Dark side of the Seesaw

TL;DR

This paper proposes a model linking neutrino masses and dark matter via a scalar mediator, predicting the seesaw scale and ensuring dark matter stability through symmetry breaking.

Contribution

It introduces a novel framework connecting neutrino mass generation and dark matter stability using a scalar mediator and discrete symmetry breaking.

Findings

Predicts the heavy seesaw scale based on neutrino and dark matter constraints.

Establishes a generic methodology applicable to other neutrino and dark matter models.

Demonstrates the role of symmetry breaking in stabilizing dark matter.

Abstract

In an attempt to unfold (if any) a possible connection between two apparently uncorrelated sectors, namely neutrino and dark matter, we consider the type-I seesaw and a fermion singlet dark matter to start with. Our construction suggests that there exists a scalar field mediator between these two sectors whose vacuum expectation value not only generates the mass of the dark matter, but also takes part in the neutrino mass generation. While the choice of $Z_4$ symmetry allows us to establish the framework, the vacuum expectation value of the mediator field breaks $Z_4$ to a remnant $Z_2$, that is responsible to keep dark matter stable. Therefore, the observed light neutrino masses and relic abundance constraint on the dark matter, allows us to predict the heavy seesaw scale as illustrated in this paper.The methodology to connect dark matter and neutrino sector, as introduced here, is a generic one and can be applied to other possible neutrino mass generation mechanism and different dark matter candidate(s).