Strong Constraints on Sub-GeV Dark Matter from SLAC Beam Dump E137

TL;DR

This paper uses data from the SLAC E137 beam dump experiment to set new constraints on sub-GeV dark matter and dark photons, impacting models explaining the muon g-2 anomaly and dark matter relic density.

Contribution

It provides the first analysis of E137 data for sub-GeV dark matter constraints, demonstrating the experiment's sensitivity and potential for future searches.

Findings

E137 constrains dark photon parameter space relevant to muon g-2

Limits dark matter models with thermal relic density

Proves background control in beam dump experiments

Abstract

We present new constraints on sub-GeV dark matter and dark photons from the electron beam-dump experiment E137 conducted at SLAC in 1980-1982. Dark matter interacting with electrons (e.g., via a dark photon) could have been produced in the electron-target collisions and scattered off electrons in the E137 detector, producing the striking, zero-background signature of a high-energy electromagnetic shower that points back to the beam dump. E137 probes new and significant ranges of parameter space, and constrains the well-motivated possibility that invisibly decaying dark photons can explain the $\sim 3.6 \sigma$ discrepancy between the measured and SM value of the muon anomalous magnetic moment. It also restricts the parameter space in which the relic density of dark matter in these models is obtained from thermal freeze-out. E137 also convincingly demonstrates that (cosmic) backgrounds can be controlled and thus serves as a powerful proof-of-principle for future beam-dump searches for sub-GeV dark matter scattering off electrons in the detector.