Dark matter origins of neutrino masses

TL;DR

This paper presents a model linking dark matter and neutrino masses, where dark matter interactions induce neutrino masses and relate their scales, suggesting dark matter is around MeV and the interaction scale is GeV.

Contribution

It introduces a simple scenario connecting dark matter properties with neutrino mass generation through a radiative mechanism and constructs an ultraviolet-complete model based on the inverse seesaw.

Findings

Dark matter mass estimated at MeV scale.

Interaction scale Λ around GeV.

Neutrino mass generated radiatively.

Abstract

We propose a simple scenario that directly connects the dark matter (DM) and neutrino mass scales. Based on an interaction between the DM particle $\chi$ and the neutrino $\nu$ of the form $\chi\chi\nu\nu/\Lambda^2$, the DM annihilation cross section into the neutrino is determined and a neutrino mass is radiatively induced. Using the observed neutrino mass scale and the DM relic density, the DM mass and the effective scale $\Lambda$ are found to be of the order MeV and GeV, respectively. We construct an ultraviolet-complete toy model based on the inverse seesaw mechanism which realizes this potential connection between DM and neutrino physics.