A calculation for vector dark matter direct detection

Abstract

We evaluate the elastic scattering cross section of vector dark matter with nucleon based on the method of effective field theory. The dark matter is assumed to behave as a vector particle under the Lorentz transformation and to interact with colored particles including quarks in the Standard Model. After formulating general formulae for the scattering cross sections, we apply them to the case of the first Kaluza-Klein photon dark matter in the minimal universal extra dimension model. The resultant cross sections are found to be larger than those calculated in previous literature.