Related papers: Surveying the theory space of pion dark matter
We present a model of self-interacting dark matter based on QCD-like theories and inspired by the proximity of $a_0(980\pm 20)$ to the $K\bar{K}(990)$ threshold. Dark matter is comprised of dark pions which self-scatter via the $\sigma$…
Dark mesons are bosonic composites of a new, strongly-coupled sector beyond the Standard Model. We consider several dark sectors with fermions that transform under the electroweak group, as arise from a variety of models including…
A dark matter model based on QCD-like $SU(N_c)$ gauge theory with electroweakly interacting dark quarks is discussed. Assuming the dark quark mass $m$ is smaller than the dynamical scale $\Lambda_d \sim 4\pi f_d$, the main component of the…
QCD-like theories are of interest in various areas of beyond-Standard-Model phenomenology, including composite Higgs models or pionic dark matter. The effective field theories provide a framework for describing the dynamics of such strongly…
QCD-like theories in which the dark matter (DM) of the Universe is hypothesized to be a thermal relic in the form of a dark pion has been extensively investigated, with most studies neglecting the CP-violating $\theta$-angle associated with…
We explore the phenomenology of a QCD-like dark sector which confines around the GeV scale. The dark sector inherits a flavour structure from a coupling between dark quarks and SM quarks via a heavy mediator, which leads to exciting new…
We present a minimal composite dark matter model, based on a $SU(N_d)$ dark sector with $n_f$ dark quarks and a heavy t-channel mediator. For $n_f\geq 4$, the dark flavor symmetry guarantees the stability of a subset of the dark pions,…
We point out that a QCD-like dark sector can be coupled to the Standard Model by gauging the topological Skyrme current, which measures the dark baryon number in the infrared, to give a technically natural model for dark matter. This…
We investigate the phenomenological viability of a recently proposed class of composite dark matter models where the relic density is determined by 3 to 2 number-changing processes in the dark sector. Here the pions of the strongly…
A new, strongly-coupled dark sector could be accessible to LHC searches now. These dark sectors consist of composites formed from constituents that are charged under the electroweak group and interact with the Higgs, but are neutral under…
An interesting possibility for dark matter is a scalar particle of mass of order 10 MeV-1 GeV, interacting with a U(1) gauge boson (dark photon) which mixes with the photon. We present a simple and natural model realizing this possibility.…
The stable hadronic bound states in a hidden new non-Abelian gauge sector provide interesting candidates for strongly-interacting Dark Matter (DM). A particular example are theories in which DM is made up of dark pions which set the DM…
We study a composite millicharged dark matter model. The dark matter is in the form of pion-like objects emerging from a higher scale QCD-like theory. We present two distinct possibilities with interesting phenomenological consequences…
Pions of a dark sector gauge group can be strongly interacting massive particle (SIMP) dark matter, produced by the freeze-out of $3 \to 2$ interactions, with naturally large self-interactions. We study if adding a dark photon to the set-up…
A hidden strongly-interacting sector is a possible candidate for dark matter. One scenario consistent with astrophysical constraints is a QCD-like theory with gauge group Sp(4) and two fundamental non-degenerate fermions. We report…
We present a simple and natural dark sector model in which dark matter particles arise as composite states of hidden strong dynamics and their stability is ensured by accidental symmetries. The model has only a few free parameters. In…
We propose a comprehensive theory of dark matter that explains the recent proliferation of unexpected observations in high-energy astrophysics. Cosmic ray spectra from ATIC and PAMELA require a WIMP with mass M_chi ~ 500 - 800 GeV that…
A variety of strong and electroweak interaction properties of the pion and the light scalar sigma meson are computed in a relativistic quark model. Under the assumption that the resulting coupling of these mesons to the constituent quarks…
Analyzes of astrophysical data provide first hints on the self-interactions of dark matter at low energies. Lattice calculations of dark matter theories can be used to investigate them, especially in the case of strongly-interacting dark…
We consider a dark sector with $SU(3)_C \times U(1)_Y \times U(1)_X$ and three families of dark fermions that are chiral under dark $U(1)_X$ gauge symmetry, whereas scalar dark matter $X$ is the SM singlet. $U(1)_X$ dark symmetry is…