Dark Matter Catalyzed Baryon Destruction

TL;DR

This paper explores how dark matter interactions that violate baryon number could lead to continuous baryon destruction, with constraints derived from neutron star heating and nucleon decay processes.

Contribution

It introduces a minimal dark matter model that breaks baryon and lepton numbers separately, analyzing its implications for nucleon decay and neutron star heating.

Findings

Strong limits from neutron star heat observations

Dark matter can induce di-nucleon decay processes

Model predicts specific nucleon decay channels

Abstract

WIMP-type dark matter may have additional interactions that break baryon number, leading to induced nucleon decays which are subject to direct experimental constraints from proton decay experiments. In this work, we analyze the possibility of continuous baryon destruction, deriving strong limits from the dark matter accumulating inside old neutron stars, as such a process leads to excess heat generation. We construct the simplest particle dark matter model that breaks baryon and lepton numbers separately but conserves $B-L$. Virtual exchange by DM particles in this model results in di-nucleon decay via $nn\to n\bar\nu$ and $np\to ne^+$ processes.