Reconciling Higgs physics and pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone dark matter in the S2HDM using a genetic algorithm

• Published in: The journal of high energy physics Vol. 2021; no. 10; pp. 1 - 46
• Main Authors: Biekötter, Thomas, Olea-Romacho, María Olalla
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 26.10.2021; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Beyond Standard Model; Classical and Quantum Gravitation; Dark matter; Elementary Particles; Genetic algorithms; Higgs bosons; Higgs Physics; High energy physics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Quantum Field Theories; Quantum Field Theory; Quantum Physics; Quarks; Regular Article - Theoretical Physics; Relativity Theory; Scattering cross sections; String Theory; Beyond Standard Model; Higgs Physics
• ISSN: 1029-8479; 1126-6708; 1127-2236; 1029-8479
• DOI: 10.1007/JHEP10(2021)215

A bstract We investigate a possible realization of pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone (pNG) dark matter in the framework of a singlet-extended 2 Higgs doublet model (S2HDM). pNG dark matter gained attraction due to the fact that direct-detection constraints can be avoided naturally because of the momentum-suppressed scattering cross sections, whereas the relic abundance of dark matter can nevertheless be accounted for via the usual thermal freeze-out mechanism. We confront the S2HDM with a multitude of theoretical and experimental constraints, paying special attention to the theoretical limitations on the scalar potential, such as vacuum stability and perturbativity. In addition, we discuss the complementarity between constraints related to the dark matter sector, on the one hand, and to the Higgs sector, on the other hand. In our numerical discussion we explore the Higgs funnel region with dark matter masses around 60 GeV using a genetic algorithm. We demonstrate that the S2HDM can easily account for the measured relic abundance while being in agreement with all relevant constraints. We also discuss whether the so-called center-of-galaxy excesses can be accommodated, possibly in combination with a Higgs boson at about 96 GeV that can be the origin of the LEP- and the CMS-excess observed at this mass in the b b ¯ -quark and the diphoton final state, respectively.