Blind spots for neutralino dark matter in the NMSSM

Understand

Spin-independent cross-section for neutralino dark matter scattering off nuclei is investigated in the NMSSM.

• Several classes of blind spots for direct detection of singlino-Higgsino dark matter are analytically identified, including such that have no analog in the MSSM.
• It is shown that mixing of the Higgs doublets with the scalar singlet has a big impact on the position of blind spots in the parameter space.
• In particular, this mixing allows for more freedom in the sign assignment for the parameters entering the neutralino mass matrix, required for a blind spot to occur, as compared to the MSSM or the NMSSM with decoupled singlet.