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Direct detection of mechanism-agnostic fast-moving dark matter

Haider Alhazmi1,*, Doojin Kim2,3,†, Kyoungchul Kong4,‡, and Aishah Sumayli1

  • *Contact author: hmalhazmi@jazanu.edu.sa
  • †Contact author: doojin.kim@usd.edu
  • ‡Contact author: kckong@ku.edu
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Phys. Rev. D 113, 055051 – Published 30 March, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/1w6s-wlzc

Abstract

We present a comprehensive framework for interpreting electron recoil signals induced by fast-moving dark matter (DM), applicable across a wide range of theoretically motivated models. Amid both null results in conventional weakly interacting massive particle searches and growing interest in alternative DM scenarios, we focus on (semi-)relativistic DM components that can arise from mechanisms such as DM annihilation, decay, or cosmic-ray acceleration. These boosted DM candidates produce distinct experimental signatures that differ qualitatively from nonrelativistic DM, necessitating a dedicated treatment. Our framework incorporates relativistic kinematics and atomic effects through ionization form factors, enabling accurate predictions of differential cross sections in both low- and high-energy regimes. We demonstrate how atomic effects become negligible at high recoil energies, validating the free-electron approximation in specific parameter regions. Furthermore, we highlight the complementarity between low-threshold direct detection experiments and high-threshold neutrino observatories in probing fast-moving DM across broad kinematic domains. This formalism provides a robust and model-independent foundation for interpreting current and future searches for relativistic DM.

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Phys. Rev. D 113, 055051– Published 30 March, 2026
  • Received 17 November 2025
  • Accepted 12 March 2026
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