Recent Progress in Search for Dark Sector Signatures

Abstract

Many difficulties are encountered when attempting to pinpoint a common origin for several observed astrophysical anomalies, and when assessing their tension with existing exclusion limits. These include systematic uncertainties affecting the operation of the detectors, our knowledge of their response, astrophysical uncertainties, and the broad range of particle couplings that can mediate interaction with a detector target. Particularly interesting astrophysical evidence has motivated a search for dark-photon, and focused our attention on a Hidden Valleys model with a GeV-scale dark sector that produces exciting signatures. Results from recent underground experiments are also considered.

Keywords

• dark photon
• dark matter
• hidden sector
• hidden valley
• stueckelberg extension
• 12.60-.i
• 13.85.qk
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• 14.70pw
• 14.80bn