Neutralino dark matter in supergravity theories with non-universal scalar and gaugino masses

We analyse the direct detection of neutralino dark matter in supergravity scenarios with non-universal soft scalar and gaugino masses. In particular, the neutralino-nucleon cross section is computed and compared with the sensitivity of detectors. We take into account the most recent experimental and astrophysical constraints on the parameter space, including those coming from charge and colour breaking minima. Gaugino non-universalities provide a larger flexibility in the neutralino sector. In particular, when combined with non-universal scalars, neutralinos close to the present detection limits are possible with a wide range of masses, from over 400 GeV to almost 10 GeV. We study the different possibilities which allow to increase or decrease the neutralino mass and explain the properties of those regions in the parameter space with a large cross section. (author)