On the formalism and upper limits for spin-dependent cross sections in dark matter elastic scattering with nuclei

Abstract

We revise the spin-dependent neutralino-nucleus elastic scattering comparing the formalisms and approximations found in literature for the momentum transfer dependent structure functions. We argue that one of the normalized structure functions of Divari, Kosmas, Vergados and Skouras is all that one needs to correctly take into account the detailed nuclear physics information provided by shell-model calculations. The factorization of the particle physics degrees of freedom from the nuclear physics momentum dependent structure functions implied by this formalism allows for a better understanding of the so-called model independent method for setting upper limits. We further discuss the possibility of experiments with spin-dependent sensitivity like COUPP to test or set limits on the proton spin-dependent cross section in the framework of the stau co-annihilation region of the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model. For this model with $A_0=0$, we provide a fitting formula by which it is possible to convert an upper limit on the spin-independent cross section as a function of the neutralino mass directly into an exclusion plot in the ($m_{1/2}$, $\tan \beta$) plane.

12 pages, two column, 5 figures. Minor corrections and typos removed. Accepted in PRD

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Cited by in corpus (15)

• The SIMPLE Phase II Dark Matter Search
• Nuclear uncertainties in the spin-dependent structure functions for direct dark matter detection
• Complementarity of dark matter direct detection: the role of bolometric targets
• Probing WIMP particle physics and astrophysics with direct detection and neutrino telescope data
• Probing neutralino dark matter in the MSSM & the NMSSM with directional detection
• Theoretical direct WIMP detection rates for transitions to excited states
• New gamma ray signal from gravitationally boosted neutralinos at the galactic center
• Reanalysis of nuclear spin matrix elements for dark matter spin-dependent scattering
• Theoretical direct WIMP detection rates for transitions to nuclear excited states
• Debris Flows in Direct Dark Matter Searches-The modulation effect
• In situ measurement of the electron drift velocity for upcoming directional Dark Matter detectors
• A Spin-Dependent Interpretation for Possible Signals of Light Dark Matter
• Inelastic WIMP-nucleus scattering to the first excited state in ${}^{125}$Te
• Probing dark matter and CMSSM with same-sign dilepton searches at the LHC
• Renormalization of the Spin-dependent WIMP scattering off nuclei