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The Shadow of Dark Matter. Kris Sigurdson Institute for Advanced Study Hubble Symposium 2007 Space Telescope Science Institute April 2, 2007. Overview. Motivation Dark Matter is ‘Dark’ The Model Constraints An Observable Effect? Particle Physics Setups Conclusions.
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The Shadow of Dark Matter Kris Sigurdson Institute for Advanced Study Hubble Symposium 2007 Space Telescope Science Institute April 2, 2007
Overview • Motivation • Dark Matter is ‘Dark’ • The Model • Constraints • An Observable Effect? • Particle Physics Setups • Conclusions Stefano Profumo and KS: Phys. Rev. D75 023521 (2007) astro-ph/0611129
Motivation • But… we don’t know much about the physics of dark matter. • Worth thinking about alternative avenues of discovery.
Dark Matter Dark Matter Dark Matter ‘Dark’ Matter is Dark Matter Not Dark Matter Photos: Martin White’s Webpage
Dark Matter Dark Matter ‘Dark’ Matter is Dark Matter ? Not Dark Matter
‘Dark’ Matter is Dark Matter • Very weak coupling to photons • Strong Limits: Charge (e.g. A. Gould et al. 1990) Milli-Charge (e.g. S. Davidson et al. 2000; S. Dubovsky et al. 2004) Magnetic/Electric Dipole (e.g. KSet al. 2004) • Can NOT appreciably scatter light because the coupling is so very weak
S. Profumo CALTECH Can Dark Matter Cast a Shadow? ? g g (?) Dark Matter Observer Photon Source
The Model • Stable Neutral Dark Matter Particle • Unstable Neutral Heavier Particle • Coupled to Photons and each other via a Transition Magnetic/Electric Moment
The Model “Atom-like interaction”
Resonant Photon Scattering Relativistic Breit-Wigner Cross Section CM Momentum CM Energy Squared
S. Profumo CALTECH Can Dark Matter Cast a Shadow? ? g g (?) Dark Matter Observer Photon Source
Constraints • The coupling can allow for production of pairs • Existing astrophysical constraints on Milli-charge (fractional charge) particles (e.g. G. Raffelt 1996) • Apply, but replace with:
Lyman- • But…. constraints from the Lyman-forest on warm dark matter impose: • This supercedes the stellar energy loss limit for the relevant region of the parameter space unless the dark matter is produced in a nonstandard way
SN1987A • Excess production of pairs in SN1987A SN Core Plasma Frequency Excludes: (Too Much Energy Loss) (Particles Trapped)
Big Bang Nucleosynthesis • If thermalized in the early Universe around BBN and would contribute to the number of light degrees of freedom present during BBN Excludes:
“Running” of em • In the standard model the strength of the electromagnetic interaction becomes stronger at higher energies Modifies the Running of up to the Z-pole Must Have:
S. Profumo CALTECH Can Dark Matter Cast a Shadow? ? g g (?) Dark Matter Observer Photon Source
Velocity Broadening • Dark matter particles live in a halo with a nonzero virial velocity dispersion Maxwell-Boltzmann:
Broadening in DM Halos Coma-like Broadened
The Opacity In Detail: DM Surface Density The Optical Depth
An Absorption Feature? • The dynamics of the scattering process ~ Compton scattering forward scattering is unlikely: if a photon scatters, it’s lost (scattering=absorption) • Absorption occurs if t ~ 1 Can be large enough?
An Absorption Feature? • Consider a cluster like the Coma Cluster: Estimate ~ 5x1029 MeV/cm2 for a LOS through cluster center • Consider a source behind or at the center of the cluster (e.g. a quasar)
Absorption Feature? Vary Intrinsic Width LOS through Center
Potentially Interesting Targets? • Perhaps: Active Galactic Nuclei (e.g. Centaurus A or M87). With a “DM spike”. • Perhaps: Gamma Ray Bursts? With the right LOS. • Statistical Detection?
S. Profumo CALTECH “Viable” Parameter Space Region Summary: The (,m2) Plane “Coma” reference surface density giving t ~ 1
Summary For: Mass Range: Resonant Energy:
Other observables: Annihilation? • Through the same interaction Dark Matter particles could annihilate to monochromatic photons
Annihilation: Flux Expected Flux: Diffuse Gamma from COMPTEL/EGRET: Unfortunately: Difficult to detect such a line from the Galactic center. Perhaps: Dwarf galaxies (e.g. Profumo and Kamionkowski 2006) *Dedicated line search by INTEGRAL-SPI also not sensitive enough (Teegarden and Watanabe 2006)
Supersymmetric Absorption? • SUSY: Neutralino Dark Matter • In principle: could construct such a model in a SUSY setup with lightest neutralino and next-to-lightest neutralino Too low number density for a detectable signal
Extended MSM? • MSM: DM abundance, neutrino masses, baryon asymmetry, potentially inflation (T. Asaka et al. 2005; M. Shaposhnikov 2006) • MeV mass dark-matter • Extending this with the transition-moment interactino could lead to the phenomenology discussed here
The End • Dark Matter is ‘Dark’ Matter… but for special energies resonant scattering is possible • a priori: This could lead to absorption features due to dark matter halos. • A range of the parameter space remains. • Perhaps: AGN, GRBs, ???? • Not SUSY. Perhaps MSM-like model. Stefano Profumo and KS: Phys. Rev. D75 023521 (2007) astro-ph/0611129