Hidden Sector Dark Matter Realized as a Twin of the Visible Universe With Zero Higgs Vacuum Expectation

TL;DR

This paper proposes a model where a hidden sector with zero Higgs vacuum expectation coexists with the visible universe, explaining dark matter as a consequence of symmetry-breaking in coupled twin sectors.

Contribution

It introduces a novel twin-sector model with zero Higgs vacuum expectation that naturally accounts for dark matter as a self-interacting particle.

Findings

Dark sector baryon as dark matter candidate

Symmetry-breaking induces phase difference between sectors

Model explains dark matter properties through Higgs potential dynamics

Abstract

We propose that the universe contains two identical sets of particles and gauge interactions, coupling only through gravitation, which differ by their Higgs potentials. We postulate that because of underlying symmetries, the two sectors when uncoupled have Higgs potentials that lie at the boundary between phases with nonzero and zero Higgs vacuum expectation. Turning on the coupling between the two sectors can break the degeneracy, pushing the Higgs potential in one sector into the domain of nonzero Higgs expectation (giving the visible sector), and pushing the Higgs potential in the other sector into the domain of zero Higgs expectation (giving the dark sector). The least massive baryon in the dark sector will then be a candidate self-interacting dark matter particle.