Dark Matter Through the Axion-Gluon Portal

TL;DR

This paper explores how axion-like particles can connect dark matter to ordinary matter via gluon interactions, analyzing processes, relic abundance mechanisms, and experimental signatures across different mass and coupling regimes.

Contribution

It introduces the gluonic axion portal as a novel mechanism linking dark matter and Standard Model particles, detailing the relevant processes and signatures.

Findings

Identifies key processes for axion-mediated dark matter interactions.

Analyzes relic abundance mechanisms across parameter space.

Proposes experimental signatures for gluonic axion portal detection.

Abstract

Axion-like-particles are a well-motivated extension of the Standard Model that can mediate interactions between the dark matter and ordinary matter. Here we consider an axion portal between the two sectors, where the axion couples to dark matter and to QCD gluons. We establish the relevant processes of interest across the scales of dark matter and axion masses and couplings, identify the distinct mechanisms that control the dark matter relic abundance in each case, and extract the resulting experimental signatures of the gluonic axion portal to dark matter.