Dark Matter Interpretation of Neutron Multiplicity Anomalies

Abstract

Subterrestrial neutron spectra show weak but consistent anomalies at multiplicities ~100 and above [1-3]. The data of the available measurements are of low statistical significance [4] but indicate an excess of events not correlated with the muon flux. The origin of the anomalies remains ambiguous but could be a signature of WIMP annihilation-like interaction with a Pb target. In this paper, we outline a model consistent with this hypothesis, the extended Standard Model (SM) approach called the Radiation Gauge Model (RGM) [5]. The RGM identifies scalar neutrino-antineutrino wave function components of WIMP Dark Matter (DM) responsible for the weak interaction leading to annihilation with ordinary matter. The model assigns neutrino-nucleon(target) charged current (CC) transitions to the observed anomalies. If the existence of the anomalies is confirmed and the model interpretation is positively verified, this will be the first terrestrial indirect detection of DM.