jets, are significantly more sensitive than the mono-jet search for pseudoscalar- and scalar-mediated interactions. We demonstrate this in the context of a simplified model with a pseudoscalar interaction that explains the excess in GeV energy gamma rays observed by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. We show that multi-jet searches already constrain a pseudoscalar interpretati…
We analyze interactions between dark matter and standard model particles with spin one mediators in an effective field theory framework. In this paper, we are considering dark particles masses in the range from a few MeV to the mass of the $Z$ boson. We use bounds from different experiments: $Z$ invisible decay width, relic density, direct detection experiments, and indirect detection limits from the search of gamma-ray emissions and positron fluxes. We obtain solutions corresponding to operators with antisymmetric tensor mediators that fulfill all those requirements within our approach.
The hypothesis of dark matter interacting with the standard model uniquely via the Higgs portal is severely challenged by experiments. However, if dark matter is a fermion, the Higgs-portal interaction implies the presence of mediators, which can change the phenomenology significantly. This article discusses the impact of weakly-interacting mediators on the dark-matter relic abundance, direct detection, and collider searches. At the LHC, a typical signature of Higgs-portal fermion dark matter features soft leptons and missing energy, similarly to gaugino production in models with supersymmetry…
We explore a scenario where Dark Matter (DM) couples to the Standard Model mainly via a scalar mediator ${\cal S}$ that is odd under a $Z_2$ symmetry, leading to interesting collider signatures. In fact, if linear interactions with the mediator are absent the most important DM production mechanisms at colliders could lead to final states with missing transverse energy (MET) in association with at least two fermions, such as di-jet or di-electron signatures. The framework we consider is model-independent, in a sense that it is only based on symmetry and formulated in the (extended) DM Effective…
We investigate the thermal cosmology and terrestrial and astrophysical phenomenology of a sub-GeV hadrophilic dark sector. The specific construction explored in this work features a Dirac fermion dark matter candidate interacting with a light scalar mediator that dominantly couples to the up-quark. The correct freeze-out relic abundance may be achieved via dark matter annihilation directly to hadrons or through secluded annihilation to scalar mediators. A rich and distinctive phenomenology is present in this scenario, with probes arising from precision meson decays, proton beam dump experiment…
As any $e^+e^-$ scattering process can be accompanied by a hard photon emission from the initial state radiation, the analysis of the energy spectrum and angular distributions of those photons can be used to search for hard processes with an invisible final state. Thus high energy $e^+e^-$ colliders offer a unique possibility for the most general search of dark matter (DM) based on the mono-photon signature. We consider production of DM particles at the International Linear Collider (ILC) and Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) experiments via a light mediator exchange. Detector effects are taken i…
We analyze the sensitivity of fixed-target experiments to sub-GeV thermal relic dark matter models, accounting for variations in both mediator and dark matter mass, and including dark matter production through both on- and off-shell mediators. It is commonly thought that the sensitivity of such experiments is predicated on the existence of an on-shell mediator that is produced and then decays to dark matter. While accelerators do provide a unique opportunity to probe the mediator directly, our analysis demonstrates that their sensitivity extends beyond this commonly discussed regime. In partic…
Two Higgs doublet models with an additional pseudoscalar particle coupling to the Standard Model and to a new stable, neutral particle, provide an attractive and fairly minimal route to solving the problem of Dark Matter. They have been the subject of several searches at the LHC. We study the impact of existing LHC measurements on such models, first in the benchmark regions addressed by searches and then after relaxing some of their assumptions and broadening the parameter ranges considered. In each case we study how the new parameters change the potentially visible signatures at the LHC, and …
We analyze a model with unbroken B-L gauge symmetry where neutrino masses are generated at one loop, after spontaneous breaking of a global U(1) symmetry. These symmetries ensure dark matter stability and the Diracness of neutrinos. Within this context, we examine fermionic dark matter. Consistency between the required neutrino mass and the observed relic abundance indicates dark matter masses and couplings within the reach of direct detection experiments.
We study the dark matter (DM) direct detection for the models with the effects of the isospin-violating couplings, exothermic scatterings, and/or the lightness of the mediator, proposed to relax the tension between the CDMS-Si signals and null experiments. In the light of the new updates of the LUX and CDMSlite data, we find that many of the previous proposals are now ruled out, including the Ge-phobic exothermic DM model and the Xe-phobic DM one with a light mediator. We also examine the exothermic DM models with a light mediator but without the isospin violation, and we are unable to identif…
Searches for Dark Matter at the LHC are commonly described in terms of simplified models with scalar, pseudo-scalar, vector and axial-vector mediators. In this work we explore the constraints imposed on such models from the observed Dark Matter relic abundance. We present these constraints over a range of mediator masses relevant for the LHC and for future, higher energy colliders. We additionally compute bounds from a photon line search for the decay of a pseudo-scalar mediator to di-photons that includes the mediator mass region near 750 GeV. Finally, we compare cosmological constraints with…
We consider a minimal renormalizable and gauge invariant dark matter (DM) model, in which the singlet fermion DM has only axial couplings to a new pseudoscalar mediator. The mixing between the pseudoscalar mediator and the standard model (SM) Higgs boson induces the interactions between the DM and SM particles. The DM candidate in this model can provide the correct thermal relic density and evades all direct detections, while it can produce observable signals in indirect detection experiments due to its large annihilation cross section. A comparative study for DM phenomenology at the LHC is co…
We investigate simplified models of dark matter with scalar mediators at hadron colliders using the final state topology with 2 jets and missing energy. These models can arise in a wide variety of BSM scenarios including the possibility of the mediator mixing with the Higgs. Our aim is first to determine the projected reach of the LHC and the future circular hadron collider for excluding such models. Secondly, we use the kinematic distributions to extract information on mediator masses. At the 13 TeV LHC we can probe mediator masses up to 750 GeV, and at a 100 TeV collider the reach is increas…
We search for nuclear recoil signals of dark matter models with a light mediator in PandaX-II, a direct detection experiment in China Jinping underground Laboratory. Using data collected in 2016 and 2017 runs, corresponding to a total exposure of 54 ton day, we set upper limits on the zero-momentum dark matter-nucleon cross section. These limits have a strong dependence on the mediator mass when it is comparable to or below the typical momentum transfer. We apply our results to constrain self-interacting dark matter models with a light mediator mixing with standard model particles, and set str…
We investigate the power of low-energy, high-luminosity electron--positron colliders to probe hidden sectors with a mass below ~10 GeV that couple to Standard Model particles through a light mediator. Such sectors provide well-motivated dark matter candidates, and can give rise to distinctive mono-photon signals at B-factories and similar experiments. We use data from an existing mono-photon search by BaBar to place new constraints on this class of models, and give projections for the sensitivity of a similar search at a future B-factory such as Belle II. We find that the sensitivity of such s…
In the framework of spin-0 $s$-channel simplified models, we explore the possibility of assessing the structure of dark matter interactions through the associate production of dark matter and $t\bar{t}$ pairs. To this purpose, final states with two leptons are considered and the kinematic properties of the dilepton system is studied. We develop a realistic analysis strategy and provide a detailed evaluation of the achievable sensitivity for the dark matter signal assuming integrated luminosities of $300 \, {\rm fb}^{-1}$ and $3 \, {\rm ab}^{-1}$ at the 14 TeV LHC. Furthermore, upper limits on …
We consider the possibility that the recently observed excess in the diphoton invariant mass spectrum around 750 GeV is due to two narrow scalars. We demonstrate that there is no need to introduce invisible decay modes to enlarge the widths as long as the two scalars exhibit an appropriate mass splitting. Nevertheless we investigate the possible connection of these two scalars to the dark matter in a toy model with a Majorana fermionic dark matter candidate. We explore how large the widths of the two scalar widths could be taking into account various constraints from collider and dark matter e…
The light mediator scenario of self-interacting dark matter is strongly constrained in many ways. After summarizing the various constraints, we discuss minimal options and models which allow to nevertheless satisfy all these constraints. One straightforward possibility arises if the dark matter and light mediator particles have a temperature sizably smaller than the SM particles. Another simple possibility arises if dark matter doesn't annihilate dominantly into a pair of light mediators but into heavier particles. Both possibilities are discussed with scalar as well as vector boson light medi…
We propose a spectral decomposition to systematically extract information of dark matter at hadron colliders. The differential cross section of events with missing transverse energy (MET) can be expressed by a linear combination of basis functions. In the case of $s$-channel mediator models for dark matter particle production, basis functions are identified with the differential cross sections of sub-processes of virtual mediator and visible particle production while the coefficients of basis functions correspond to dark matter invariant mass distribution in the manner of the Källén-Lehmann sp…
We examine the phenomenology of a simplified model of fermionic dark matter coupled to a light scalar mediator carrying lepton number 2. We find that the mediator can be very light and still consistent with laboratory and cosmological bounds. This model satisfies the thermal relic condition for natural values of dimensionless coupling constants and admits a mediator in the $10 - 100 ~\text{MeV}$ mass range favored by small scale structure observations. As such, this model provides an excellent candidate for self-interacting dark matter.
Many models of Beyond the Standard Model physics contain particles that are charged under both Standard Model and Hidden Valley gauge groups, yet very little effort has been put into establishing their experimental signatures. We provide a general overview of the collider phenomenology of spin 0 or 1/2 mediators with non-trivial gauge numbers under both the Standard Model and a single new confining group. Due to the possibility of many unconventional signatures, the focus is on direct production with semivisible jets. For the mediators to be able to decay, a global $U(1)$ symmetry must be brok…
A simple and elegant mechanism is proposed to resolve the problem of having a light scalar mediator for self-interacting dark matter and the resulting disruption to the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at late times by the former's enhanced Sommerfeld production and decay. The crucial idea is to have Dirac neutrinos with the conservation of U(1) lepton number extended to the dark sector. The simplest scenario consists of scalar or fermion dark matter with unit lepton number accompanied by a light scalar dilepton mediator, which decays to two neutrinos.
We consider the possibility of interpreting the recently reported diphoton excess at 750 GeV as a spin-two massive particle (such as a Kaluza-Klein graviton in warped extra-dimensions) which serves as a mediator to Dark Matter via its gravitational couplings to the dark sector and to the Standard Model (SM). We model non-universal couplings of the resonance to gauge bosons in the SM and to Dark Matter as a function on their localization in the extra dimension. We find that scalar, fermion or vector dark matter can saturate the dark matter relic density by the annihilation of dark matter into a…
We introduce a Minimal Simplified Dark Matter (MSDM) framework to quantitatively characterise dark matter (DM) searches at the LHC. We study two MSDM models where the DM is a Dirac fermion which interacts with a vector and axial-vector mediator. The models are characterised by four parameters: the DM and mediator masses, and the mediator couplings to DM and quarks. The MSDM models accurately capture the full event kinematics, and the dependence on all masses and couplings can be systematically studied. The interpretation of mono-jet searches in this framework can be used to establish an equal-…
We study a new class of renormalisable simplified models for dark matter searches at the LHC that are based on two Higgs doublet models with an additional pseudoscalar mediator. In contrast to the spin-0 simplified models employed in analyses of Run I data these models are self-consistent, unitary and bounds from Higgs physics typically pose no constraints. Predictions for various missing transverse energy ($E_{T, \rm miss}$) searches are discussed and the reach of the 13 TeV LHC is explored. It is found that the proposed models provide a rich spectrum of complementary observables that lead to…
We consider associated production of dark matter with single top quark, in a simplified dark matter model with spin-0 mediators. The produced top quark is polarized and the polarization depends on the CP of the mediator. We calculate both the cross-section and top polarization for these processes. We compute angular asymmetries which demonstrate the difference between the polarization expected for the scalar or pseudoscalar mediator. Both the cross section and top polarization are sensitive to the CP property of the mediator, depending on the mediator mass. We find that these polarization asym…
We study dark matter freeze-in scenarios where the mass of the mediator particle that couples dark matter to the Standard Model is larger than the reheat temperature, TRH, in the early Universe. In such setups, the standard approach is to work with an effective field theory (EFT) where the mediator is integrated out. We examine the validity of this approach in various generic s- and t-channel mediator frameworks. We find that the EFT approach breaks down when the mediator mass is between one to two orders of magnitude larger than TRH due to various effects such as s-channel resonance, a small …
Dark matter (DM) direct detections are investigated for models with the following properties: isospin-violating couplings, exothermic scatterings, and/or a light mediator, with the aim to reduce the tension between the CDMS-Si positive signals and other negative searches. In particular, we focus on the non-standard effective operators which could lead to the spin-independent DM-nucleus scatterings with non-trivial dependences on the transfer momentum or DM velocity. As a result, such effective operator choices have the very mild effects on the final fittings. Furthermore, by including the late…
If dark matter (DM) is a fermion and its interactions with the standard model particles are mediated by pseudoscalar particles, the tree-level amplitude for the DM-nucleon elastic scattering is suppressed by the momentum transfer in the non-relativistic limit. At the loop level, on the other hand, the spin-independent contribution to the cross section appears without such suppression. Thus, the loop corrections are essential to discuss the sensitivities of the direct detection experiments for the model prediction. The one-loop corrections were investigated in the previous works. However, the t…
We study a renormalizable scalar singlet dark matter model based on $Z_4$ lepton flavor symmetry. A $μτ$-philic scalar doublet is introduced to explain the discrepancy between the experimental value and the theoretical prediction of the muon anomalous magnetic moment. At the same time, these flavored scalars play the role of a mediator which connects dark matter and standard model particles. The observed relic abundance of the dark matter is easily maintained while satisfying the current severe constraints on the dark matter from various experiments and observations thanks to the flavor off-di…
New Z' gauge bosons arise in many extensions of the Standard Model and predict resonances in the dilepton invariant mass spectrum. Searches for such resonances therefore provide important constraints on many models of new physics, but the resulting bounds are often calculated without interference effects. In this work we show that the effect of interference is significant and cannot be neglected whenever the Z' width is large (for example because of an invisible contribution). To illustrate this point, we implement and validate the most recent 139 fb$^{-1}$ dilepton search from ATLAS and obtai…
Minimal scenarios with light (sub-GeV) dark matter whose relic density is obtained from thermal freeze-out must include new light mediators. In particular, a very well-motivated case is that of a new "dark" massive vector gauge boson mediator. The mass term for such mediator is most naturally obtained by a "dark Higgs mechanism" which leads to the presence of an often long-lived dark Higgs boson whose mass scale is the same as that of the mediator. We study the phenomenology and experimental constraints on two minimal, self-consistent dark sectors that include such a light dark Higgs boson. In…
Weakly-coupled TeV-scale particles may mediate the interactions between normal matter and dark matter. If so, the LHC would produce dark matter through these mediators, leading to the familiar "mono-X" search signatures, but the mediators would also produce signals without missing momentum via the same vertices involved in their production. This document from the LHC Dark Matter Working Group suggests how to compare searches for these two types of signals in case of vector and axial-vector mediators, based on a workshop that took place on September 19/20, 2016 and subsequent discussions. These…
We study the phenomenology of singlet Dirac fermion dark matter in the simplified models where the dark matter interacts with the Standard Model particles at loop-level with the help of either colored or non-colored mediators. We especially focus on the implications of non-zero CP phases in the dark sector, which induce the electric dipole moments of the Dirac fermion dark matter as well as those of electron and nucleon. It is then found that the dark matter direct detection searches and the measurements of the electric dipole moments are able to test the singlet Dirac fermion dark matter scen…
High energy e$^+$e$^-$ colliders offer unique possibility for the most general dark matter search based on the mono-photon signature. Analysis of the energy spectrum and angular distributions of photons from the initial state radiation can be used to search for hard processes with invisible final state production. Most studies in the past focused on scenarios assuming heavy mediator exchange. We notice however, that scenarios with light mediator exchange are still not excluded by existing experimental data, if the mediator coupling to Standard Model particles is very small. We proposed a novel…
We consider simplified dark matter models where a dark matter candidate couples to the standard model (SM) particles via an $s$-channel spin-2 mediator, and study constraints on the model parameter space from the current LHC data. Our focus lies on the complementarity among different searches, in particular monojet and multijet plus missing energy searches and resonance searches. For universal couplings of the mediator to SM particles, missing-energy searches can give stronger constraints than $WW$, $ZZ$, dijet, dihiggs, $t\bar t$, $b\bar b$ resonance searches in the low-mass region and/or whe…
We discuss universal signals of consistent models of pseudoscalar mediators for collider searches for Dark Matter. Keeping only the degrees of freedom that can not be decoupled due to consistency conditions, we present a universality class of simplified models with pseudoscalar mediators and renormalizable couplings to Standard Model fields. We compute stability and perturbativity constraints, constraints from electroweak precision measurements, collider searches for new heavy particles as well as constraints from relic density measurements and indirect detection experiments searching for sign…
We consider models where a massive spin-two resonance acts as the mediator between Dark Matter (DM) and the SM particles through the energy-momentum tensor. We examine the effective theory for fermion, vector and scalar DM generated in these models and find novel types of DM-SM interaction never considered before. We identify the effective interactions between DM and the SM quarks when the mediator is integrated out, and match them to the gravitational form factors relevant for spin-independent DM-nucleon scattering. We also discuss the interplay between DM relic density conditions, direct det…
