2 research outputs found
Target dark matter detection rates in models with a well-tempered neutralino
In the post-LEP2 era, and in light of recent measurements of the cosmic
abundance of cold dark matter (CDM) in the universe from WMAP, many
supersymmetric models tend to predict 1. an overabundance of CDM and 2.
pessimistically low rates for direct detection of neutralino dark matter.
However, in models with a ``well-tempered neutralino'', where the neutralino
composition is adjusted to give the measured abundance of CDM, the neutralino
is typically of the mixed bino-wino or mixed bino-higgsino state. Along with
the necessary enhancement to neutralino annihilation rates, these models tend
to give elevated direct detection scattering rates compared to predictions from
SUSY models with universal soft breaking terms. We present neutralino direct
detection cross sections from a variety of models containing a well-tempered
neutralino, and find cross section asymptotes with detectable scattering rates.
These asymptotic rates provide targets that various direct CDM detection
experiments should aim for. In contrast, in models where the neutralino mass
rather than its composition is varied to give the WMAP relic density via either
resonance annihilation or co-annihilation, the neutralino remains essentially
bino-like, and direct detection rates may be below the projected reaches of all
proposed experiments.Comment: 13 pages including 1 EPS figur