Galactic Dark Matter Research Articles

Axions in Andromeda: Searching for minicluster-neutron star encounters with the Green Bank Telescope

The QCD axion and axionlike particles are compelling candidates for galactic dark matter. Theoretically, axions can convert into photons in the presence of a strong external magnetic field, which means it is possible to search for them experimentally. One approach is to use radio telescopes with high-resolution spectrometers to look for axion-photon conversion in the magnetospheres of neutron stars. In this paper, we describe the results obtained using a novel approach where we used the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) to search for radio transients produced by collisions between neutron stars and dark matter clumps known as axion miniclusters. We used the versatile GBT astronomical spectrometer and the X-band receiver (8–10 GHz) to observe the core of Andromeda. Our measurements are sensitive to axions with masses between 33 and 42 μeV with Δma=3.8×10−4 μeV. This paper gives a description of the search method we developed, including observation and analysis strategies. Given our analysis algorithm choices and the instrument sensitivity (∼2 mJy in each spectral channel), we did not find any candidate signals greater than 5σ. We are currently implementing this search method in other spectral bands. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Unlocking Discovery Potential for Decaying Dark Matter and Faint X-Ray Sources with XRISM

Astrophysical emission lines arising from particle decays can offer unique insights into the nature of dark matter (DM). Using dedicated simulations with background and foreground modeling, we comprehensively demonstrate that the recently launched X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) space telescope with powerful X-ray spectroscopy capabilities is particularly well suited to probe decaying DM, such as sterile neutrinos and axion-like particles, in the mass range of a few to tens of keV. We analyze and map XRISM’s DM discovery potential parameter space by considering the Milky Way Galactic DM halo, including establishing an optimal line-of-sight search, as well as dwarf galaxies, where we identify Segue 1 as a remarkably promising target. We demonstrate that with only 100 ks exposure, the XRISM/Resolve instrument is capable of probing the underexplored DM parameter window around a few keV and testing DM couplings with a sensitivity that exceeds by two orders existing Segue 1 limits. Further, we demonstrate that XRISM/Xtend instrument sensitivity enables discovery of the nature of faint astrophysical X-ray sources, especially in Segue 1, which could shed light on star formation history. We discuss implications for decaying DM searches with improved detector energy resolution in future experiments.

Star Stream Velocity Distributions in Cold Dark Matter and Warm Dark Matter Galactic Halos

The dark matter subhalos orbiting in a galactic halo perturb the orbits of stars in thin stellar streams. Over time, the random velocities in the streams develop non-Gaussian wings. The rate of velocity increase is approximately a random walk at a rate proportional to the number of subhalos, primarily those in the mass range ≈106−7 M ⊙. The distribution of random velocities in long streams is measured in simulated Milky Way–like halos that develop in representative warm dark matter (WDM) and cold dark matter (CDM) cosmologies. The radial velocity distributions are well modeled as the sum of a Gaussian and an exponential. The resulting Markov Chain Monte Carlo fits find Gaussian cores of 1−2 km s−1 and exponential wings that increase from 3 km s−1 for 5.5 keV WDM, 4 km s−1 for 7 keV WDM, to 6 km s−1 for a CDM halo. The observational prospects to use stream measurements to constrain the nature of galactic dark matter are discussed.

Significant impact of Galactic dark matter particles on annihilation signals from Sagittarius analogues

We examine the gamma-ray signal from dark matter (DM) annihilation from analogues of the Sagittarius (Sgr) dwarf spheroidal galaxy in the Auriga cosmological simulations. For velocity-dependent annihilation cross sections, we compute emissions from simulated Sgr subhalos and from the Milky Way (MW) foreground. In addition to the annihilation signals from DM particles bound to Sgr, we consider for the first time the annihilation of DM particles bound to the MW that overlap spatially with Sgr. For p-wave models this contribution can enhance the signal by over an order of magnitude, while for d-wave models the enhancement can be over three orders of magnitude. For Sommerfeld and s-wave models, the corresponding emission does not significantly change. For the Sommerfeld model, the Sgr source can be visible above the MW foreground emission, while for s, p and d-wave models, the signal towards Sgr is most likely dominated by foreground MW emission. We interpret our results within the context of the observed gamma-ray emission from Sgr. We find that, given the background emission estimated from this region, the templates from simulations likely have spatial morphology that is too extended to explain the point-like emission that is observed.

Preliminary Study of Dark-matter-dominated Systems: Further Analysis for Galactic Dark Matter Halos with Pressure

Low-surface-brightness galaxies are excellent laboratories, where stars and baryonic matter act as tracers of the gravitational potential of the dark matter halo. If dark matter is modeled as a perfect fluid, then spherically symmetric and static dark matter halos in hydrostatic equilibrium demand that dark matter should have an intrinsic pressure that counteracts the gravitational attraction that the dark matter halo exerts on itself. This static fluid (a dark-matter-dominated system, where the presence of baryons is negligible) has a specific equation of state for each rotational velocity profile of the stars in galaxies. In this work, we study the dark matter equation of state needed for the self-gravitating object to produce a gravitational potential such that the tracers follow the universal rotational velocity profile for stars of spiral galaxies proposed by Persic et al. and analyze the properties of the self-gravitating structures that emerge from this equation of state. The resulting configurations explaining the observed rotational speeds are found to be unstable. We conclude that the halo is not in hydrostatic equilibrium, it is nonspherically symmetric, or it is not static if the universal velocity profile should be valid for fitting the rotational velocity curve of the galaxies.

Dark Matter halo parameters from overheated exoplanets via Bayesian hierarchical inference

Dark Matter (DM) can become captured, deposit annihilation energy, and hence increase the heat flow in exoplanets and brown dwarfs. Detecting such a DM-induced heating in a population of exoplanets in the inner kpc of the Milky Way thus provides potential sensitivity to the galactic DM halo parameters. We develop a Bayesian Hierarchical Model to investigate the feasibility of DM discovery with exoplanets and examine future prospects to recover the spatial distribution of DM in the Milky Way. We reconstruct from mock exoplanet datasets observable parameters such as exoplanet age, temperature, mass, and location, together with DM halo parameters, for representative choices of measurement uncertainty and the number of exoplanets detected. We find that detection of ℴ(100) exoplanets in the inner Galaxy can yield quantitative information on the galactic DM density profile, under the assumption of 10% measurement uncertainty. Even as few as ℴ(10) exoplanets can deliver meaningful sensitivities if the DM density and inner slope are sufficiently large.https://github.com/mariabenitocst/exoplanets

A new gravitational theory and dark matter problem

We propose a new gravitational theory with torsion based on Riemann–Cartan geometry, in which all physical quantities are dynamical. In addition to the spacetime metric, the gravitational degrees of freedom in this theory also include the torsion and two scalar fields. The energy-momentum tensor of the matter fields in this theory is also proposed. A spherically symmetric static vacuum solution of the theory is obtained. It turns out that this solution can fit the observational data of the rotation curve outside the stellar disk in the Milky Way. Therefore, the galactic dark matter may just be the gravitational effect of the theory with torsion.

Evolving wormhole geometry from dark matter energy density

We analyse traversable wormholes defined by the dynamic line elements that asymptotically approach Friedmann–Robertson–Walker (FRW) universe. These dynamical wormholes is supported by the galactic dark matter as well as perfect isotropic fluid. We will discuss several evolving Lorentzian wormholes comprising with different perfect isotropic fluids in addition to various scale factors. We will speculate the various significance, features and throat energy conditions for these evolving traversable Lorentzian wormholes.

Quantum model of galactic halos with an Navarro-Frenk-White dark matter profile

A quantum model of a cold dark matter galactic halo is developed. The model requires specifying the mass and radius of the halo as well as its density profile. The structure of the halo resulting from the theory is predicted and its physical properties are determined. Verification of these theoretical predictions by observations is proposed and discussed. The model is constructed by analytically solving the governing equation and using its time-independent solutions to determine the internal structure of a galactic halo with an Navarro-Frenk-White cold dark matter density profile. The governing equation that is the basis of the developed theory is derived from the irreducible representations of the extended Galilean group. The method of finding the solutions is analytical, even though an Navarro-Frenk-White density profile is used in the calculations. The theory predicts a halo with a core composed of free dark matter particles that move randomly with frequent collisions. It also predicts an envelope in which the particles are confined to their orbits, which are quantized. Except in the close vicinity of the core, the population of the orbits remains fixed, and physical reasons for the nonexistence of quantum jumps between these orbits are presented. A quantum model of a galactic cold dark matter halo with a given Navarro-Frenk-White density profile is constructed. It predicts a quantum structure of the halo that is significantly different than any previously known dark matter model. The quantum model naturally accounts for dark matter being collisionless, and it predicts that dark matter can only emit radiation of one fixed frequency. The values of this frequency are computed for dark matter particles of different masses. A potential observational verification of the theory is also discussed.

The Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey. XXXVII. Distant RR Lyrae Stars and the Milky Way Stellar Halo Out to 300 kpc

RR Lyrae stars are standard candles with characteristic photometric variability and serve as powerful tracers of Galactic structure, substructure, accretion history, and dark matter content. Here we report the discovery of distant RR Lyrae stars, including some of the most distant stars known in the Milky Way halo, with Galactocentric distances of ∼300 kpc. We use time-series u*g′i′z′ Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope/MegaCam photometry from the Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey (NGVS). We use a template light-curve fitting method based on empirical Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82 RR Lyrae data to identify RR Lyrae candidates in the NGVS data set. We eliminate several hundred suspected quasars and identify 180 RR Lyrae candidates with heliocentric distances of ∼20–300 kpc. The halo stellar density distribution is consistent with an r −4.09±0.10 power-law radial profile over most of this distance range with no signs of a break. The distribution of ab-type RR Lyrae in a period–amplitude plot (Bailey diagram) suggests that the mean metallicity of the halo decreases outward. Compared to other recent RR Lyrae surveys, like Pan-STARRS1, the High Cadence Transient Survey, and the Dark Energy Survey, our NGVS study has better single-epoch photometric precision and a comparable number of epochs but smaller sky coverage. At large distances, our RR Lyrae sample appears to be relatively pure and complete, with well-measured periods and amplitudes. These newly discovered distant RR Lyrae stars are important additions to the few secure stellar tracers beyond 150 kpc in the Milky Way halo.

Erratum: Hunting galactic axion dark matter with gravitationally lensed fast radio bursts [Phys. Rev. D 109 , L021303 (2024)

Erratum: Hunting galactic axion dark matter with gravitationally lensed fast radio bursts [Phys. Rev. D <b>109</b> , L021303 (2024)

Generalized molecule-like structure in atomic nuclei

Starting from a |ϕ|4 field theory with universal pn interacting angular and distance coordinates (θ,r) to depict nuclear long-range correlations, we have derived a cubic Schrödinger equation for NpNnpn interacting virtual bosons, which are believed to dominate the generic evolution of nuclear structure from spherical multi-nucleon shell-model states to deformed collective rotational states. It is shown that two-soliton solution in θ space manifests two opposite pn-type Ising-like chains existing in ground states and their gradual alignment responsible for nuclear rotational excitations. Of particular prominence is two-soliton solution with respect to r: the mutual relative motion of valence protons and neutrons around valence-nucleon mass centers considered as the dynamic equilibrium positions of a non-linear Schrödinger breather. And the resulting non-vanishing root mean square 〈r2〉 divides half the valence nucleons belonging to a chain into four local mass centers and proposes two chain-corresponding molecule-like tetrads outside inert cores pairwise hidden in ground states. Such solitons turn out to be an analogue of opposite axion fluids around a local mass center in the galactic dark-matter halo outside the soliton core (Garnier et al. (2021) [67]) and the present study facilitates making the latter more clear. The generalized molecule-like structure arouses a requisite to the addition of cluster-interior and cluster-to-core electric dipole moments in particular to pear-shaped nuclei, whose variants Schiff moments play an important role in measuring diamagnetic atomic electric dipole moments and therefore understanding CP-violating new physics beyond the standard model. We put additional parts in evidence by befitting the NpNn scheme verified already by electric quadrupole moments in same nuclei.

Constraining the Inner Galactic DM Density Profile with H.E.S.S.

In this short review, corresponding to a talk given at the conference “Cosmology 2023 in Miramare”, we combine an analysis of five regions observed by H.E.S.S. in the Galactic Center, intending to constrain the Dark Matter (DM) density profile in a WIMP annihilation scenario. For the analysis, we include the state-of-the-art Galactic diffuse emission Gamma-optimized model computed with DRAGON and a wide range of DM density profiles from cored to cuspy profiles, including different kinds of DM spikes. Our results are able to constrain generalized NFW profiles with an inner slope γ≳1.3. When considering DM spikes, the adiabatic spike is completely ruled out. However, smoother spikes given by the interactions with the bulge stars are compatible if γ≲0.8, with an internal slope of γsp-stars=1.5.

The viability of low-mass subhaloes as targets for gamma-ray dark matter searches

ABSTRACT In this work, we investigate the discovery potential of low-mass Galactic dark matter (DM) subhaloes for indirect searches of DM. We use data from the Via Lactea II (VL-II) N-body cosmological simulation, which resolves subhaloes down to $\mathcal {O}(10^4)$ solar masses and it is thus ideal for this purpose. First, we characterize the abundance, distribution and structural properties of the VL-II subhalo population in terms of both subhalo masses and maximum circular velocities. Then, we repopulate the original simulation with millions of subhaloes of masses down to about five orders of magnitude below the minimum VL-II subhalo mass (more than one order of magnitude in velocities). We compute subhalo DM annihilation astrophysical ‘J-factors’ and angular sizes for the entire subhalo population, by placing the Earth at a random position but at the right Galactocentric distance in the simulation. Thousands of these realizations are generated in order to obtain statistically meaningful results. We find that some nearby low-mass Galactic subhaloes, not massive enough to retain stars or gas, may indeed yield DM annihilation fluxes comparable to those expected from other, more massive and acknowledgeable DM targets like dwarf satellite galaxies. Typical angular sizes are of the order of the degree, thus subhaloes potentially appearing as extended sources in gamma-ray telescopes, depending on instrument angular resolution and sensitivity. Our work shows that low-mass Galactic subhaloes with no visible counterparts are expected to play a relevant role in current and future indirect DM search searches and should indeed be considered as excellent DM targets.

On the Galactic radio signal from stimulated decay of axion dark matter

We study the full-sky distribution of the radio emission from the stimulated decay of axions which are assumed to compose the dark matter in the Galaxy. Besides the constant extragalactic and CMB components, the decays are stimulated by a Galactic radio emission with a spatial distribution that we empirically determine from observations. We compare the diffuse emission to the counterimages of the brightest supernovæ remnants, and take into account the effects of free-free absorption. We show that, if the dark matter halo is described by a cuspy NFW profile, the expected signal from the Galactic center is the strongest. Interestingly, the emission from the Galactic anti-center provides competitive constraints that do not depend on assumptions on the uncertain dark matter density in the inner region. Furthermore, the anti-center of the Galaxy is the brightest spot if the Galactic dark matter density follows a cored profile. The expected signal from stimulated decays of axions of mass ma ∼ 10-6 eV is within reach of the Square Kilometer Array for an axion-photon coupling gaγ ≳ (2-3) × 10-11 GeV-1.

Milky Way white dwarfs as sub-GeV to multi-TeV dark matter detectors

We show that Milky Way white dwarfs are excellent targets for dark matter (DM) detection. Using Fermi and H.E.S.S. Galactic center gamma-ray data, we investigate sensitivity to DM annihilating within white dwarfs into long-lived or boosted mediators and producing detectable gamma rays. Depending on the Galactic DM distribution, we set new constraints on the spin-independent scattering cross section down to 10-45-10-41 cm2 in the sub-GeV DM mass range, which is multiple orders of magnitude stronger than existing limits. For a generalized NFW DM profile, we find that our white dwarf constraints exceed spin-independent direct detection limits across most of the sub-GeV to multi-TeV DM mass range, achieving sensitivities as low as about 10-46 cm2. In addition, we improve earlier versions of the DM capture calculation in white dwarfs, by including the low-temperature distribution of nuclei when the white dwarf approaches crystallization. This yields smaller capture rates than previously calculated by a factor of a few up to two orders of magnitude, depending on white dwarf size and the astrophysical system.

Study of cosmogenic activation above ground of Ar for DarkSide-20k

The production of long-lived radioactive isotopes due to the exposure to cosmic rays on the Earth's surface is an hazard for experiments searching for rare events like the direct detection of galactic dark matter particles. The use of large amounts of liquid argon is foreseen in different projects, like the DarkSide-20k experiment, intended to look for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. Here, results from the study of the cosmogenic activation of argon carried out in the context of DarkSide-20k are presented. The induced activity of several isotopes, including 39Ar, and the expected counting rates in the detector have been deduced, considering exposure conditions as realistic as possible.

Searching for dark matter annihilation with IceCube and P-ONE

We present a new search for weakly interacting massive particles utilizing ten years of public IceCube data, setting more stringent bounds than previous IceCube analysis on massive dark matter to neutrino annihilation. We also predict the future potential of the new neutrino observatory, P-ONE, showing that it may even exceed the sensitivities of Fermi-LAT gamma-ray searches by about 1–2 orders of magnitude in 1–10 TeV regions. This analysis considers the diffuse dark matter self-annihilation to neutrinos via direct and indirect channels, from the galactic dark matter halo and extra-galactic sources. We also predict that P-ONE will be capable of pushing these bounds further than IceCube, even reaching the thermal relic abundance utilizing a galactic center search for extended run-time.

Hunting galactic axion dark matter with gravitationally lensed fast radio bursts

Hunting galactic axion dark matter with gravitationally lensed fast radio bursts

All-sky limits on sterile neutrino galactic dark matter obtained with SRG/ART-XC after two years of operations

All-sky limits on sterile neutrino galactic dark matter obtained with SRG/ART-XC after two years of operations