Explaining the $W$ boson mass anomaly and dark matter with a $U(1)$ dark sector

Abstract

The $W$ boson mass recently reported by the CDF collaboration shows a deviation from the standard model prediction with an excess at $7\sigma$ level. We investigate two simple extensions of the standard model with an extra $U(1)$ dark sector. One is the $U(1)_x$ extension, where the $U(1)_x$ gauge field mixes with the standard model through gauge kinetic terms. The other is a general $U(1)_{\mathbf{A} Y+\mathbf{B} q}$ extension of the standard model. Fitting various experimental constraints we find the $U(1)_x$ extension with only kinetic mixing can enhance the $W$ boson mass for at most 10~MeV. While the $U(1)_{\mathbf{A} Y+\mathbf{B} q}$ extension can easily generate 77~MeV enhancement of the $W$ boson mass and also offer a viable dark matter candidate with mass ranging from several hundred GeV to TeV, which may be detected by future dark matter direct detection experiments with improved sensitivities.