Cross-sections and experimental signatures for detection of a well-defined dark matter WIMP

Europhysics Letters (EPL) · 2025-08-01

Abstract We report the following calculations for a recently proposed bosonic dark matter WIMP with well-defined interactions: 1) the mass as determined by fitting to the relic abundance; 2) the current annihilation cross-section for indirect detection; 3) cross-sections for pair production accompanied by jets in proton colliders with center-of-mass energies ranging from 13 to 100 TeV; 4) for the high-luminosity LHC, and planned 100 TeV proton collider, detailed plots of experimentally accessible quantities before and after optimal cuts; 5) cross-sections, and plots of experimentally accessible quantities, for production in or muon colliders with center-of-mass energies up to 10 TeV; 6) cross-section per nucleon for direct detection. The conclusions are given in the text, including the principal prediction that (with optimal cuts) this particle should be detectable at the high-luminosity LHC, perhaps after only two years with an integrated luminosity of 500 fb −1 .

The sounds of science—a symphony for many instruments and voices: part II

Physica Scripta · 2024-04-15 · 2 citations

Abstract Despite its amazing quantitative successes and contributions to revolutionary technologies, physics currently faces many unsolved mysteries ranging from the meaning of quantum mechanics to the nature of the dark energy that will determine the future of the Universe. It is clearly prohibitive for the general reader, and even the best informed physicists, to follow the vast number of technical papers published in the thousands of specialized journals. For this reason, we have asked the leading experts across many of the most important areas of physics to summarise their global assessment of some of the most important issues. In lieu of an extremely long abstract summarising the contents, we invite the reader to look at the section headings and their authors, and then to indulge in a feast of stimulating topics spanning the current frontiers of fundamental physics from ‘The Future of Physics’ by William D Phillips and ‘What characterises topological effects in physics?’ by Gerard ’t Hooft through the contributions of the widest imaginable range of world leaders in their respective areas. This paper is presented as a preface to exciting developments by senior and young scientists in the years that lie ahead, and a complement to the less authoritative popular accounts by journalists.

The cosmological constant, dark matter, supersymmetry, and other unsolved problems from a fresh perspective

arXiv (Cornell University) · 2023-02-08

Quantum theory, general relativity, the standard model of particle physics, and the $Λ$CDM model of cosmology have all been spectacularly successful within their respective regimes of applicability, but each of these descriptions also has clear limitations. Here we propose a fundamental theory which (like string theory) is based on higher dimensions (with an internal space), a form of supersymmetry, important topological structures, and the implication of a multiverse. Our universe is the product of two vortex-like (or instanton-like) field configurations -- one in 4-dimensional external spacetime, with the big bang at its origin, and the other in a 10-dimensional internal space, which automatically yields an $SO(10)$ grand-unified gauge theory. Lorentz invariance requires a breaking of the initial primitive supersymmetry, as the initial (unphysical) bosonic fields are modified and combined to from physical fields. There is then a new interpretation of all scalar boson sectors -- including but extending the Higgs and sfermion sectors. This last feature predicts a novel dark matter WIMP with no (nongravitational) interactions except second-order gauge couplings to $W$ and $Z$ bosons. Calculations and estimates of the relevant cross-sections for this particle demonstrate that (1)~it may be detectable within the next few years in Xe-based direct-detection experiments, (2)~it may be observable within about 15 years at the high-luminosity LHC, and (3)~it may already have been detected in the gamma rays observed by Fermi-LAT and antiprotons observed by AMS-02. The reinterpretation of scalar boson fields also implies a new phenomenology for sfermions, with reduced cross-sections. There is then a unified picture which may explain why dark matter WIMPs and electroweak-scale sparticles have not yet been detected.

Potential for Definitive Discovery of a 70 GeV Dark Matter WIMP with Only Second-Order Gauge Couplings

Letters in High Energy Physics · 2023-01-01 · 2 citations

As astronomical observations and their interpretation improve, the case for cold dark matter (CDM) becomes increasingly persuasive.A particularly appealing version of CDM is a weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) with a mass near the electroweak scale, which can naturally have the observed relic abundance after annihilation in the early universe.But in order for a WIMP to be consistent with the currently stringent experimental constraints it must have relatively small cross-sections for indirect, direct, and collider detection.Using our calculations and estimates of these cross-sections, we discuss the potential for discovery of a recently proposed dark matter WIMP which has a mass of about 70 GeV/c 2 and only second-order couplings to W and Z bosons.There is evidence that indirect detection may already have been achieved, since analyses of the gamma rays detected by Fermi-LAT and the antiprotons observed by AMS-02 are consistent with 70 GeV dark matter having our calculated ann v 1.2 10 -26 cm 3 /s.The estimated sensitivities for LZ and XENONnT indicate that these experiments may achieve direct detection within the next few years, since we estimate the relevant cross-section to be slightly above 10 -48 cm 2 .Other experiments such as PandaX, SuperCDMS, and especially DARWIN should be able to confirm on a longer time scale.The high-luminosity LHC might achieve collider detection within about 15 years, since we estimate a collider cross-section slightly below 1 femtobarn.Definitive confirmation should come from still more powerful planned collider experiments (such as a future circular collider) within 15-35 years.

Experimental signatures of an alternative supersymmetry

arXiv (Cornell University) · 2023-07-09

There are at least three physical arguments for some form of supersymmetry, based on experiment and observation, but conventional supersymmetry (SUSY) has not been observed up to surprisingly high experimental limits. Here we consider a radically different version, with initial bosonic fields in $32=16+\overline{16}$ (primitive sfermion) and $10=5+\overline{5}$ (primitive Higgs-related) representations of Spin(10) which do not satisfy Lorentz invariance. In the extremely early universe there is a reformation of these fields to achieve a stable Lorentz-invariant vacuum with two varieties of physical scalar-boson fields -- standard fields $ϕ$ and fields $φ$ of a new kind. There are then two possible scenarios: If sfermion fields are in the $ϕ$ sector, the present description leads back to standard physics, including the standard model, SO(10) grand unification, and conventional SUSY. But if sfermion fields belong to the $φ$ sector, the predictions for production and decays of sparticles are dramatically different, potentially explaining their previous nonobservation. The masses of scalar bosons are still protected from enormous radiative corrections, gauge unification can be achieved, and there is a lowest-mass superpartner as a dark matter candidate -- although it is presumed to be less abundant than the $\approx 70$ GeV candidate we introduced earlier in this same general context. Calculations by Shankar, Tallman, and Martinez in separate papers explore the possibilities for detection in future colliders, beginning with the high-luminosity LHC.

Potential for definitive discovery of a 70 GeV dark matter WIMP with only second-order gauge couplings

arXiv (Cornell University) · 2022-10-24

As astronomical observations and their interpretation improve, the case for cold dark matter (CDM) becomes increasingly persuasive. A particularly appealing version of CDM is a weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) with a mass near the electroweak scale, which can naturally have the observed relic abundance after annihilation in the early universe. But in order for a WIMP to be consistent with the currently stringent experimental constraints it must have relatively small cross-sections for indirect, direct, and collider detection. Using our calculations and estimates of these cross-sections, we discuss the potential for discovery of a recently proposed dark matter WIMP which has a mass of about 70 GeV/c$^2$ and only second-order couplings to W and Z bosons. There is evidence that indirect detection may already have been achieved, since analyses of the gamma rays detected by Fermi-LAT and the antiprotons observed by AMS-02 are consistent with 70 GeV dark matter having our calculated $\langle σ_{ann} v \rangle \approx 1.2 \times 10^{-26} $ cm$^3$/s. The estimated sensitivities for LZ and XENONnT indicate that these experiments may achieve direct detection within the next few years, since we estimate the relevant cross-section to be slightly above $10^{-48}$ cm$^2$. Other experiments such as PandaX, SuperCDMS, and especially DARWIN should be able to confirm on a longer time scale. The high-luminosity LHC might achieve collider detection within about 15 years, since we estimate a collider cross-section slightly below 1 femtobarn. Definitive confirmation should come from still more powerful planned collider experiments (such as a future circular collider) within 15-35 years.

Indirect detection, direct detection, and collider detection cross-sections for a 70 GeV dark matter WIMP

arXiv (Cornell University) · 2022-10-08

Assuming a dark matter fraction $Ω_{DM} = 0.27$ and a reduced Hubble constant $h = 0.73$, we obtain a value of 70 GeV/c$^2$ for the mass of the dark matter WIMP we have previously proposed. We also obtain a value for the annihilation cross section given by $\langle σ_{ann} v \rangle = 1.19 \times 10^{-26} $ cm$^3$/s in the present universe, consistent with the current limits for dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Both the mass and cross-section are consistent with analyses of the Galactic-center gamma rays observed by Fermi-LAT and the antiprotons observed by AMS-02 if these data are interpreted as resulting from dark matter annihilation. The spin-independent cross-section for direct detection in Xe-based experiments is estimated to be slightly above $10^{-48}$ cm$^2$, presumably just within reach of the LZ and XENONnT experiments with $\gtrsim 1000$ days of data taking. The cross-section for production in high-energy proton collisions via vector boson fusion is estimated to be $\sim 1$ femtobarn, possibly within reach of the high-luminosity LHC, with $\ge 140$ GeV of missing energy accompanied by two jets.

Indirect detection, direct detection, and collider detection cross-sections for a 70 GeV dark matter WIMP

Proceedings of 41st International Conference on High Energy physics — PoS(ICHEP2022) · 2022-10-14

Assuming a dark matter fraction $\Omega_{DM} = 0.27$ and a reduced Hubble constant $h = 0.73$, we obtain a value of 70 GeV/c$^2$ for the mass of the dark matter WIMP we have previously proposed. We also obtain a value for the annihilation cross section given by $\langle \sigma_{ann} v \rangle = 1.19 \times 10^{-26} $ cm$^3$/s in the present universe, consistent with the current limits for dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Both the mass and cross-section are consistent with analyses of the Galactic-center gamma rays observed by Fermi-LAT and the antiprotons observed by AMS-02 if these data are interpreted as resulting from dark matter annihilation. The spin-independent cross-section for direct detection in Xe-based experiments is estimated to be slightly above $10^{-48}$ cm$^2$, presumably just within reach of the LZ and XENONnT experiments with $\gtrsim 1000$ days of data taking. The cross-section for production in high-energy proton collisions via vector boson fusion is estimated to be $\sim 1$ femtobarn, possibly within reach of the high-luminosity LHC, with $\ge 140$ GeV of missing energy accompanied by two jets.

Toward a physics description of consciousness

The European Physical Journal Special Topics · 2021 · 2 citations

• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Cognitive science

Present and potential future experimental evidence supporting a multicomponent dark matter scenario

The European Physical Journal Special Topics · 2021-04-12