English

Even SIMP miracles are possible

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology 2024-07-16 v2 High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Abstract

Strongly interacting massive particles π\pi have been advocated as prominent dark matter candidates when they regulate their relic abundance through odd-numbered 3π2π3 \pi \to2\pi annihilation. We show that successful freeze-out may also be achieved through even-numbered interactions XXππX X \to \pi \pi once bound states XX among the particles of the low-energy spectrum exist. In addition, XX-formation hosts the potential of also catalyzing odd-numbered 3π2π3 \pi \to2\pi annihilation processes, turning them into effective two-body processes πXππ\pi X \to \pi\pi. Bound states are often a natural consequence of strongly interacting theories. We calculate the dark matter freeze-out and comment on the cosmic viability and possible extensions. Candidate theories can encompass confining sectors without a mass gap, glueball dark matter, or ϕ3\phi^3 and ϕ4\phi^4 theories with strong Yukawa or self-interactions.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2401.12283,
  title  = {Even SIMP miracles are possible},
  author = {Xiaoyong Chu and Marco Nikolic and Josef Pradler},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2401.12283},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

6 pages (+ 11 pages supplementary materials), full parameter scan included, to match the published version

R2 v1 2026-06-28T14:24:00.496Z