# Dark-matter-nucleus scattering in chiral effective field theory

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how chiral effective field theory models the interaction of dark matter with nuclei, incorporating nuclear responses and two-body currents to improve detection constraints and candidate discrimination.

## Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of applying chiral effective field theory to dark matter-nucleus scattering, emphasizing recent developments and applications.

## Key findings

- Inclusion of two-body currents enhances nuclear response accuracy.
- Chiral EFT constrains dark matter interaction models.
- Limits on Higgs-portal dark matter are derived.

## Abstract

Chiral effective field theory allows one to calculate the response of few-nucleon systems to external currents, both for currents that can be probed in the Standard Model and ones that only exist in Standard-Model extensions. In combination with state-of-the-art many-body methods, the constraints from chiral symmetry can then be implemented in nuclear structure factors that describe the response of atomic nuclei in direct-detection searches for dark matter. We review the present status of this approach, including the role of coherently enhanced two-body currents, the discrimination of dark matter candidates based on the nuclear response functions, and limits on Higgs-portal dark matter.