Direct detection of dark matter with MadDM v.2.0

Abstract

We present MadDM v.2.0, a numerical tool for dark matter physics in a generic model. This version is the next step towards the development of a fully automated framework for dark matter searches at the interface of collider physics, astrophysics and cosmology. It extends the capabilities of v.1.0 to perform calculations relevant to the direct detection of dark matter. These include calculations of spinindependent/spin-dependent nucleon scattering cross sections and nuclear recoil rates (as a function of both energy and angle), as well as a simplified functionality to compare the model points with existing constraints. The functionality of MadDM v.2.0 incorporates a large selection of dark matter detector materials and sizes, and simulates detector effects on the nuclear recoil signals. We validate the code in a wide range of dark matter models by comparing results from MadDM v.2.0 to the existing tools and literature. a b s t r a c tWe present MadDM v.2.0, a numerical tool for dark matter physics in a generic model. This version is the next step towards the development of a fully automated framework for dark matter searches at the interface of collider physics, astro-physics and cosmology. It extends the capabilities of v.1.0 to perform calculations relevant to the direct detection of dark matter. These include calculations of spin-independent/spindependent nucleon scattering cross sections and nuclear recoil rates (as a function of both energy and angle), as well as a simplified functionality to compare the model points with existing constraints. The functionality of MadDM v.2.0 incorporates a large selection of dark matter detector materials and sizes, and simulates detector effects on the nuclear recoil signals. We validate the code in a wide range of dark matter models by comparing results from MadDM v.2.0 to the existing tools and literature.

Dark Matter Searches at Colliders

“…Within a given model and under well-specified assumptions, the information obtained in a collider Regions in DM mass-Z mediator mass excluded at 95% CL by a selection of ATLAS searches (from References (91, 97, 105, 108, 110, 149, 154, 161)) available as of July 2018, for two coupling scenarios. Dashed curves labeled "thermal relic" indicate combinations of DM and mediator mass that are consistent with a DM density of ωc = 0.12h 2 and a standard thermal history, as computed in MadDM for this model (163). The dotted curve indicates the kinematic threshold where the mediator can decay on-shell into DM.…”

“…Nevertheless, it is interesting to examine the parameter regions in models that can make the link, even if in limited situations (182,183). For example, for the general simplified models discussed in Section 2.2.2, one can use programs such as MadDM and Mi-crOMEGas (163,184) to compute the DM abundance for a standard thermal relic, assuming that the interaction described by the simplified model is the one responsible for setting the relic density. Often (e.g., Figure 7), ATLAS and CMS supplement their results with contours indicating where within a model this procedure obtains the correct DM density of ωc = 0.12h 2 .…”

Simplified dark matter models with a spin-2 mediator at the LHC

“…This work follows the DMsimp framework [16][17][18], which provides the DM model files for event generators such as MadGraph5_aMC@NLO [19] as well as for DM tools such as micrOMEGAs [20][21][22] and MadDM [23,24]. The same framework was used previously to study the cases of s-channel spin-1 and spin-0 mediators.…”

Search for New Physics in Mono-jet Final States in pp Collisions

“…In the plot the relic density line (see Section 4.2) calculated with the MadDM numerical tool [164] is also illustrated. This line indicates where the processes predicted by the simplified model are by themselves sufficient to explain the observed DM abundance in the universe (Ω χ = 0.12).…”