Self-interacting dark matter with a vector mediator: kinetic mixing with the $$ \mathrm{U}{(1)}_{{\left(B-L\right)}_3} $$ gauge boson

Abstract

Abstract A spontaneously broken hidden U(1) h gauge symmetry can explain both the dark matter stability and the observed relic abundance. In this framework, the light gauge boson can mediate the strong dark matter self-interaction, which addresses astrophysical observations that are hard to explain in collisionless cold dark matter. Motivated by flavoured grand unified theories, we introduce right-handed neutrinos and a flavoured B − L gauge symmetry for the third family $$ \mathrm{U}{(1)}_{{\left(B-L\right)}_3} $$ U 1 B − L 3 . The unwanted relic of the U(1) h gauge boson decays into neutrinos via the kinetic mixing with the $$ \mathrm{U}{(1)}_{{\left(B-L\right)}_3} $$ U 1 B − L 3 gauge boson. Indirect detection bounds on dark matter are systematically weakened, since dark matter annihilation results in neutrinos. However, the kinetic mixing between $$ \mathrm{U}{(1)}_{{\left(B-L\right)}_3} $$ U 1 B − L 3 and U(1) Y gauge bosons are induced by quantum corrections and leads to an observable signal in direct and indirect detection experiments of dark matter. This model can also explain the baryon asymmetry of the Universe via the thermal leptogenesis. In addition, we discuss the possibility of explaining the lepton flavour universality violation in semi-leptonic B meson decays that is recently found in the LHCb experiment.