A stellar probe of dark matter annihilation in galactic nuclei

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (60) References (9) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS A Stellar Probe of Dark Matter Annihilation in Galactic Nuclei Salati, Pierre ; Silk, Joseph Abstract We investigate the evolution of main-sequence stars which are embedded within a highly concentrated cloud of annihilating dark matter. Massive stars are not affected, but low-mass stars are shifted to the red region of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. Stars inflate and become completely convective, moving upward along the Hayashi track as if they were red giant stars, with their effective temperature dropping and their luminosity increasing. The required dark matter density is >= 10^6^ times that in the halo near the Sun: such a high density could, and in certain models of galaxy formation should, be present in galactic nuclei. The formation of such nuclei in the early universe results in strongly enhanced baryonic dissipation: if the baryons fragment to form stars, the stellar collision cross-section is increased. The enhanced stellar collision rate means that formation of a central massive object, presumably a black hole, is likely to be inevitable. Independently of the mass of the dark matter particles, low-mass stars can provide a unique probe of the degree of concentration of the dark matter. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: March 1989 DOI: 10.1086/167177 Bibcode: 1989ApJ...338...24S Keywords: Annihilation Reactions; Dark Matter; Galactic Nuclei; Main Sequence Stars; Stellar Evolution; Baryons; Collision Rates; Computational Astrophysics; Red Shift; Stellar Luminosity; Astrophysics; DARK MATTER; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; GALAXIES: NUCLEI; STARS: EVOLUTION; STARS: INTERIORS full text sources ADS |