Ruling out models of vector dark matter in asymptotically safe quantum gravity

TL;DR

This paper examines whether models of vector dark matter embedded in asymptotically safe quantum gravity can satisfy both phenomenological and theoretical constraints, ultimately ruling out these models due to incompatible conditions.

Contribution

It demonstrates that embedding vector dark matter models into asymptotically safe quantum gravity imposes constraints that exclude these models.

Findings

Phenomenological constraints conflict with quantum gravity constraints.

Vector dark matter models are ruled out under these combined constraints.

The approach narrows down viable dark matter theories based on quantum gravity considerations.

Abstract

The nature of dark matter is a problem with too many potential solutions. We investigate whether a consistent embedding into quantum gravity can decimate the number of solutions to the dark-matter problem. Concretely, we focus on a hidden sector composed of a gauge field and a charged scalar, with gauge group U(1)$_{\textmd{D}}$ or SU(2)$_\textmd{D}$. The gauge field is the dark matter candidate, if the gauge symmetry is broken spontaneously. Phenomenological constraints on the couplings in this model arise from requiring that the correct dark matter relic density is produced via thermal freeze-out and that recent bounds from direct-detection experiments are respected. We find that the consistent embedding into asymptotically safe quantum gravity gives rise to additional constraints on the couplings at the Planck scale, from which we calculate corresponding constraints at low energy scales. We discover that phenomenological constraints cannot be satisfied simultaneously with theoretical constraints from asymptotically safe quantum gravity, ruling out these dark matter models.