Direct detection and solar capture of spin-dependent dark matter

TL;DR

This paper explores how different spin-dependent operators affect the detection of WIMPs through direct methods and solar capture, highlighting the importance of operator choice and mediator mass in detection efficiency.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of six SD operators and their impact on direct and indirect WIMP detection strategies, including neutrino experiments.

Findings

Detection efficiency varies with SD operators.

Neutrino detection is more effective for massless mediators.

Upper limits on WIMP-nucleon couplings are established.

Abstract

We investigate the implication of different spin-dependent (SD) operators on both the direct and indirect detections of the Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP). Six representative building blocks of SD operators, together with their counterparts with a massless mediator are considered to interpret the direct detection experiments(Xenon100, SIMPLE, and COUPP) in a comprehensive way. We also study the solar capture and annihilation of WIMPs with these effective SD operators and place the constraints on the relevant annihilation rate from neutrino detection experiments Super-Kamionkande and IceCube. Upper limits on the WIMP-nucleon couplings drawn from direct detections are also projected to the annihilation rate for contrast and complementarity. We find that the efficiency of these mentioned detection strategies depends specifically on the six SD operators, while the neutrino-based detections are more effective in exploring the parameter space for the massless mediator scenario.