Exploring new physics via effective interactions

Abstract: We investigate self-conjugate Dark Matter (DM) particles that primarily interact with standard model electroweak gauge bosons within an effective field theoretical framework. Our analysis focuses on effective contact interactions, invariant under the standard model gauge group, between Majorana fermions, and real scalar DM, with SM neutral electroweak gauge bosons. We calculate the Wilson coefficients for interaction terms up to dimension-8 and establish constraints on the theory's parameters. These constraints are derived from the observed relic density, and indirect detection observations. We discuss the potential for dark matter-nucleon scattering in direct detection experiments. Additionally, we utilize low-energy LEP data to assess sensitivity to the pair production of low-mass ($\leq$ 80 GeV) DM particles. Furthermore, we highlight the potential of the proposed International Linear Collider (ILC) in probing effective operators through the pair production of DM particles with masses $\geq$ 50 GeV in association with mono-photons.