Notes from conveners

Context:

Astrophysical observations, direct and indirect searches are yielding stronger constraints on the nature of dark matter. Recent observations from both space- and ground-based experiments are being interpreted as signals of dark matter annihilation/decay or direct detection. LHC experiments so far show no indications of missing energy signals. In this session we will ask what is this data really telling us, and what are the new theory ideas generated by the dark matter results so far.

Big questions that we hope this session will address:

1. Do astrophysical observations give a consistent picture of dark matter on all scales? Can astrophysical observations tell us about DM self-interactions, or about the number of distinct DM species?

2. How big is the parameter space of viable WIMP models? Are the 2D exclusion plots of “WIMP-nucleon cross section” versus WIMP mass obsolete? What should replace them?

3. Do we have a comprehensive enough picture of the viable non-WIMP models?

4. What is the right balance between improving bounds on the least-constrained DM models, perhaps more cheaply, and pushing the “mainstream” vanilla WIMP bounds?

5. Do we understand all the caveats in trying to link results from direct, indirect, and collider searches?

6. What is the right balance between designing G2 direct searches for discovery, and using G2 as the pathway to G3? What is the right balance between encouraging new approaches/technologies and scaling up proven methods?

7. What would be a comprehensive plan to search for DM particles, dark sector messenger particles, and unstable dark sector particles at LHC and other accelerators? Can precision Higgs studies tell us about the dark sector? If no SUSY at LHC after 300 fb-1, how does this inform the DM program?