We give a fresh look at the WIMP paradigm by considering updated limits and prospects for direct and indirect dark matter detection and covering realistic dark matter models, beyond the so-called simplified models, which have been the target of experimental scrutiny. In particular, we investigate dark matter scenarios featuring dwindled direct detection signals, due to loop or momentum suppression. Therefore, this review extends previous reviews in different aspects and motivates the search for WIMP dark matter in light of the present and near-future detectors.

Italy

Giorgio Arcadi

Spain

David Cabo-Almeida

United States

Maíra Dutra

India

Pradipta Ghosh

Germany

Manfred Lindner

France

Yann Mambrini

Brazil

Jacinto Neto

Mathias Pierre

Stefano Profumo

Chile

Farinaldo Queiroz

The waning of the WIMP: endgame?

Supersymmetric models with singlet extensions can accommodate single- or multi-step first-order phase transitions (FOPT) along the various constituent field directions. Such a framework can also produce Gravitational Waves, detectable at the upcoming space-based interferometers, e.g., U-DECIGO. We explore the dynamics of electroweak phase transition and the production of Gravitational Waves in an extended set-up of the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM) with a Standard Model singlet right-handed neutrino superfield. We examine the role of the new parameters compared to NMSSM on the phase transition dynamics and observe that the occurrence of a FOPT, an essential requirement for Electroweak Baryogenesis, typically favours a right-handed sneutrino state below 125 GeV. Our investigation shows how the analysis can offer complementary probes for physics beyond the Standard Model besides the collider searches.

Pankaj Borah

Sourov Roy

Abhijit Saha

Electroweak phase transition in a right-handed neutrino superfield extended NMSSM

Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) are among the best-motivated dark matter candidates. No conclusive signal, despite an extensive search program that combines, often in a complementary way, direct, indirect, and collider probes, has been detected so far. This situation might change in near future due to the advent of one/multi-TON Direct Detection experiments. We thus, find it timely to provide a review of the WIMP paradigm with focus on a few models which can be probed at best by these facilities. Collider and Indirect Detection, nevertheless, will not be neglected when they represent a complementary probe.

The waning of the WIMP? A review of models, searches, and constraints

The ATLAS and CMS collaborations have recently released their new analyses of the diphoton searches. We look in detail the consequences of their results deriving strong constraints on models where a scalar resonance s decays into two light pseudoscalars which in turn decay into two pairs of collimated photons, mis-identified with two real photons. In our construction, all mass terms are generated dynamically, and only one pair of vector-like fermions generate couplings which will be probed using the upcoming LHC data. Moreover, we show that a stable dark matter candidate, respecting the cosmological constraints, is naturally affordable in the model.

Scrutinizing a di-photon resonance at the LHC through Moscow zero

We investigate a simple setup in which an excess in the di-photon invariant mass distribution around 750 GeV, as seen by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations, is originated through a pair of collimated photon pairs. In this framework a scalar state s decays into two light pseudo-Goldstone bosons a, each of which subsequently decays into a pair of collimated photons which are misidentified as a single photon. In a minimal context of spontaneous symmetry breaking, we show that coupling a complex scalar field Φ=(s+ia)/√2 to a fermionic dark matter candidate χ, also responsible for generating its mass, allows for the correct relic density in a large region of the parameter space, while not being excluded by the direct or indirect detection experiments. Moreover, the correct relic abundance can naturally co-exist with a relatively large width for the resonant field s.

Re-opening dark matter windows compatible with a diphoton excess

The “ μ from ν ” supersymmetric standard model ( μν SSM) can accommodate the newly discovered Higgs-like scalar boson with a mass around 125 GeV. This model provides a solution to the μ -problem and simultaneously reproduces correct neutrino physics by the simple use of right-handed neutrino superfields. These new superfields together with the introduced R -parity violation can produce novel and characteristic signatures of the μν SSM at the LHC. We explore the signatures produced through two-body Higgs decays into the new states, provided that these states lie below in the mass spectrum. For example, a pair produced light neutralinos depending on the associated decay length can give rise to displaced multi-leptons/taus/jets/photons with small/moderate missing transverse energy. In the same spirit, a Higgs-like scalar decaying to a pair of scalars/pseudoscalars can produce final states with prompt multi-leptons/taus/jets/photons.

Argentina

Daniel López-Fogliani

Vasiliki Mitsou

Carlos Muñoz

Roberto Austri

Probing the μν SSM with light scalars, pseudoscalars and neutralinos from the decay of a SM-like Higgs boson at the LHC

We investigate signatures induced by a very light pseudoscalar Higgs in neutralino decays in the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM) and determine their observability at the LHC. We concentrate on scenarios which feature two light scalar Higgs bosons (one of them is SM-like with a mass of 125Â GeV and a singlet-like lighter one) with a very light (singlet-like) pseudoscalar Higgs in the mass range 2 m Ï &lt; $ {m_{{a_1^0}}} $ &lt; 2 m b . We consider neutralino-chargino pair production and the subsequent decay $ \widetilde{\chi}_{2,3}^0\to\ \widetilde{\chi}_1^0a_1^0 $ , which leads to topologies involving multi-leptons and missing transverse energy. We determine a set of selection cuts that can effectively isolate the signal from backgrounds of the Standard Model or the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. We also exemplify the procedure with a set of benchmark points, for which we compute the expected number of events and signal strength for LHC with 8 TeV center of mass energy. We show that this signal can already be probed for some points in the NMSSM parameter space.

David G. Cerdeño

CERN

Chan Beom Park

Miguel Peiró

Collider signatures of a light NMSSM pseudoscalar in neutralino decays in the light of LHC results