Dark matter direct detection in the MSSM with heavy scalars

TL;DR

This paper investigates the potential for detecting neutralino dark matter in the MSSM with heavy scalars using a Xenon-like experiment, analyzing parameter space and prospects for constraining model parameters.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of dark matter detection prospects in a specific MSSM scenario with heavy scalars, including parameter reconstruction and constraints.

Findings

A significant portion of the parameter space can be probed or excluded.

Detection of a WIMP allows for mass and cross-section reconstruction.

Strong constraints on gaugino and higgsino parameters can be achieved.

Abstract

We explore the dark matter detection prospects in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model in the scenario where the scalar partners of the fermions and the Higgs particles (except for the Standard-Model-like one) are assumed to be very heavy and are removed from the low-energy spectrum. We analyse the neutralino LSP ($\chi_1^0$) in scenarios where the gaugino mass parameters are universal at the GUT scale and also the case where they are non-universal. This analysis is carried out in the framework of a Xenon-like 100 kg experiment. In general, an important fraction of the parameter space giving rise to the dark matter relic density measured by WMAP can be probed and excluded in the case of not detecting any WIMP. In the opposite case, once a WIMP signal has been found, we show that for a light $\chi_1^0$ which is a higgsino-gaugino mixture it is possible to reconstruct efficiently the mass and the scattering cross-section of the neutralino LSP. Moreover, we show that it is also feasible to put strong constraints over some of the parameters of the Lagrangian, e.g. the higgsino and the gaugino mass parameters.