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Dark matter, the CMSSM and lattice QCD

Joel Giedt, Anthony W. Thomas, Ross D. Young

TL;DR

This work integrates recent lattice QCD determinations of the light and strange quark sigma terms into CMSSM dark matter predictions. By adopting $\sigma_\ell$ and $\sigma_s$ from lattice analyses, the authors recalibrate neutralino–nucleon spin-independent cross sections using Softsusy RG running, finding typically $\sigma_{SI} \lesssim 10^{-9}$ pb and a reduced dependence on $\Sigma_{\pi N}$. The results imply significantly smaller direct-detection event rates than earlier estimates and show the predictions are relatively insensitive to relic-density tuning within the CMSSM benchmarks. They also outline future work to explore NUHM scenarios that could yield larger cross sections, underscoring the impact of hadronic matrix elements on dark matter searches.

Abstract

Recent lattice measurements have given accurate estimates of the light and strange quark condensates in the proton. We use these new results to significantly improve the dark matter predictions in a set of benchmark models that represent different scenarios in the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model (CMSSM). Because the predicted cross sections are at least an order of magnitude smaller than previously suggested, our results have significant consequences for dark matter searches.

Dark matter, the CMSSM and lattice QCD

TL;DR

This work integrates recent lattice QCD determinations of the light and strange quark sigma terms into CMSSM dark matter predictions. By adopting and from lattice analyses, the authors recalibrate neutralino–nucleon spin-independent cross sections using Softsusy RG running, finding typically pb and a reduced dependence on . The results imply significantly smaller direct-detection event rates than earlier estimates and show the predictions are relatively insensitive to relic-density tuning within the CMSSM benchmarks. They also outline future work to explore NUHM scenarios that could yield larger cross sections, underscoring the impact of hadronic matrix elements on dark matter searches.

Abstract

Recent lattice measurements have given accurate estimates of the light and strange quark condensates in the proton. We use these new results to significantly improve the dark matter predictions in a set of benchmark models that represent different scenarios in the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model (CMSSM). Because the predicted cross sections are at least an order of magnitude smaller than previously suggested, our results have significant consequences for dark matter searches.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 6 sections, 6 equations, 4 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Sigma terms from lattice QCD.
  2. Constrained MSSM.
  3. Cross sections for benchmark models.
  4. Details of quark flavor contributions.
  5. Conclusions.
  6. Acknowledgements.

Figures (4)

  • Figure 1: Proton, benchmark models (labeled by letters A, B,...), 95% CL using lattice inputs for sigma commutators. Remaining models are shown in other figures below, since they would overlap with these. The neutron predictions are not shown because they are basically degenerate with the proton cross sections on the logarithmic scale that is shown.
  • Figure 2: Cross section estimates (95% CL) for benchmark models C, I, J.
  • Figure 3: Cross section estimates (95% CL) for benchmark models A, G.
  • Figure 4: A comparison of our results (solid ellipse) for Model C, versus the traditional approach (dashed line) which relates the strange quark sigma commutator to the light quark one through Eq. (\ref{['jeq']}) with $\sigma_0 = 36$ MeV.