Strong dynamics and dark matter: investigating a minimal setup

TL;DR

This paper explores a minimal dark matter model involving a real scalar and a heavy quark, highlighting the importance of QCD corrections for various detection methods and showing much of the parameter space remains unconstrained.

Contribution

It introduces a simplified composite dark matter model with a scalar and heavy quark, emphasizing QCD corrections in phenomenological predictions.

Findings

QCD corrections significantly affect collider and dark matter search predictions.

Large parts of the model parameter space are still unconstrained.

The scalar serves as a viable dark matter candidate.

Abstract

We discuss the phenomenology of a dark matter scenario in which we extend the Standard Model by a real scalar particle and a vector-like heavy quark. Such a model can be seen as a simplified version of a composite setup in which the scalar field, that couples to the top quark via a Yukawa interaction with the new heavy quark, is a viable dark matter candidate. We emphasize that QCD corrections are important not only for predictions at colliders but also for direct and indirect dark matter searches and the relic abundance. We moreover show that a large fraction of the model parameter space remains unconstrained.