Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: We propose that the dark matter (DM) is a pseudo-Dirac fermion with a mass of approximately $20-100$ GeV that couples inelastically to the Standard Model through a hadrophilic spin-1 mediator, $V$, the gauge boson of spontaneously broken baryon number. The two DM eigenstates, $χ_{1}$ and $χ_2$, acquire approximately equal abundances after thermal freeze-out and are depleted through the processes $χ_1 χ_1 \to VV$ and $χ_2 χ_2 \to VV$. Although the heavier state is unstable, for a mass splitting below the electron-positron threshold and sufficiently small mass mixing with the $Z$ boson, its lifetime can exceed the age of the universe, allowing both states to remain approximately equally abundant in the Galactic halo. For a thermal-relic annihilation cross section, this model can produce a signal that is consistent with the observed features of the longstanding Galactic Center Gamma-Ray Excess (GCE). If $δ\sim 1000$ keV, the same parameter space that explains the GCE can also explain the LZ event through exothermic $χ_2 \to χ_1$ downscattering off xenon nuclei.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Gemmell, Caleb, Hooper, Dan, Krnjaic, Gordan
Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G2376186588, G6471802762
OpenAlex ID: W7214103969