Non-Abelian gauge fields as dark matter

TL;DR

This paper explores how non-Abelian SU(N) gauge fields can serve as stable, multi-component dark matter candidates through Higgs portal interactions, satisfying detection and relic abundance constraints.

Contribution

It introduces a minimal CP-conserving hidden Higgs sector leading to stable massive gauge fields as dark matter, expanding the understanding of non-Abelian gauge fields in cosmology.

Findings

Stable vector dark matter arises naturally from SU(N) symmetries.

Multi-component dark matter for N>2 with degenerate states.

Parameter space exists satisfying detection and relic constraints.

Abstract

SU(N) Lie algebras possess discrete symmetries which can lead naturally to stable vector dark matter (DM). In this work, we consider the possibility that the dark SU(N) sector couples to the visible sector through the Higgs portal. We find that minimal CP-conserving hidden `Higgs sectors' entail stable massive gauge fields which fall into the WIMP category of dark matter candidates. For SU(N), N>2, DM consists of three components, two of which are degenerate in mass. In all of the cases, there are substantial regions of parameter space where the direct and indirect detection as well as relic abundance constraints are satisfied.