In this article we discuss a general effective-theory description of a multicomponent dark sector with an unspecified non-trivial symmetry and its interactions with the Standard Model generated by the exchange of heavy mediators. We then categorize the relevant effective operators given the current experimental sensistivity where the underlying theory is weakly coupled and renormalizable, with neutral mediators: either scalars or fermions. An interesting scenario resulting from this categorization is the neutrino portal, where only fermion mediators are present, and where the dark sector consists of fermions and scalars such that the lightest dark particle is a fermion, this scenario is characterized by having naturally suppressed couplings of the DM to all SM particles except the neutrinos and has received little attention in the literature. We find that there is a wide region in parameter space allowed by the current experimental constraints (relic abundance, direct and indirect detection limits); the cleanest signature of this paradigm is the presence of monochromatic neutrino lines with energy equal to that of the DM mass, but experimental sensitivity would have to be improved significantly before this can be probed.

Abstract:We discuss a simple extension of the Standard Model (SM) that provides an explicit realization of the dark-matter (DM) neutrino-portal paradigm. The dark sector is composed of a scalar Φ and a Dirac fermion Ψ, with the latter assumed to be lighter than the former. These particles interact with the SM through the exchange of a set of heavy Dirac fermion mediators that are neutral under all local SM symmetries, and also under the dark-sector symmetry that stabilizes the Ψ against decay. We show that this model can accommodate all experimental and observational constraints provided the DM mass is below ∼ 35 GeV or is in a resonant region of the Higgs or Z boson. We also show that if the dark scalar and dark fermion are almost degenerate in mass, heavier DM fermions are not excluded. We note that in this scenario DM annihilation in the cores of astrophysical objects and the galactic halo produces a monochromatic neutrino beam of energy m Ψ , which provides a clear signature for this paradigm. Other experimental signatures are also discussed.

Latest Lattice results on $D$ form factors evaluation from first principles show that the standard model (SM) branching ratios prediction for the leptonic $D_s \to \ell \nu_\ell$ decays and the semileptonic SM branching ratios of the $D^0$ and $D^+$ meson decays are in good agreement with the world average experimental measurements. It is possible to disprove New Physics hypothesis or find bounds over several models beyond the SM. Using the observed leptonic and semileptonic branching ratios for the D meson decays, we performed a combined analysis to constrain non standard interactions which mediate the $c\bar{s}\to l\bar{\nu}$ transition. This is done either by a model independent way through the corresponding Wilson coefficients or in a model dependent way by finding the respective bounds over the relevant parameters for some models beyond the standard model. In particular, we obtain bounds for the Two Higgs Doublet Model Type-II and Type III, the Left-Right model, the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model with explicit R-Parity violation and Leptoquarks. Finally, we estimate the transverse polarization of the lepton in the $D^0$ decay and we found it can be as high as $P_T=0.23$.Comment: 28 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables. Improved and extended analysis with updated form factors from Lattice QC

No abstract

No abstract