Scalar Field Dark Matter Model Research Articles

Hybrid model of condensate and particle dark matter: Linear perturbations in the hydrodynamic limit

We analyze perturbations of self-interacting, scalar field dark matter that contains modes in both a coherent condensate state and an incoherent particlelike state. Starting from the coupled equations for the condensate, the particles’ phase-space distribution, and their mutual gravitational potential, first derived from first principles in earlier work by the authors, we derive a hydrodynamic limit of two coupled fluids and study their linearized density perturbations in an expanding universe, also including particle pressure under an assumption for an equation of state consistent with the dynamical equations. We find that away from the condensate-only or particle-only limits, and for certain ranges of the parameters, such self-interacting mixtures can significantly enhance the density power spectrum above the standard linear ΛCDM value at localized wave numbers, even pushing structure formation into the nonlinear regime earlier than expected in ΛCDM for these scales. We also note that such mixtures can lead to degeneracies between models with different boson masses and self-coupling strengths, in particular, between self-coupled models and noncoupled fuzzy dark matter made up of heavier bosons. These findings open up the possibility of a richer phenomenology in scalar field dark matter models and could further inform efforts to place observational limits on their parameters. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Simple test with rotation curves for the multistate scalar field dark matter model

Simple test with rotation curves for the multistate scalar field dark matter model

TDiff invariant field theories for cosmology

We study scalar field theories invariant under transverse diffeomorphismsin cosmological contexts. We show that in the geometric optics approximation, the corresponding particles move along geodesics and contribute with the same active mass (energy) to the gravitational field as in Diff invariant theories. However, for low-frequency (super-Hubble) modes, the contributions to the energy-momentum tensor differ from that of Diff invariant theories. This opens up a wide range of possibilities for cosmological model building. As an example, we show that the simplest TDiff invariant scalar field theory with only kinetic term could drive inflation and generate a nearly scale invariant (red-tilted) spectrum of density fluctuations. We also present a detailed analysis of cosmological perturbations and show that the breaking of full Diff invariance generically induces new non-adiabatic pressure perturbations. A simple scalar field dark matter model based on a purely kinetic term that exhibits the same clustering properties as standard cold dark matter is also presented.

Short review of the main achievements of the scalar field, fuzzy, ultralight, wave, BEC dark matter model

The Scalar Field Dark Matter model has been known in various ways throughout its history; Fuzzy, BEC, Wave, Ultralight, Axion-like Dark Matter, etc. All of them consist in proposing that dark matter of the universe is a spinless field Φ that follows the Klein-Gordon (KG) equation of motion □Φ − dV/dΦ = 0, for a given scalar field potential V. The difference between different models is sometimes the choice of the scalar field potential V. In the literature we find that people usually work in the non-relativistic, weak-field limit of the Klein-Gordon equation, where it transforms into the Schrödinger equation and the Einstein equations into the Poisson equation, reducing the KG-Einstein system, to the Schrödinger-Poisson system. In this paper, we review some of the most interesting achievements of this model from the historical point of view and its comparison with observations, showing that this model could be the last answer to the question about the nature of dark matter in the universe.

Proca stars with dark photons from spontaneous symmetry breaking of the scalar field dark matter

Recently, the Scalar Field Dark Matter (SFDM) model (also known as Fuzzy, Wave, Bose-Einstein, Ultra-light Dark Matter) has gained a lot of attention because it has provided simpler and more natural explanations for various phenomena observed in galaxies, as a natural explanation for the center of galaxies, the number of satellite galaxies around their host and, more recently, a natural explanation for anomalous trajectories of satellite galaxies called Vast Polar Orbits (VPO) observed in various galaxies. In the present work we study the assumption that the SFDM is a type of charged dark boson whose gauge charge is associated with the Dark Photon (DP). Inspired by these results, we study the formation of compact bosonic objects, such as Boson Stars (BS) and focus on the possibility that, due to spontaneous U(1) SFDM symmetry breaking, the DP may acquire mass and form compact objects like Proca Stars (PS). If this is true, we can expect measurable effects on the electromagnetic field of the Standard Model (SM) of particles due to their interaction with the DP on the formation of compact objects.

The MUSE-Faint survey

Aims. We use the stellar line-of-sight velocities of Antlia B (Ant B), a faint dwarf galaxy in the NGC 3109 association, to derive constraints on the fundamental properties of scalar field dark matter (SFDM), which was originally proposed to solve the small-scale problems faced by cold dark matter models. Methods. We used the first spectroscopic observations of Ant B, a distant (d ∼ 1.35 Mpc) faint dwarf (MV = −9.7, M⋆ ∼ 8 × 105 M⊙), from MUSE-Faint, a survey of ultra-faint dwarfs conducted using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer. By measuring the line-of-sight velocities of stars in the 1′×1′ field of view, we identified 127 stars as members of Ant B, which enabled us to model its dark matter density profile with the Jeans modelling code GRAVSPHERE. We implemented a model for SFDM into GRAVSPHERE and used this to place constraints on the self-coupling strength of this model. Results. We find a virial mass of M200 ≈ 1.66−0.92+2.51 × 109 M⊙ and a concentration parameter of c200 ≈ 17.38−4.20+6.06 for Ant B. These results are consistent with the mass-concentration relations in the literature. We constrain the characteristic length scale of the repulsive self-interaction RTF of the SFDM model to RTF ≲ 180 pc (68% confidence level), which translates to a self-coupling strength of g/m2c4 ≲ 5.2 × 10−20 eV−1 cm3. The constraint on the characteristic length scale of the repulsive self-interaction is inconsistent with the value required to match observations of the cores of dwarf galaxies in the Local Group, suggesting that the cored density profiles of those galaxies are not caused by SFDM.

Gravitational ringing and superradiant instabilities of the Kerr-like black holes in a dark matter halo

Supermassive black holes from the center of galaxy may be immersed in a dark matter halo. This dark matter halo may form a “cusp” structure around the black hole and disappear at a certain distance from the black hole. Based on this interesting physical background, we use the continued fraction method to study gravitational ringring of the Kerr-like black holes immersed in a dark matter halo, i.e., quasinormal modes (QNM) and quasibound states (QBS). We consider these gravitational ringring of black holes both in cold dark matter (CDM) model and scalar field dark matter (SFDM) model at the LSB galaxy, and compare them with Kerr black hole. By testing the states of QNM/QBS frequencies with different parameters l, m, a, we confirm the existence of the superradiant instabilities when the black holes both in CDM model and SFDM model. Besides, we also study the impacts of dark matter parameters on the QNM/QBS of black holes at the specific circumstances. In the future, these results may be used for gravitational wave detection of supermassive black holes, and may provide an effective method for detecting the existence of dark matter.

Scalar dark matter induced oscillation of a permanent-magnet field

Scalar-field dark matter models imply small oscillations of fundamental constants. These oscillations could result in observable variations of the magnetic field in a permanent magnet. We propose an experiment for detection of this type of dark matter through searches of oscillations of magnetic field of permanent magnets with a SQUID magnetometer or a low-noise radiofrequency amplifier. We show that this experiment may have comparable sensitivity to leading experiments searching for variations of fundamental constants in the range of frequencies from a few Hz to about 1 MHz. We also discuss applicability of the approach of variations of fundamental constants for accounting for the interaction with scalar dark matter.

Production of PBHs from inflaton structures

At times prior to Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, the universe could show a primordial structure formation period if dominated by a fast oscillating inflaton field during reheating. In this context, we have postulated a new mechanism of primordial black hole formation [L. E. Padilla, J. C. Hidalgo, and K. A. Malik, Phys. Rev. D, vol. 106, p. 023519, Jul 2022], that draws the analogy between an extended reheating era and the scalar field dark matter model, stipulating the gravitational collapse of inflaton halos and inflaton stars. In this paper we look at the requirements for the realization of this new mechanism. We show that a generic primordial power spectrum with a peak at small scales is most suitable for the production of a considerable number of PBHs. When such requirement is met, and if reheating lasts long enough, large populations of PBHs with $M_{\rm PBH}\sim 1~\mathrm{gram}$ may be produced. We find in particular, that the mass fraction of PBHs is orders of magnitude larger than that obtained when PBHs form via direct collapse in a universe dominated by radiation or pressure-less dust. Looking at observable implications of our findings, we explore the possibility that the PBHs component may dominate the energy density of the universe at some point after the end of reheating.

Searching for scalar field dark matter with hyperfine transitions in alkali atoms

Fundamental constants such as masses and coupling constants of elementary particles can have small temporal and spatial variations in the scalar field dark matter model. These variations entail time oscillations of other constants, such as the Bohr and nuclear magnetons, Bohr radius and the hyperfine structure constant. In the presence of an external magnetic field, these oscillations induce hyperfine transitions in atoms and molecules. We determine the probability of magnetic dipole hyperfine transitions, caused by the oscillating fundamental constants, and propose an experiment that could detect the scalar field dark matter through this effect. This experiment may be sensitive to the scalar field and axion dark matter with mass in the range $1\,\mu\text{eV}<m<100\,\mu\text{eV}$.

Consistency tests of structure formation simulations of scalar field dark matter

AbstractThe so‐called scalar field dark matter model assumes that dark matter is an ultralight axon, with its De Broglie wavelength around λ ∼ 1kpc. This can lead to a scale suppression of the mass power spectrum at sub‐galactic scales, as compared with the standard cosmological model Λcold dark matter. In this work, we show numerical tests of cosmological simulations of scalar field dark matter using an amended version of the code MG‐PICOLA with a double purpose: to validate the results in (Medellín‐González et al. 2021), and extend them to higher numerical resolutions. Our cosmological observable of interest is the mass power spectrum, and we make dedicated comparisons with that of cold dark matter to quantify the differences in the nonlinear growth of density perturbations in both models.

Cosmological constraints on the multiscalar field dark matter model

The main aim of this paper is to provide cosmological constraints on the Multi Scalar Field Dark Matter model (MSFDM), in which we assume the dark matter is made up of different ultra-light scalar fields. As a first approximation, we consider they are real and do not interact with each other. We study the equations for both the background and perturbations for $N$-fields and present the evolution of the density parameters, the mass power spectrum and the CMB spectrum. In particular, we focus on two scalar fields with several combinations for the potentials $V(\phi) = 1/2 m_{\phi}^2 \phi^2$, $V(\phi) = m_{\phi}^2f^2\left[1+\cos(\phi/f)\right]$ and $V(\phi) = m_{\phi}^2f^2\left[\cosh(\phi/f)-1\right]$, however the work, along with the code, could be easily extended to more fields. We use the data from BAO, Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, Lyman-$\alpha$ forest and Supernovae to find constraints on the sampling parameters for the cases of a single field and double field, along with the Bayesian evidence. We found that some combinations of the potentials get penalized through the evidence, however for others there is a preference as good as for the cold dark matter.

The quantum character of the Scalar Field Dark Matter

ABSTRACT The scalar field dark matter (SFDM) model, also called Fuzzy, Wave, Bose–Einstein, and Ultra-light Dark Matter, has received a lot of attention because it has been able to provide simpler and more natural explanations for various features of galaxies, such as the number of satellite galaxies and the cusp-core problem. We recently showed that this model is able to explain the vast polar orbits of satellite galaxies around their host, the so-called VPO, and to explain the X-ray and gamma-ray emissions in the vacuum regions of our galaxy, that is, the Fermi Bubbles. In all these phenomena, the quantum character of SFDM has been crucial. In this work, we study the quantum effects of SFDM at the cosmological level, to see these effects not only at the galactic scale, but also at the cosmological scale. Using a convenient ansatz, we were able to integrate the perturbed equations to show that the shape of the SFDM haloes resembling atoms is a generic result. The main conclusion of this work is that quantum mechanics, the successful microworld theory, could also explain the dark side of the Cosmos.

New mechanism for primordial black hole formation during reheating

In the scalar field dark matter model virialized halos present condensed central cores called boson stars. Considering the equivalent process during reheating, we look at the formation of primordial black holes (PBHs) through the gravitational collapse of structures virialized in this era. We present the criteria necessary for collapse of either the whole structure, or that of the central core, in terms of the threshold amplitude for the primordial density contrast. This is computed for both the free and the self-interacting scalar fields. We discuss the relevance of our results for the abundance of PBHs.

Cosmological structure formation in complex scalar field dark matter versus real ultralight axions: A comparative study using class

(abridged) We continue the study of $\Lambda$SFDM cosmologies, which differ from $\Lambda$CDM in that CDM is replaced by scalar field dark matter (SFDM) by calculating the evolution of the background Universe, as well as linear perturbations, focusing on scalar modes. We consider models with complex scalar field with a repulsive, quartic self-interaction (SI), and models without SI, referred to as fuzzy dark matter (FDM). To this end, we modify the Boltzmann code CLASS, to incorporate the physics of complex SFDM which has as one of its characteristics that its equation of state is maximally stiff in the very early Universe, dominating then over all the other cosmic components, even over radiation. We calculate CMB and matter power spectra as well as unconditional Press-Schechter halo mass functions for various models, expanding previous literature that were limited either to the background, or to a semi-analytical approach to SFDM density perturbations neglecting the early stiff phase. Comparing our results of each, SFDM and FDM, with real-field ultralight axion models (ULAs) without SI, we characterize the differences between the respective background evolution and linear structure growth. Our calculations confirm previous results of recent literature, implying that SFDM models with $\gtrsim$ kpc-size halo cores are disfavored, questioning their ability to explain the small-scale problems on dwarf-galactic scales. Also we find that the kinetic energy due to the phase of the complex field leads to marked differences between SFDM/FDM versus ULAs. The mild falloff in the SFDM power spectrum toward high k is similar to that of CDM but based on different effects, namely the rapidly shrinking Jeans mass for SFDM as opposed to the Meszaros effect for CDM. In addition, we find that the sharp cutoff in the ULA power spectrum is also followed by a mild falloff, albeit at very small power.

Ringing of a black hole in a dark matter halo

Recently, we obtained the simple metrics of a spherically symmetric black hole in a dark matter halo, and extended to the case of rotation. As the characteristic sound of black holes, quasinormal modes (QNMs) are one of the important means to understand black holes currently. Based on these two metrics of a spherically symmetric black hole, we study the QNMs of cold dark matter (CDM) and scalar field dark matter (SFDM) models using the methods of the material field perturbations and the gravitational perturbation, and make comparisons with the Schwarzschild black hole. Our results show that black hole QNMs of CDM and SFDM in a dark matter halo are different from the Schwarzschild black hole, unlike a Schwarzschild black hole with a prominent power-law tail. The different kinds models of dark matter can be distinguished by their QNMs. The time of QNMs ringing and frequencies increase with increasing parameter $l$. The overall QNMs of CDM are stronger than that of SFDM in the same condition, which is easier to be detected. In addition, QNMs frequencies using the sixth-order WKB method and the Prony method are in good agreement.

Cosmological constraints on scalar field dark matter

This paper aims to put constraints on the parameters of the Scalar Field Dark Matter (SFDM) model, when dark matter is described by a free real scalar field filling the whole universe, plus a cosmological constant term. By using a compilation of 51 [Formula: see text] data and 1048 Supernovae data from Panteon, a mass range for the scalar field was obtained, [Formula: see text]eV, in good agreement with light mass axion particles. Also, we have obtained [Formula: see text], and the present dark matter density parameter [Formula: see text] at [Formula: see text] confidence level. These results are in good agreement to standard model of cosmology, showing that SFDM model is viable in describing the dark matter content of the universe.

Core-halo mass relation in scalar field dark matter models and its consequences for the formation of supermassive black holes

Scalar-field dark matter (SFDM) halos exhibit a core-envelope structure with soliton-like cores and CDM-like envelopes. Simulations without self-interaction (free-field case) report a core-halo mass relation $M_c\propto M_{h}^{\beta}$, with either $\beta=1/3$ or $\beta=5/9$, which can be understood if core and halo obey certain energy or velocity scalings. We extend the core-halo mass relations to include SFDM with self-interaction (SI), either repulsive or attractive, and investigate its implications for the gravitational instability and collapse of solitonic cores, leading to supermassive black hole (SMBH) formation. For SFDM parameters that make $\sim$ Kpc-sized cores and CDM-like structure formation on large scales but suppressed on small scales, cores are stable for all galactic halos of interest, from the free-field to the repulsive SI limit. For attractive SI, however, halos masses $M_h\sim (10^{10}-10^{12}) M_\odot$ have cores that collapse to SMBHs with $M_{SMBH}\sim 10^{6}-10^8 M_\odot$, as observations seem to require, while smaller-mass halos have stable cores, for particle masses $m\simeq (2.14\times 10^{-22}-9.9\times 10^{-20})\rm{eV}/c^2$, if the free-field has $\beta=1/3$, or $m = 2.23\times 10^{-21}-1.7\times 10^{-18}\rm{eV}/c^2$, if $\beta=5/9$. For free-field and repulsive cases, however, if previous constraints on particle parameters are relaxed to allow much smaller (sub-galactic scale) cores, then halos can also form SMBHs, for the same range of halo and BH masses, as long as $\beta = 5/9$ is correct for the free-field. In that case, structure formation in SFDM would be largely indistinguishable from Cold Dark Matter (CDM). Such SFDM models might not resolve the small-scale structure problems of CDM, but they would explain the formation of SMBHs quite naturally. Since CDM, itself, has not yet been ruled out, such SFDM models must also be viable (Abbreviated).

Consequences for the Scalar Field Dark Matter Model from the McGaugh Observed-baryon Acceleration Correlation

Abstract Although the standard cosmological model, the so-called Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM), appears to fit well observations at the cosmological level, it is well known that it possesses several inconsistencies at the galactic scales. In order to address the problems of the ΛCDM on a small scale, some alternative models have been proposed. Among the most popular candidates, the proposal that dark matter in the universe is made of ultralight bosons is a strong candidate today. For this work, we study through an analytical approach the consequences arising from comparing the Spitzer Photometry and Accurate Rotation Curves catalog observed-baryon acceleration correlation with the scalar field dark matter model. We carry out such analysis either considering the features of galactic halos extracted from structure-formation simulations or considering the existence of other non-dark-matter elements in the whole system (such as baryons or a supermassive black hole). Specifically, we address a recent claim that the model is not capable of reproducing a constant surface density in the core, in contrast to what observations suggest for a host of galaxies with different sizes and morphologies. In this direction, we show that this discrepancy can be alleviated once the contributions of non-dark-matter constituents in the whole galactic system are taken into account. Additionally, we find that a mass of m ≃ 1.41 × 10−22 eV/c 2 is capable of reproducing all of our findings and correctly adjusting the rotation curves coming from the Milky Way galaxy.

One‐parametric description for scalar field dark matter potentials

AbstractWe study the cosmological evolution for a scalar field dark matter model, by considering a parameterization of the evolution equations that allow us to unify in a single parameter a family of potentials: quadratic (free case), trigonometric (Axion‐like case), and hyperbolic. After exploring the cosmological dynamics of this model, we perform a statistical analysis to study the viability of such model in comparison with the standard Cold Dark Matter model. We found that the free case is preferred over the other scalar field potentials, but in any case all of them are disfavored by the cosmological observations with respect to the standard model.