Journal article
From oversimplified to overlooked: The case for exploring rich dark sectors
Nuclear physics. B, Vol.1020, 117148
11/2025
DOI: 10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2025.117148
Abstract
The Standard Model (SM) of particle physics provides a very successful description of fundamental particles and their interactions but it is incomplete, as neutrino masses, dark matter and the baryon asymmetry of the Universe indicate. In addition, the origin of masses and of the approximate fundamental symmetries call out for deeper explanations. The quest for a New SM Theory, that extends the SM to a more general theory, is ongoing. For decades the main focus has been on the TeV scale, but despite an impressive theoretical and experimental effort, no hints of new physics at such scale has been found in experiments.
Dark sectors provide an interesting alternative to TeV scale extensions of the SM to explain the open questions in particle and astroparticle physics. Going beyond minimal models, rich dark sectors extend the SM to a complex theory with multiple particles and interactions, in analogy to the SM itself. They have a wealth of theoretical and astrophysical/cosmological consequences and can lead to phenomenological signatures that can be markedly different to that of minimal ones. These include short-lived particles and semi-visible decay signatures, as opposed to minimal models where new states are typically long-lived and purely visible or invisible resonances. Given the experimental configurations and analysis strategies, current dark sector searches might miss such signatures. We advocate a dedicated programme of searches for rich dark sectors that overcomes the assumptions on minimality and on the long lifetime of particles and encompasses a broader range of possibilities. Here, we discuss a prototype model that includes a complex structure akin to the SM: multiple generations of fermions charged under a new spontaneously-broken gauge symmetry.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- From oversimplified to overlooked: The case for exploring rich dark sectors
- Creators
- Asli AbdullahiFrancesco CostaAndrea Giovanni De MarchiAlessandro GranelliJaime Hoefken-ZinkMatheus HostertMichele LucenteElina MerkelJacopo NavaSilvia PascoliSalvador Rosauro-AlcarazFilippo Sala
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Nuclear physics. B, Vol.1020, 117148
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2025.117148
- ISSN
- 0550-3213
- eISSN
- 1873-1562
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Grant note
- European Union: 101068791 FORTE project: CZ.02.01.01/00/22 008/0004632 EUMinistry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech RepublicNational Science Centre, Poland: 2021/42/E/ST2/00031 European Unions Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme: 860881, 101086085 COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology): CA21106 Italian INFN program on Theoretical Astroparticle Physics (TAsP)
This work is based on an extended revision of the Input submitted by some of the authors to the European Strategy for Particle Physics-2026 update (ID#: 250) . M. L. thanks Fermilab for hosting him during the development of this document. M. L. is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe's Marie Sklodowska-Curie project 101068791-NuBridge. F. C. acknowledges partial support from the FORTE project CZ.02.01.01/00/22 008/0004632 co-funded by the EU and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic. J. H. Z. is supported by the National Science Centre, Poland (research grant no 2021/42/E/ST2/00031) . A. G. D. M. thanks Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for kind hospitality during the developement of this document. The research reported has received partial support from the European Unions Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 860881-HIDDeN and and No. 101086085-ASYMMETRY, by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) via the COST Action COSMIC WISPers CA21106 and by the Italian INFN program on Theoretical Astroparticle Physics (TAsP) .
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/2025
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9985014893402771
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