Reconciling Higgs physics and pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone dark matter in the S2HDM using a genetic algorithm

doi:10.1007/JHEP10(2021)215
We investigate a possible realization ofpseudo-Nambu-Goldstone (pNG) dark matterin the framework of a singlet-extended 2 Higgsdoublet model (S2HDM). pNG dark matter gainedattraction due to the fact that direct-detectionconstraints can be avoided naturally because of themomentum-suppressed scattering cross sections,whereas the relic abundance of dark matter cannevertheless be accounted for via the usual thermalfreeze-out mechanism. We confront the S2HDM witha multitude of theoretical and experimentalconstraints, paying special attention to thetheoretical limitations on the scalar potential,such as vacuum stability and perturbativity.In addition, we discussthe complementarity between constraintsrelated to the dark matter sector, on theone hand, and to the Higgs sector, on the other hand.In our numerical discussion we explore theHiggs funnel region with dark mattermasses around 60GeV using a genetic algorithm.We demonstrate that the S2HDM can easilyaccount for the measured relic abundance whilebeing in agreement with all relevant constraints.We also discuss whether the so-calledcenter-of-galaxy excesses can beaccommodated,possibly incombination with a Higgsboson at about 96GeV that can be the originof the LEP- and the CMS-excess observed at this massin the $b \bar b$-quark andthe diphoton final state, respectively.