A phenomenological model for dark matter phase-space distribution

Abstract

ABSTRACT Understanding the nature of dark matter is among the top priorities of modern physics. However, due to its inertness, detecting and studying it directly in terrestrial experiments is extremely challenging. Numerical N-body simulations currently represent the best approach for studying the particle properties and phase-space distribution, assuming the collisionless nature of dark matter. These simulations also address the lack of a satisfactory theory for predicting the universal properties of dark matter haloes, including the density profile and velocity distribution. In this work, we propose a new phenomenological model for the dark matter phase-space distribution. This model aims to provide an Navarro–Frenk–White-like density profile, velocity magnitude distribution, and velocity component distributions that align closely with simulation data. Our model is relevant both for theoretical modelling of dark matter distributions, and for underground detector experiments that rely on the dark matter velocity distribution for experimental analysis.