Constraining asymmetric dark matter through observations of compact stars

Abstract

We put constraints on asymmetric dark matter candidates with spin-dependent interactions based on the simple existence of white dwarfs and neutron stars in globular clusters. For a wide range of the parameters (WIMP mass and WIMP-nucleon cross section), weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) can be trapped in progenitors in large numbers and once the original star collapses to a white dwarf or a neutron star, these WIMPs might self-gravitate and eventually collapse forming a mini--black hole that eventually destroys the star. We impose constraints competitive to direct dark matter search experiments, for WIMPs with masses down to the TeV scale.