Mirror dark matter interpretations of the DAMA, CoGeNT and CRESST-II data

TL;DR

This paper proposes that mirror dark matter, interacting via kinetic mixing, can simultaneously explain signals from DAMA, CoGeNT, and CRESST-II experiments, consistent with other constraints.

Contribution

It demonstrates that mirror dark matter can account for multiple experimental signals simultaneously within a specific velocity and mass range.

Findings

Mirror dark matter explains DAMA, CoGeNT, and CRESST-II data.

The model is consistent with other constraints when considering energy scale uncertainties.

A heavy mirror metal component, like Fe', fits the data under certain galactic velocities.

Abstract

The CRESST-II collaboration have announced evidence for the direct detection of dark matter in 730 kg-days exposure of a CaWO$_4$ target. We examine these new results, along with DAMA and CoGeNT data, in the context of the mirror dark matter framework. We show that all three experiments can be simultaneously explained via kinetic mixing induced elastic scattering of a mirror metal component off target nuclei. This metal component can be as heavy as Fe$'$ if the galactic rotational velocity is relatively low: $v_{rot} \stackrel{<}{\sim} 220$ km/s. This explanation is consistent with the constraints from the other experiments, such as CDMS/Ge, CDMS/Si and XENON100 when modest $\sim 20-30%$ uncertainties in energy scale are considered.