Lightest Visible-Sector Supersymmetric Particle is Likely to be Unstable.
We argue, based on typical properties of known solutions of string or M theory, that the lightest supersymmetric particle of the visible sector is likely to be unstable. In other words, dark matter is probably not a particle with standard model quantum numbers, such as a weakly interacting massive particle. The argument is simple and based on the typical occurrence of (a) hidden sectors, (b) interactions between the standard model (visible) sector and these hidden sectors, and (c) the lack of an argument against massive neutral hidden sector particles being lighter than the lightest visible supersymmetric particle. These conclusions do not rely on arguments such as R-parity violation.
Department of Physics, King's College London, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom.|The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, Trieste 34151, Italy.
Bobby S
BS
Acharya
Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
Sebastian A R
SA
Ellis
Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
Gordon L
GL
Kane
Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Brent D
BD
Nelson
DAMTP, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, United Kingdom.
Malcolm J
MJ
Perry