Interpretation of XENON1T excess with MeV boosted dark matter *

Abstract

The XENON1T excess of keV electron recoil events may be induced by the scattering of electrons and long-lived particles with MeV mass and high-speed. We consider a tangible model composed of two scalar MeV dark matter (DM) particles $S_A$ and $S_B$ to interpret the XENON1T keV excess via boosted $S_B$. A small mass splitting $m_{S_A}-m_{S_B}>0$ is introduced and the boosted $S_B$ can be produced by the dark annihilation process of $S_A S_A^\dagger \to \phi \to S_B S_B^\dagger$ via a resonant scalar $\phi$. The $S_B-$electron scattering is intermediated by a vector boson $X$. Although the constraints from BBN, CMB and low-energy experiments set the $X-$mediated $S_B-$electron scattering cross section to be $\lesssim 10^{-35} \mathrm{cm}^2$, the MeV scale DM with a resonance enhanced dark annihilation today can still provide enough boosted $S_B$ and induce the XENON1T keV excess. The relic density of $S_B$ is significantly reduced by the $s$-wave process of $S_B S_B^\dagger \to X X$ which is allowed by the constraints from CMB and 21-cm absorption. A very small relic fraction of $S_B$ is compatible with the stringent bounds on un-boosted $S_B$-electron scattering in DM direct detection and the $S_A$-electron scattering is also allowed. Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Article funded by SCOAP3 and published under licence by Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.