Dark Matter in the Coming Decade: Complementary Paths to Discovery and Beyond

TL;DR

This paper reviews four main approaches to dark matter detection—direct, indirect, collider, and astrophysical—highlighting their complementarities and emphasizing the need for a diverse, balanced research program.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive summary of current dark matter search strategies and quantitatively illustrates their complementarity within simple theoretical models.

Findings

Different detection methods are highly complementary.

A balanced approach enhances discovery potential.

Diversity of candidates necessitates multiple search strategies.

Abstract

In this report we summarize the many dark matter searches currently being pursued through four complementary approaches: direct detection, indirect detection, collider experiments, and astrophysical probes. The essential features of broad classes of experiments are described, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The complementarity of the different dark matter searches is discussed qualitatively and illustrated quantitatively in two simple theoretical frameworks. Our primary conclusion is that the diversity of possible dark matter candidates requires a balanced program drawing from all four approaches.