Disformal scalars as dark matter candidates: Branon phenomenology

TL;DR

Disformal scalars, arising in theories like brane-world models, are studied as potential dark matter candidates with distinctive collider and astrophysical signatures, emphasizing their stability and phenomenology.

Contribution

This paper reviews the phenomenology of disformal scalars, especially branons, as dark matter candidates, highlighting their signatures and stability mechanisms.

Findings

Disformal scalars can produce measurable collider signatures.

Symmetries may ensure their stability as dark matter.

Branons are natural disformal scalar candidates in brane-world models.

Abstract

Scalar particles coupled to the Standard Model fields through a disformal coupling arise in different theories, such as massive gravity or brane-world models. We will review the main phenomenology associated with such particles. Distinctive disformal signatures could be measured at colliders and with astrophysical observations. The phenomenological relevance of the disformal coupling demands the introduction of a set of symmetries, which may ensure the stability of these new degrees of freedom. In such a case, they constitute natural dark matter candidates since they are generally massive and weakly coupled. We will illustrate these ideas by paying particular attention to the branon case, since these questions arise naturally in brane-world models with low tension, where they were first discussed.