Dark matter stability without new symmetries

Abstract

The stability of dark matter is normally achieved by imposing extra symmetries beyond those of the Standard Model of Particle Physics. In this paper we present a framework where the dark matter stability emerges as a consequence of the Standard Model symmetries. The dark matter particle is an antisymmetric tensor field (analogous to the one used for spin-1 mesons in QCD), singlet under the Standard Model gauge group. The Lagrangian possesses an accidental $Z_2$ symmetry which makes the dark matter stable on cosmological time scales. Interactions with the Standard Model fields proceed through the Higgs portal, which allows the observed dark matter abundance to be generated via thermal freeze-out. We also discuss the prospects for observing this dark matter particle in direct detection experiments.