Predictions of Neutralino Dark Matter Event Rates in Minimal Supergravity Unification

Abstract

A detailed analysis of dark matter event rates in minimal supergravity models (MSGM) is given. It is shown analytically that the lightest neutralino the ${{\tilde {Z}_{1}}}$ is the LSP over almost all of the parameter space, and hence the natural candidate for cold dark matter (CDM). The radiative breaking of $SU(2)\times U(1)$ constraints are shown to be crucial in determining the expected event rates. Approximate analytic formulae are obtained to determine the gaugino-higgsino content of the ${{\tilde{Z}_{1}}}$ particle.From this one can deduce the behavior of the event rates as one varies the SUSY soft breaking parameters and tan $\beta$. The constraint on the event rates due to the recently measured $b\rightarrow s+\gamma$ decay is calculated. It is seen that this data eliminates most of the parameter space where $\mu$ (the Higgs mixing parameter) and $A_t$ (the t-quark cubic soft breaking parameter) have the same sign. Since the t-quark is close to its Landau pole, $A_t$ is restricted to be mostly positive, and so most of the $\mu>0$ part of the parameter space is eliminated...