Vector Higgs-portal dark matter and the invisible Higgs

Nov, 2011
8 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Lett.B 707 (2012) 570-576
  • Published: Feb 7, 2012
e-Print:
Report number:
  • CERN-PH-TH-2011-271,
  • DESY-11-202,
  • LPTORSAY-11-90

Citations per year

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Abstract: (Elsevier)
The Higgs sector of the Standard Model offers a unique probe of the hidden sector. In this work, we explore the possibility of renormalizable Higgs couplings to the hidden sector vector fields which can constitute dark matter (DM). Abelian gauge sectors with minimal field content, necessary to render the gauge fields massive, have a natural Z2 parity. This symmetry ensures stability of the vector fields making them viable dark matter candidates, while evading the usual electroweak constraints. We illustrate this idea with the Stückelberg and Higgs mechanisms. Vector DM is consistent with the WMAP, XENON100, and LHC constraints, while it can affect significantly the invisible Higgs decay. Due to the enhanced branching ratio for the Higgs decay into the longitudinal components of the vector field, the vector Higgs portal provides an efficient way to hide the Higgs at the LHC. This could be the reason why the latest combined ATLAS/CMS data did not bring evidence for the existence of the Higgs boson.
Note:
  • 8 pages, 8 figures, Version to appear in Phys. Lett. B
  • field theory: vector
  • dark matter: vector
  • coupling: Higgs
  • gauge field theory: massive
  • gauge: abelian
  • hidden sector
  • CERN LHC Coll
  • electroweak interaction
  • Higgs mechanism
  • Higgs particle