Dark Matter from Electroweak Single Top Production

Abstract

Dark matter scenarios with spin-0 mediators in the $s$-channel have be tested in well-established processes with missing energy, such as top-pair- and mono-jet-associated production. We suggest electroweak single top production in association with a dark matter pair as an alternative channel. Based on a realistic analysis for the LHC at 13 TeV, we demonstrate how to efficiently discriminate between the signal and Standard-Model background using event kinematics. With $300{\text{fb}}^{-1}(3{\text{ab}}^{-1})$ of data luminosity, on-shell scalar mediators with a coupling strength $g_S^t=1$ to top quarks can be probed up to masses of $180(360)\text{GeV}$. Single-top-associated dark matter production should thus be included as an independent search channel in the LHC dark matter program.

Comments: 14 pages, 7 figures, 1 table