Abstract
General considerations in general relativity and quantum mechanics are known to potentially rule out continuous global symmetries in the context of any consistent theory of quantum gravity. Assuming the validity of such considerations, we derive stringent bounds from gamma-ray, X-ray, cosmic-ray, neutrino, and CMB data on models that invoke global symmetries to stabilize the dark matter particle. We compute up-to-date, robust model-independent limits on the dark matter lifetime for a variety of Planck-scale suppressed dimension-five effective operators. We then specialize our analysis and apply our bounds to specific models including the Two-Higgs-Doublet, Left-Right, Singlet Fermionic, Zee-Babu, 3-3-1 and Radiative See-Saw models. {Assuming that (i) global symmetries are broken at the Planck scale, that (ii) the non-renormalizable operators mediating dark matter decay have $O(1)$ couplings, that (iii) the dark matter is a singlet field, and that (iv) the dark matter density distribution is well described by a NFW profile}, we are able to rule out fermionic, vector, and scalar dark matter candidates across a broad mass range (keV-TeV), including the WIMP regime.
Highlights
Particle physics models achieve stability for dark matter (DM) particle candidates by advocating the presence of either discrete or continuous global symmetries
There are several reasons why continuous global symmetries are not expected to be present in a consistent theory of quantum gravity, which rely on general facts in gravity and quantum mechanics: (i) No-Hair Theorem: Since local U (1) symmetries are effectively identical to Gauss’s law, any observer outside a Black Hole (BH) horizon can determine the BH charge
Based on general lessons from quantum mechanics and general relativity, it reasonable to assume that no global symmetries are allowed in a consistent theory of quantum gravity
Summary
Particle physics models achieve stability for dark matter (DM) particle candidates by advocating the presence of either discrete or continuous global symmetries. The theory of Hawking radiation indicates that until THawking > m, where m is the mass of the lightest charged particle pair, the BH does not radiate charge Combining this with the bound on the BH mass, namely Qm ≤ MBH ≤ Mp2l/m, where Mpl = 1.22 × 1019GeV is the Planck mass, we find Q ≤ Mp2l/m2. In order to derive results applicable to a variety of particle physics models, we consider Planck-scale suppressed, dimension-five effective operators that mediate the decay of generic DM particles of spin 0, 1/2 and 1; the operators under consideration violate continuous global symmetries, and induce the decay of DM particles whose stability relies on such continuous global symmetries. We rule out, under the aforementioned assumptions, a rather large DM mass range, including the classic WIMP mass range around the electroweak scale
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