Accidental Composite Dark Matter

TL;DR

This paper constructs models of composite dark matter arising from new confining gauge forces, exploring their phenomenology, detection prospects, and distinctive features based on gauge group choices.

Contribution

It introduces a classification of composite dark matter models based on SU(N) and SO(N) gauge theories, analyzing their unique phenomenological signatures.

Findings

SU(N) models predict complex DM with electric/magnetic dipole moments.

SO(N) models produce real DM with challenging detection signatures.

Models with Yukawa couplings enable Higgs-mediated direct detection and electron EDM predictions.

Abstract

We build models where Dark Matter candidates arise as composite states of a new confining gauge force, stable thanks to accidental symmetries. Restricting to renormalizable theories compatible with SU(5) unification, we find 13 models based on SU(N) gauge theories and 9 based on SO(N). We also describe other models that require non-renormalizable interactions. The two gauge groups lead to distinctive phenomenologies: SU(N) theories give complex DM, with potentially observable electric and magnetic dipole moments that lead to peculiar spin-independent cross sections; SO(N) theories give real DM, with challenging spin-dependent cross sections or inelastic scatterings. Models with Yukawa couplings also give rise to spin-independent direct detection mediated by the Higgs boson and to electric dipole moments for the electron. In some models DM has higher spin. Each model predicts a specific set of lighter composite scalars, possibly observable at colliders.