Direct detection and solar capture of dark matter with momentum and velocity dependent elastic scattering

Abstract

We explore the momentum and velocity dependent elastic scattering between the dark matter (DM) particles and the nuclei in detectors and the Sun. In terms of the non-relativistic effective theory, we phenomenologically discuss ten kinds of momentum and velocity dependent DM–nucleus interactions and recalculate the corresponding upper limits on the spin-independent DM–nucleon scattering cross section from the current direct detection experiments. The DM solar capture rate is calculated for each interaction. Our numerical results show that the momentum and velocity dependent cases can give larger solar capture rate than the usual contact interaction case for almost the whole parameter space. On the other hand, we deduce the Super-Kamiokandeʼs constraints on the solar capture rate for eight typical DM annihilation channels. In contrast to the usual contact interaction, the Super-Kamiokande and IceCube experiments can give more stringent limits on the DM–nucleon elastic scattering cross section than the current direct detection experiments for several momentum and velocity dependent DM–nucleus interactions. In addition, we investigate the mediator mass effect on the DM elastic scattering cross section and solar capture rate.