On the Relation Between the Invisible Higgs Decay and Dark Matter Scattering Cross Sections

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:11090107,
            doi = {10.48660/11090107},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/11090107},
            author = {Pospelov, Maxim},
            keywords = {Particle Physics},
            language = {en},
            title = {On the Relation Between the Invisible Higgs Decay and Dark Matter Scattering Cross Sections},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2011},
            month = {sep},
            note = {PIRSA:11090107 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }
          

Abstract

The simplest singlet Higgs-portal dark matter model predicts large/dominant Higgs ->2 DM decay widths in the region of parameter space with m_DM < m_h/2, and Higgs mass below 140 GeV. On the other hand, the direct detection experiments such as Xenon100 put stringent constraints on the scattering DM-nucleon scattering cross section and seemingly exclude large part of the parameter space where the invisible Higgs decay dominates over visible modes. I analyze the robustness of this statement in the next-to-minimal models to show that the relation between invisible Higgs width and dark matter cross section does not hold in general. I discuss a number of theoretical scenarios where WIMP abundance is regulated by the Higgs portal, the direct detection signals are small AND Higgs decay width is dominated by the decay to dark matter.