Blazar Boosted ALP and vector portal Dark matter confronting light mediator searches

TL;DR

This paper explores how blazar-boosted dark matter interactions can be detected in large neutrino detectors, providing new constraints on light mediator models like ALPs and vector portals, especially for sub-MeV dark matter.

Contribution

It introduces a novel detection method using blazar-boosted dark matter electron scattering in Super-Kamiokande, surpassing existing constraints for light mediators and sub-MeV dark matter.

Findings

Super-Kamiokande can set stronger limits on ALP and vector portal dark matter.

The scenario probes previously unexplored parameter space for sub-MeV dark matter.

Blazar-boosted dark matter detection offers a new avenue for light mediator searches.

Abstract

The trouble in detecting low mass dark matter due to its low kinetic energy can be ameliorated in the boosted dark matter framework, where a sub-population of galactic dark matter attains very high energy after being up-scattered by energetic standard model particles. However, in such a scenario the upper limits on the cross-section obtained hitherto are typically large. Hence in the minimal extension of standard model where new mediators act as a portal between the dark and visible sectors, the direct detection limits for sub-GeV dark matter might lie within the exclusion region of other ground based searches of the mediator. To evade this deadlock, we allude to blazar boosted dark matter electron scattering in multi-ton neutrino detector Super kamiokande. We consider minimal models such as axion like particle (ALP) and vector portal dark matter being upscattered by high energy blazar jet and analyse the interesting parameter reaches from Super kamiokande in the parameter space of the mediator, surpassing the existing constraints. Besides, this scenario exhibits stronger limits for previously unexplored ALP mediated sub-MeV dark matter search which is difficult due to associated momentum suppression.