Population Of Primordial Black Holes Research Articles

Consistency of Primordial Black Hole Dark Matter with LIGO/Virgo Merger Rates.

The LIGO/Virgo Collaboration has by now observed or constrained the gravitational merger rates of different classes of compact objects. We consider the possibility that the bulk of these mergers are primordial black hole (PBH) mergers of PBHs formed during the QCD epoch making up the entirety of the dark matter. Having shown in a companion paper that mergers due to the initial binary population formed in the early Universe are likely negligible, we compute current merger rates in PBH clusters in which the typical PBH resides. We consider two scenarios: (i)the PBH mass function dictated by the QCD equation of state and (ii)the PBH mass function dictated by the existence of a peak in the inflationary perturbation spectrum. In the first scenario, which is essentially parameter-free, we reproduce very well the merger rates for heavy BHs, the merger rate of mass-asymmetric BHs such as GW190814, a recently discovered merger of a 23 M_{⊙} black hole with a 2.6 M_{⊙} object, and can naturally explain why LIGO/Virgo has not yet observed mergers of two light PBHs from the dominant ∼1 M_{⊙} PBH population. In the second scenario, which has some parameter freedom, we match well the observed rate of heavy PBHs but can currently not explain the rate for mass-asymmetric events. In either case, it is tantalizing that in both scenarios PBH merger rates made with a minimum of assumptions match most LIGO/Virgo observed rates very well.

Primordial black holes as dark matter and gravitational waves from bumpy axion inflation

We consider a mechanism for producing a significant population of primordial black holes (PBHs) and an observable stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB) within string theory inspired models of inflation. In this framework where inflaton is identified as a non-compact axion-like field, sub-leading non-perturbative effects can superimpose steep cliffs connected by smooth plateaus onto the underlying axion potential. In the presence of coupling to Abelian gauge fields, the motion of axion on the cliff-like region(s) of its potential triggers a localized production of one helicity state of gauge fields due to the temporary fast-roll of axion around such a feature. In this setup, primordial fluctuations sourced by vector fields exhibit a localized peak in momentum space corresponding to modes that exit the horizon when the axion velocity is maximal. As an application of this general mechanism, we present an example of axion inflation which both matches Planck observations at CMB scales and generates a population of light PBHs (MPBH ≃ 10−13 M⊙) that can account for all dark matter. In this scenario, the enhanced scalar fluctuations that leads to PBHs also generate an observable SGWB of induced origin at LISA scales. The amplitude and shape of the resulting GW signal inherits specific properties (such as non-Gaussianity and its shape) of its scalar sources that may allow us to distinguish this mechanism from other inflationary scenarios and astrophysical backgrounds. This GW signal together with an observation of PBH distribution at the corresponding scales can thus provide a window to the inflationary dynamics on scales much smaller than those probed by Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and Large Scale Structure (LSS) Measurements.

The Impact of the Mass Spectrum of Lenses in Quasar Microlensing Studies. Constraints on a Mixed Population of Primordial Black Holes and Stars

Abstract We show that quasar microlensing magnification statistics induced by a population of point microlenses distributed according to a mass spectrum can be very well approximated by that of a single-mass, monochromatic, population. When the spatial resolution (physically defined by the source size) is small compared with the Einstein radius, the mass of the monochromatic population matches the geometric mean (GM) of the mass spectrum. Otherwise, the best-fit mass can be larger. Taking into account the degeneracy with the GM, the interpretation of quasar microlensing observations under the hypothesis of a mixed population of primordial black holes and stars makes the existence of a significant population of intermediate mass black holes (∼100M ⊙) unlikely but allows, within a 2σ confidence interval, the presence of a large population (≳40% of the total mass) of substellar black holes (∼0.01M ⊙).

Exploring Primordial Black Holes from the Multiverse with Optical Telescopes.

Primordial black holes (PBHs) are a viable candidate for dark matter if the PBH masses are in the currently unconstrained "sublunar" mass range. We revisit the possibility that PBHs were produced by nucleation of false vacuum bubbles during inflation. We show that this scenario can produce a population of PBHs that simultaneously accounts for all dark matter, explains the candidate event in the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) data, and contains both heavy black holes as observed by LIGO and very heavy seeds of supermassive black holes. We demonstrate with numerical studies that future observations of HSC, as well as other optical surveys, such as LSST, will be able to provide a definitive test for this generic PBH formation mechanism if it is the dominant source of dark matter.

Illuminating the dark ages: cosmic backgrounds from accretion onto primordial black hole dark matter

The recent interpretation of cold dark matter as the sum of contributions of different mass Primordial Black Hole (PBH) families [1] could explain a number of so far unsolved astrophysical mysteries. Here I assume a realistic 10−8–1010 M⊙ PBH mass distribution providing the bulk of the dark matter, consistent with all observational constraints. I estimate the contribution of baryon accretion onto this PBH population to various cosmic background radiations, concentrating first on the cross-correlation signal between the Cosmic X-ray and the Cosmic infrared background fluctuations discovered in deep Chandra and Spitzer surveys. I assume Bondi capture and advection dominated disk accretion with reasonable parameters like baryon density and effective relative velocity between baryons and PBH, as well as appropriate accretion and radiation efficiencies, and integrate these over the PBH mass spectrum and cosmic time. The prediction of the PBH contribution to the X-ray background is indeed consistent with the residual X-ray background signal and the X-ray/infrared fluctuations. The predicted flux peaks at redshifts z≈17–30, consistent with other constraints requiring the signal to come from such high redshifts. The PBH contribution to the 2–5 μm cosmic infrared background fluctuations is only about 1%, so that these likely come from star formation processes in regions associated with the PBH. I discuss a number of other phenomena, which could be significantly affected by the PBH accretion. Magnetic fields are an essential ingredient in the Bondi capture process, and I argue that the PBH can play an important role in amplifying magnetic seed fields in the early universe and maintaining them until the galactic dynamo processes set in. Next I study the contribution of the assumed PBH population to the re-ionization history of the universe and find that they do not conflict with the stringent ionization limits set by the most recent Planck measurements. X-ray heating from the PBH population can provide a contribution to the entropy floor observed in groups of galaxies. The tantalizing redshifted 21-cm absorption line feature observed by EDGES could well be connected to the radio emission contributed by PBH to the cosmic background radiation. Finally, the number of intermediate-mass black holes and the diffuse X-ray emission in the Galactic Center region are not violated by the assumed PBH dark matter, on the contrary, some of the discrete sources resolved in the deepest {\\em Chandra} observations of the Galactic Ridge could indeed be accreting PBH.

Revisiting Primordial Black Hole Evolution

Primordial black holes (PBHs) are the sensitive probe for physics and cosmology of very early Universe. The observable effect of their existence depends on the PBH mass. Mini PBHs evaporate and do not survive to the present time, leaving only background effect of products of their evaporation, while PBHs evaporating now can be new exotic sources of energetic particles and gamma rays in the modern Universe. Here we revisit the history of evolution of mini PBHs. We follow the aspects associated with growth versus evaporation rate of “a mini PBH being trapped inside intense local cosmological matter inhomogeneity”. We show that the existence of baryon accretion forbidden black hole regime enables constraints on mini PBHs with the mass M ≤ 5.5 × 10 13 g. On the other hand, we propose the mechanism of delay of evaporation of primordial population of PBHs of primordial mass range 5.5 × 10 13 g ≤ M ≤ 5.1 × 10 14 g. It can provide their evaporation to be the main contributor to γ -ray flux distribution in the current Universe. At the final stage of evaporation these PBHs can be the source of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays and gamma radiation challenging probe for their existence in the LHAASO experiment.

Constraining the abundance of primordial black holes with gravitational lensing of gravitational waves at LIGO frequencies

Gravitational waves from binary black holes that are gravitationally lensed can be distorted by small microlenses along the line of sight. Microlenses with masses of a few tens of solar masses, and that are close to a critical curve in the lens plane, can introduce a time delay of a few millisecond. Such time delay would result in distinctive interference patterns in the gravitational wave that can be measured with current experiments such as LIGO/Virgo. We consider the particular case of primordial black holes with masses between 5 and 50 solar masses acting as microlenses. We study the effect of a population of primordial black holes constituting a fraction of the dark matter, and contained in a macrolens (galaxy or cluster), over gravitational waves that are being lensed by the combined effect of the macrolens plus microlenses. We find that at the typical magnifications expected for observed GW events, the fraction of dark matter in the form of compact microlenses, such as primordial black holes, can be constrained to percent level. Similarly, if a small percentage of the dark matter is in the form of microlenses with a few tens of solar masses, at sufficiently large magnification factors, all gravitational waves will show interference effects. These effects could have an impact on the inferred parameters. The effect is more important for macroimages with negative parity, which usually arrive after the macroimages with positive parity.

PBH in single field inflation: the effect of shape dispersion and non-Gaussianities

Primordial black holes (PBHs) may result from high peaks in a random field of cosmological perturbations. In single field inflationary models, such perturbations can be seeded as the inflaton overshoots a small barrier on its way down the potential. PBHs are then produced through two distinct mechanisms, during the radiation era. The first one is the familiar collapse of large adiabatic overdensities. The second one is the collapse induced by relic bubbles where the inflaton field is trapped in a false vacuum. The latter are due to rare backward fluctuations of the inflaton which prevented it from overshooting the barrier in horizon sized regions. We consider (numerically and analytically) the effect of non-Gaussianities on the threshold for overdensities to collapse into a PBH. Since typical high peaks have some dispersion in their shape or profile, we also consider the effect of such dispersion on the corresponding threshold for collapse. With these results we estimate the most likely channel for PBH production as a function of the non-Gaussianity parameter fNL. We also compare the threshold for collapse coming from the perturbative versus the non perturbative template for the non-Gaussianity arising in this model. We show that i) for fNL ≳ 3.5, the population of PBH coming from false vacuum regions dominates over that which comes from the collapse of large adiabatic overdensities, ii) the non-perturbative template of the non-Gaussianities is important to get accurate results. iii) the effect of the dispersion is small in determining the threshold for the compaction function, although it can be appreciable in determining the threshold amplitude for the curvature perturbation at low fNL. We also confirm that the volume averaged compaction function provides a very accurate universal estimator for the threshold.

Gravitational microlensing by dark matter in extended structures

Dark matter may be in the form of non-baryonic structures such as compact subhalos and boson stars. Structures weighing between asteroid and solar masses may be discovered via gravitational microlensing, an astronomical probe that has in the past helped constrain the population of primordial black holes and baryonic MACHOs. We investigate the non-trivial effect of the size of and density distribution within these structures on the microlensing signal, and constrain their populations using the EROS-2 and OGLE-IV surveys. Structures larger than a solar radius are generally constrained more weakly than point-like lenses, but stronger constraints may be obtained for structures with mass distributions that give rise to caustic crossings or produce larger magnifications.

Constraining the primordial black hole abundance with 21-cm cosmology

The discoveries of a number of binary black hole mergers by LIGO and VIRGO have reinvigorated the interest that primordial black holes (PBHs) of tens of solar masses could contribute non-negligibly to the dark matter energy density. Should even a small population of PBHs with masses $\ensuremath{\gtrsim}\mathcal{O}({M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}})$ exist, they could profoundly impact the properties of the intergalactic medium and provide insight into novel processes at work in the early Universe. We demonstrate here that observations of the 21-cm transition in neutral hydrogen during the epochs of reionization and cosmic dawn will likely provide one of the most stringent tests of solar mass PBHs. In the context of 21-cm cosmology, PBHs give rise to three distinct observable effects: (i) the modification to the primordial power spectrum (and thus also the halo mass function) induced by Poisson noise, (ii) a uniform heating and ionization of the intergalactic medium via x-rays produced during accretion, and (iii) a local modification to the temperature and density of the ambient medium surrounding isolated PBHs. Using a four-parameter astrophysical model, we show that experiments like SKA and HERA could potentially improve upon existing constraints derived using observations of the cosmic microwave background by more than 1 order of magnitude.

Primordial black holes in a dimensionally reduced universe

We investigate the spontaneous creation of primordial black holes in a lower-dimensional expanding early universe. We use the no-boundary proposal to construct instanton solutions for both the background and a black hole nucleated inside this background. The resulting creation rate could lead to a significant population of primordial black holes during the lower dimensional phase. We also consider the subsequent evaporation of these dimensionally reduced black holes and find that their temperature increases with mass, whereas it decreases with mass for 4-dimensional black holes. This means that they could leave stable sub-Planckian relics, which might in principle provide the dark matter.

Constraining primordial black holes with the EDGES 21-cm absorption signal

The EDGES experiment has recently measured an anomalous global 21-cm spectrum due to hydrogen absorptions at redshifts of about $z\sim 17$. Model independently, the unusually low temperature of baryons probed by this observable sets strong constraints on any physical process that transfers energy into the baryonic environment at such redshifts. Here we make use of the 21-cm spectrum to derive bounds on the energy injection due to a possible population of ${\cal O}(1-100) M_\odot$ primordial black holes, which induce a wide spectrum of radiation during the accretion of the surrounding gas. After calculating the total radiative intensity of a primordial black hole population, we estimate the amount of heat and ionisations produced in the baryonic gas and compute the resulting thermal history of the Universe with a modified version of RECFAST code. Finally, by imposing that the temperature of the gas at $z\sim 17$ does not exceed the indications of EDGES, we constrain the possible abundance of primordial black holes. Depending on uncertainties related to the accretion model, we find that ${\cal O}(10) M_\odot$ primordial black holes can only contribute to a fraction $f_{\rm PBH}<(1-10^{-3})$ of the total dark matter abundance.

Mechanisms for primordial black hole production in string theory

We consider mechanisms for producing a significant population of primordial black holes (PBHs) within string inspired single field models of inflation. The production of PBHs requires a large amplification in the power spectrum of curvature perturbations between scales associated with CMB and PBH formation. In principle, this can be achieved by temporarily breaking the slow-roll conditions during inflation. In this work, we identify two string setups that can realise this process. In string axion models of inflation, subleading non-perturbative effects can superimpose steep cliffs and gentle plateaus onto the leading axion potential. The cliffs can momentarily violate the slow-roll conditions, and the plateaus can lead to phases of ultra slow-roll inflation. We thus achieve a string motivated model which both matches the Planck observations at CMB scales and produces a population of light PBHs, which can account for an order one fraction of dark matter. In DBI models of inflation, a sharp increase in the speed of sound sourced by a steep downward step in the warp factor can drive the amplification. In this scenario, discovery of PBHs could indicate non-trivial dynamics in the bulk, such as flux-antibrane annihilation at the tip of a warped throat.

Single field double inflation and primordial black holes

Within the framework of scalar-tensor theories, we study the conditions that allow single field inflation dynamics on small cosmological scales to significantly differ from that of the large scales probed by the observations of cosmic microwave background. The resulting single field double inflation scenario is characterised by two consequent inflation eras, usually separated by a period where the slow-roll approximation fails. At large field values the dynamics of the inflaton is dominated by the interplay between its non-minimal coupling to gravity and the radiative corrections to the inflaton self-coupling. For small field values the potential is, instead, dominated by a polynomial that results in a hilltop inflation. Without relying on the slow-roll approximation, which is invalidated by the appearance of the intermediate stage, we propose a concrete model that matches the current measurements of inflationary observables and employs the freedom granted by the framework on small cosmological scales to give rise to a sizeable population of primordial black holes generated by large curvature fluctuations. We find that these features generally require a potential with a local minimum. We show that the associated primordial black hole mass function is only approximately lognormal.

Searching for Primordial Black Holes in the Radio and X-Ray Sky.

We model the accretion of gas onto a population of massive primordial black holes in the MilkyWay and compare the predicted radio and x-ray emission with observational data. We show that, under conservative assumptions on the accretion process, the possibility that O(10)M_{⊙} primordial black holes can account for all of the dark matter in the MilkyWay is excluded at 5σ by a comparison with a Very Large Array radio catalog at 1.4GHz and at ≃40σ by a comparison with a Chandra x-ray catalog (0.5-8keV). We argue that this method can be used to identify such a population of primordial black holes with more sensitive future radio and x-ray surveys.

Globular cluster seeding by primordial black hole population

Primordial black holes (PBHs) that form in the early Universe in the modified Affleck-Dine (AD) mechanism of baryogenesis should have intrinsic log-normal mass distribution of PBHs. We show that the parameters of this distribution adjusted to provide the required spatial density of massive seeds (≥ 104 M⊙) for early galaxy formation and not violating the dark matter density constraints, predict the existence of the population of intermediate-mass PBHs with a number density of 0∼ 100 Mpc−3. We argue that the population of intermediate-mass AD PBHs can also seed the formation of globular clusters in galaxies. In this scenario, each globular cluster should host an intermediate-mass black hole with a mass of a few thousand solar masses, and should not obligatorily be immersed in a massive dark matter halo.

Effect of lensing magnification on the apparent distribution of black hole mergers

The recent detection of gravitational waves indicates that stellar-mass black hole binaries are likely to be a key population of sources for forthcoming observations. With future upgrades, ground-based detectors could detect merging black hole binaries out to cosmological distances. Gravitational wave bursts from high redshifts ($z \gtrsim 1$) can be strongly magnified by gravitational lensing due to intervening galaxies along the line of sight. In the absence of electromagnetic counterparts, the mergers' intrinsic mass scale and redshift are degenerate with the unknown magnification factor $\mu$. Hence, strongly magnified low-mass mergers from high redshifts appear as higher-mass mergers from lower redshifts. We assess the impact of this degeneracy on the mass-redshift distribution of observable events for generic models of binary black hole formation from normal stellar evolution, Pop III star remnants, or a primordial black hole population. We find that strong magnification ($\mu \gtrsim 3$) generally creates a heavy tail of apparently massive mergers in the event distribution from a given detector. For LIGO and its future upgrades, this tail may dominate the population of intrinsically massive, but unlensed mergers in binary black hole formation models involving normal stellar evolution or primordial black holes. Modeling the statistics of lensing magnification can help account for this magnification bias when testing astrophysical scenarios of black hole binary formation and evolution.

Astrophysical constraints on primordial black holes in Brans-Dicke theory

We consider cosmological evolution in Brans-Dicke theory with a populationof primordial black holes. Hawking radiation from the primordial black holesimpacts various astrophysical processes during the evolution of the Universe.The accretion of radiation by the black holes in the radiation dominated eramay be effective in imparting them a longer lifetime. We present a detailed study of how this affects various standard astrophysical constraints coming from the evaporation of primordial black holes. We analyze constraints arisingfrom the present density of the Universe, the present photonspectrum, the distortion of the cosmic microwave background spectrum and also from processes affecting light element abundances after nucleosynthesis. We find that the constraints on the initial primordialblack hole mass fractions are tightened with increased accretion efficiency.

Effect of Primordial Black Holes on the Cosmic Microwave Background and Cosmological Parameter Estimates

We investigate the effect of nonevaporating primordial black holes (PBHs) on the ionization and thermal history of the universe. X-rays emitted by gas accretion onto PBHs modify the cosmic recombination history, producing measurable effects on the spectrum and anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Using the third-year WMAP data and COBE FIRAS data we improve existing upper limits on the abundance of PBHs with masses >0.1 M☉ by several orders of magnitude. The new upper limits still allow PBHs to be important for the origin of supermassive black holes and ultraluminous X-ray sources. Fitting WMAP3 data with cosmological models that do not allow for nonstandard recombination histories, as produced by PBHs or other early energy sources, may lead to an underestimate of the best-fit values of the amplitude of linear density fluctuations (σ8) and the scalar spectral index (ns). Cosmological parameter estimates are affected because models with PBHs allow for larger values of the Thomson scattering optical depth, whose correlation with other parameters may not be correctly taken into account when PBHs are ignored. Values of τe ~ 0.2, ns ~ 1, and σ8 ~ 0.9 are allowed at 95% CF. This result may relieve recent tension between WMAP3 data and clusters data on the value of σ8. PBHs may increase the primordial molecular hydrogen abundance by up to 2 orders of magnitude, this promoting cooling and star formation. The suppression of galaxy formation due to X-ray heating is negligible for models consistent with the CMB data. Thus, the formation rate of the first galaxies and stars would be enhanced by a population of PBHs.

Growth of Structure Seeded by Primordial Black Holes

We discuss the possibilities for primordial black holes (PBHs) to grow via the accretion of dark matter. In agreement with previous works, we find that accretion during the radiation-dominated era does not lead to a significant mass increase. However, during matter-domination, PBHs may grow by up to two orders of magnitude in mass through the acquisition of large dark matter halos. We discuss the possibility of PBHs being an important component in dark matter halos of galaxies as well as their potential to explain the ultra-luminous x-ray sources (ULXs) observed in nearby galactic disks. We point out that although PBHs are ruled out as the dominant component of dark matter, there is still a great deal of parameter space open to them playing a role in the modern-day universe. For example, a primordial halo population of PBHs each at $10^{2.5} M_\odot$ making up 0.1% of the dark matter grow to $10^{4.5} M_\odot$ via the accumulation of dark matter halos to account for $\sim 10%$ of the dark matter mass by a redshift of $z \approx 30$. These intermediate mass black holes may then ``light up'' when passing through molecular clouds, becoming visible as ULXs at the present day, or they may form the seeds for supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies.