Connections between the Seesaw and Dark Matter Searches

TL;DR

This paper explores the connection between neutrino mass generation via the seesaw mechanism and dark matter properties, highlighting how their interplay influences dark matter annihilation and detection prospects.

Contribution

It introduces a novel link between the seesaw mechanism and dark matter annihilation channels involving Majorons, impacting dark matter search strategies.

Findings

Dark matter can annihilate into Majorons near the electroweak scale.

The seesaw scale influences dark matter relic density and detection signals.

Interplay affects the interpretation of dark matter search results.

Abstract

In some dark matter models, the coupling of the dark matter particle to the standard model Higgs determines the dark matter relic density while it is also consistent with dark matter direct detection experiments. On the other hand, the seesaw for generating the neutrino masses probably arises from a spontaneous symmetry breaking of global lepton number. The dark matter particle thus can significantly annihilate into massless Majorons when the lepton number breaking scale and hence the seesaw scale is near the electroweak scale. This leads to an interesting interplay between neutrino physics and dark matter physics and the annihilation mode has an interesting implication on dark matter searches.