A Spin-Dependent Interpretation for Possible Signals of Light Dark Matter

Abstract

Signals broadly compatible with light (7-10 GeV) dark matter have been reported in three direct detection experiments: CoGeNT, DAMA/LIBRA, and CDMS-II silicon. These possible signals have been interpreted in the context of spin-independent interactions between the target nuclei and dark matter, although there is tension with null results, particularly from xenon-based experiments. In this paper, we demonstrate that the CoGeNT and CDMS-II silicon results are also compatible assuming a spin-dependent neutron interaction, though this is in tension with xenon-based experiments and PICASSO. The tension with the null results from XENON100 and XENON10 is approximately the same as for the spin-independent coupling. All three experimental signals can be made compatible through a combination of spin-dependent interactions with both the proton and neutron, although such a scenario increases the conflict with the null results of other experiments.

5 pages, 3 figures

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• The SIMPLE Phase II Dark Matter Search
• Light Dark Matter Anomalies After LUX
• Light NMSSM Neutralino Dark Matter in the Wake of CDMS II and a 126 GeV Higgs
• Dark Matter in Light of LUX
• Using Effective Operators to Understand CoGeNT and CDMS-Silicon
• Sensitivity of alkali halide scintillating calorimeters with particle identification to investigate the DAMA dark matter detection claim
• Stellar convective cores as dark matter probes