Scalar-mediated dark matter model at colliders and gravitational wave detectors -- A White paper for Snowmass 2021

TL;DR

This paper explores how gravitational wave detectors, alongside collider experiments, can probe scalar-mediated dark matter models, especially when traditional signals are suppressed, highlighting the potential of multi-messenger approaches.

Contribution

It introduces the idea that gravitational wave astronomy can complement collider searches in probing scalar-mediated dark matter models, particularly through first-order phase transition signals.

Findings

Gravitational waves can serve as a new probe for scalar-mediated dark matter.

Collider and gravitational wave signals are complementary in testing these models.

First-order phase transition signals are promising for detection.

Abstract

The weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) have been the most popular particle dark matter (DM) candidate for the last several decades, and it is well known that WIMP can be probed via the direct, indirect and collider experiments. However, the direct and indirect signals are highly suppressed in some scalar-mediated DM models, e.g. the lepton portal model with a Majorana DM candidate. As a result, collider searches are considered as the only hope to probe such models. In this white paper, we propose that the gravitational wave (GW) astronomy also serves as a powerful tool to probe such scalar mediated WIMP models via the potential first-order phase transition GW signals. An example for the lepton portal dark matter is provided, showing the complementarity between collider and GW probes.