Global fits of simplified models for dark matter with GAMBIT II. Vector dark matter with an s-channel vector mediator

• Published in: The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields Vol. 83; no. 8
• Main Authors: Chang, Christopher, Scott, Pat, Gonzalo, Tomás E., Kahlhoefer, Felix, White, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 04.08.2023
• Subjects: Astronomy; Astrophysics and Cosmology; Elementary Particles; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Measurement Science and Instrumentation; Nuclear Energy; Nuclear Physics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Quantum Field Theories; Quantum Field Theory; Regular Article - Theoretical Physics; String Theory
• ISSN: 1434-6052; 1434-6052
• DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-023-11859-3

Global fits explore different parameter regions of a given model and apply constraints obtained at many energy scales. This makes it challenging to perform global fits of simplified models, which may not be valid at high energies. In this study, we derive a unitarity bound for a simplified vector dark matter model with an s -channel vector mediator and apply it to global fits of this model with GAMBIT in order to correctly interpret missing energy searches at the LHC. Two parameter space regions emerge as consistent with all experimental constraints, corresponding to different annihilation modes of the dark matter. We show that although these models are subject to strong validity constraints, they are currently most strongly constrained by measurements less sensitive to the high-energy behaviour of the theory. Understanding when these models cannot be consistently studied will become increasingly relevant as they are applied to LHC Run 3 data.