Hidden MeV-Scale Dark Matter in Neutrino Detectors

Abstract

The possibility of direct detection of light fermionic dark matter in neutrino detectors is explored from a model-independent standpoint. We consider all operators of dimension six or lower which can contribute to the interaction $\bar{f}p\to e^{+}n$, where $f$ is a dark Majorana or Dirac fermion. Constraints on these operators are then obtained from the $f$ lifetime and its decays which produce visible $\gamma$ rays or electrons. We find one operator which would allow $\bar{f}p\to e^{+}n$ at interesting rates in neutrino detectors, as long as $m_f\lesssim m_{\pi }$. The existing constraints on light dark matter from relic density arguments, supernova cooling rates, and big-bang nucleosynthesis are then reviewed. We calculate the cross-section for $\bar{f}p\to e^{+}n$ in neutrino detectors implied by this operator, and find that Super-K can probe the new physics scale $\Lambda$ for this interaction up to $\mathcal{O}(100TeV)$

17 pages, 2 figures; v2: added reference, fixed typos, small changes in wording

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Cited by in corpus (7)

• Hylogenesis: A Unified Origin for Baryonic Visible Matter and Antibaryonic Dark Matter
• Dark matter-neutrino interactions through the lens of their cosmological implications
• Direct Detection Signals from Absorption of Fermionic Dark Matter
• MeV Dark Matter Complementarity and the Dark Photon Portal
• Nucleon Decay into Dark Sector
• Assisted baryon number violation from $4k+2$ dimensions
• Light Fermionic Dark Matter and its Possible Detection in Neutrino Experiments