Scalar-Mediated Inelastic Dark Matter as a Solution to Small-Scale Structure Anomalies

TL;DR

This paper introduces a scalar-mediated SIDM model with a leptophilic mediator and pseudo-Dirac dark matter to resolve small-scale structure issues, featuring suppressed elastic scattering and distinctive detection signals.

Contribution

It presents a novel SIDM framework with a dark discrete symmetry and magnetic dipole operator, achieving compatibility with astrophysical and cosmological constraints.

Findings

Resonant enhancement yields large self-interactions in dwarf galaxies.

Dark discrete symmetry suppresses elastic scattering in satellite galaxies.

Magnetic dipole operator enables low-threshold direct detection signals.

Abstract

We propose a scalar-mediated Self-Interacting Dark Matter (SIDM) model to address small-scale structure anomalies such as the core-cusp and diversity problems. The model is composed by a leptophilic scalar mediator and a pseudo-Dirac dark matter candidate with a mass splitting of 100ev.We imposed a dark discrete $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry forbids tree-level elastic scattering. Therefore creates kinematic threshold that suppresses scattering in ultra-faint satellite galaxies while enabling large self-interaction cross-sections in dwarf galaxies via resonant enhancement. To satisfy Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) requirements, we introduce a dimension-5 magnetic dipole operator that enable the decay of the excited state ($\chi_2 \rightarrow \chi_1 \gamma$). This operator also provides a unique, low-threshold signal for direct detection experiments, characterized by a distinct $1/E_R$ recoil spectrum. We identify a benchmark parameter space around ($m_\chi \approx 40$ GeV, $m_\phi \approx 20$ MeV) where non-perturbative coupled-channel dynamics successfully reconcile astrophysical observations with cosmological bounds, including CMB constraints on annihilation.