Connection between a possible fifth force and the direct detection of Dark Matter

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical link between a potential fifth force in the dark sector and its implications for direct dark matter detection, showing that strong experimental limits significantly constrain possible interactions.

Contribution

It demonstrates how existing fifth force constraints in the visible sector limit the dark matter detection cross section and the strength of a hypothetical dark sector fifth force.

Findings

Direct detection cross section must be less than ~10^{-55} cm^2 if the dark fifth force is gravity-like.

Constraints on anomalous acceleration towards dark matter are tighter than 10^{-8}.

Strong experimental limits restrict the parameter space for dark sector fifth forces.

Abstract

If there is a fifth force in the dark sector and dark sector particles interact non-gravitationally with ordinary matter, quantum corrections generically lead to a fifth force in the visible sector. We show how the strong experimental limits on fifth forces in the visible sector constrain the direct detection cross section, and the strength of the fifth force in the dark sector. If the latter is comparable to gravity, the spin-independent direct detection cross section must typically be <~ 10^{-55} cm^2. The anomalous acceleration of ordinary matter falling towards dark matter is also constrained: \eta_{OM-DM} <~ 10^{-8}.