The HyperCP collaboration has recently reported the observation of three events for the decay Σ + → pµ + µ − . They have suggested that new physics may be required to understand the implied decay rate and the observed M µµ distribution. Motivated by this result, we re-examine this mode within the standard model, considering both the short-distance and long-distance contributions. The long-distance part depends on four complex form-factors. We determine their imaginary parts from unitarity, fix two of the real parts from the Σ + → pγ measurements, and estimate the other two with vector-meson-dominance models. Taking into account constraints from Σ + → pe + e − , we find that Σ + → pµ + µ − is long-distance dominated and its rate falls within the range suggested by the HyperCP measurement.

The standard model (SM) plus a real gauge-singlet scalar field dubbed darkon (SM+D) is the simplest model possessing a weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark-matter candidate. The upper limits for the WIMP-nucleon elastic cross-section as a function of WIMP mass from the recent XENON10 and CDMS II experiments rule out darkon mass ranges from 10 to (50, 70, 75) GeV for Higgs-boson masses of (120, 200, 350) GeV, respectively. This may exclude the possibility of the darkon providing an explanation for the gamma-ray excess observed in the EGRET data. We show that by extending the SM+D to a two-Higgs-doublet model plus a darkon the experimental constraints on the WIMP-nucleon interactions can be circumvented due to suppression occurring at some values of the product tan α tan β, with α being the neutral-Higgs mixing angle and tan β the ratio of vacuum expectation values of the Higgs doublets. We also comment on the implication of the darkon model for Higgs searches at the LHC.

A recent HyperCP observation of three events in the decay Σ + → pµ + µ − is suggestive of a new particle with mass 214.3 MeV. In order to confront models that contain a light Higgs boson with this observation, it is necessary to know the Higgs production rate in hyperon decay. The contribution to this rate from penguin-like two-quark operators has been considered before and found to be too large. We point out that there are additional four-quark contributions to this rate that could be comparable in size to the two-quark contributions, and that could bring the total rate to the observed level in some models. To this effect we implement the low-energy theorems that dictate the couplings of light Higgs bosons to hyperons at leading order in chiral perturbation theory. We consider the cases of scalar and pseudoscalar Higgs bosons in the standard model and in its two-Higgs-doublet extensions to illustrate the challenges posed by existing experimental constraints and suggest possible avenues for models to satisfy them.

The HyperCP Collaboration has observed three events for the decay Sigma+ -->p mu+mu- which may be interpreted as a new particle of mass 214.3 MeV. However, existing data from kaon and B-meson decays provide stringent constraints on the construction of models that support this interpretation. In this Letter we show that the "HyperCP particle" can be identified with the light pseudoscalar Higgs boson in the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model, the A10. In this model there are regions of parameter space where the A10 can satisfy all the existing constraints from kaon and B-meson decays and mediate Sigma+ -->p mu+mu- at a level consistent with the HyperCP observation.