Constraints on light mediators: confronting dark matter searches with B physics

Abstract

Light scalars appear in many well-motivated extensions of the Standard Model including supersymmetric models with additional gauge singlets. Such scalars could mediate the interactions between dark matter and nuclei, giving rise to the tentative signals observed by several dark matter direct detection experiments including CDMS-Si. In this letter, we derive strong new limits on light scalar mediators by using the LHCb, Belle and BaBar searches for rare $\Upsilon$ and B decays. These limits rule out significant parts of the parameter space favored by CDMS-Si. Nevertheless, as current searches are not optimized for investigating weakly coupled light scalars, a further increase in experimental sensitivity could be achieved by relaxing requirements in the event selection.