Is Light Neutralino Thermal Dark Matter in the Phenomenological Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model Ruled Out?

We explore the parameter space of the phenomenological minimal supersymmetric standard model with a light neutralino thermal dark matter (m(chi 1)(similar to 0) <= m(h)/2) that is consistent with current collider and astrophysical constraints. We consider both positive and negative values of the higgsino mass parameter (mu). Our investigation shows that the recent experimental results from the LHC as well as from direct detection searches for dark matter by the LUX-ZEPLIN Collaboration rule out the Z-funnel region for the mu > 0 scenario. The same results severely restrict the h-funnel region for positive mu; however, the allowed points can be probed easily with few more days of data from the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment. In the mu < 0 scenario, we find that very light higgsinos in both the Z and h funnels might survive the present constraints from the electroweakino searches at the LHC, and dedicated efforts from experimental collaborations are necessary to make conclusive statements about their present status.

Automated summary

We explore the parameter space of the phenomenological minimal supersymmetric standard model to study the light neutralino thermal dark matter. The results show that certain regions are ruled out by recent experimental results, while other regions are still possible.