[Paper Review] NMSSM neutralino dark matter for CDF II $W$-boson mass and muon $g-2$ and the promising prospect of direct detection

Tian-Peng Tang, Murat Abdughani+4 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Apr 9, 2022

Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies10 citations

TL;DR

This paper proposes that bino-like neutralino dark matter in the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM) can simultaneously explain the CDF II W-boson mass anomaly and the muon g-2 discrepancy through light electroweakinos and sleptons. The favored dark matter mass range of 180–280 GeV is within reach of ongoing direct detection experiments like PandaX-4T, XENONnT, LZ, and DARWIN.

ABSTRACT

Two experiments from the Fermilab, E989 and CDF II, have reported two anomalies for muon $g-2$ and $W$-boson mass that may indicate the new physics at the low energy scale. Here we examine the possibility of a common origin of these two anomalies in the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. Considering various experimental and astrophysical constraints such as the Higgs mass, collider data, flavor physics, dark matter relic density, and direct detection experiments, we find that lighter electroweakinos and sleptons can generate sufficient contributions to muon $g-2$ and $m_W$. Moreover, the corresponding bino-like neutralino dark matter mass is in the $\sim 180-280$ GeV range. Interestingly, the favored DM mass region can soon be entirely probed by ongoing direct detection experiments like PandaX-4T, XENONnT, LUX-ZEPLIN, and DARWIN.

Motivation & Objective

• To explore a common explanation for the CDF II W-boson mass and muon g-2 anomalies within the NMSSM framework.
• To identify viable parameter regions where light electroweakinos and sleptons generate sufficient loop corrections to both observables.
• To ensure consistency with cosmological, collider, flavor, and direct detection constraints on dark matter.
• To assess the detectability of the favored dark matter mass region in upcoming direct detection experiments.

Proposed method

• Computing one-loop corrections to the W-boson self-energy and muon anomalous magnetic moment using FlexibleSUSY-2.7.0.
• Implementing constraints from Higgs boson mass, relic density, flavor physics, and direct detection experiments (XENON1T, LZ, PandaX-4T).
• Using co-annihilation processes involving smuons and neutralinos to suppress the dark matter annihilation cross-section.
• Validating results with NMSSMTools-6.0.0 and comparing with ATLAS and LHC data on slepton and chargino pair production.
• Projecting direct detection sensitivities using current and future experiments (XENONnT, LZ, DARWIN).
• Focusing on the bino-like neutralino as the dark matter candidate with minimal mass splitting between left- and right-handed sleptons.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 Can light electroweakinos and sleptons in the NMSSM simultaneously explain the CDF II W-boson mass and muon g-2 anomalies?
• RQ2 What is the allowed dark matter mass range for a bino-like neutralino that satisfies both anomalies and all experimental constraints?
• RQ3 How do co-annihilation processes involving smuons affect the dark matter relic density and indirect detection signals?
• RQ4 To what extent can the favored parameter space be probed by ongoing and upcoming direct detection experiments?
• RQ5 Is the singlet-Higgs resonance explanation for the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess still viable in light of recent LUX-ZEPLIN results?

Key findings

• The CDF II W-boson mass anomaly and muon g-2 discrepancy can be simultaneously explained by light electroweakinos and sleptons in the NMSSM.
• The bino-like neutralino dark matter mass is constrained to the range of 180–280 GeV, consistent with both anomalies and cosmological constraints.
• The co-annihilation region between the lightest neutralino and smuons suppresses the dark matter annihilation cross-section below 10⁻²⁷ cm³s⁻¹.
• The latest LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment has excluded the Z/H-resonance region, ruling out the singlet-Higgs resonance explanation for the Galactic Center excess.
• The favored dark matter mass region (180–280 GeV) is entirely within the sensitivity reach of upcoming direct detection experiments, including PandaX-4T, XENONnT, LZ, and DARWIN.
• Constraints from ATLAS and LHC 13 TeV data on slepton and chargino pair production further tighten the viable parameter space, especially in the co-annihilation region.