Assisted freeze-out

TL;DR

This paper investigates a dark matter model with two candidates, where only one interacts with standard matter, and the other assists in thermalization, leading to reduced direct detection signals.

Contribution

It introduces a novel two-component dark matter model where one candidate aids thermalization of the other, impacting detection prospects.

Findings

Only one dark matter candidate elastically scatters with nuclei.

The model predicts a suppressed direct detection rate.

Both particles contribute to the relic density.

Abstract

We explore a class of dark matter models with two dark matter candidates, only one interacts with the standard model sector. One of the dark matter is thermalized with the assistance of the other stable particle. While both stable particles contribute to the total relic density only one can elastically scatter with nuclei, thus effectively reducing the direct detection rate.