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At least 775 records · Page 43
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DOE OSTI2024

DC electrical conductivity measurements of warm dense matter using ultrafast THz radiation

We describe measurements of the DC electrical conductivity of warm dense matter using ultrafast terahertz (THz) pulses. THz fields are sufficiently slowly varying that they behave like DC fields on the timescale of electron–electron and electron–ion interactions and hence probe DC-like responses. Using a novel single-shot electro-optic sampling technique, the electrical conductivity of the laser-generated warm dense matter was determined with <1 ps temporal resolution. We present the details of the single-shot THz detection methodology as well as considerations for warm dense matter experiments. We, then, provide proof-of-concept studies on aluminum driven to the warm dense matter regime through isochoric heating and shock compression. Our results indicate a decrease in the conductivity when driven to warm dense matter conditions and provide a platform for future warm dense matter studies.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

THE EXTREME SMALL SCALES: DO SATELLITE GALAXIES TRACE DARK MATTER?

We investigate the radial distribution of galaxies within their host dark matter halos as measured in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey by modeling their small-scale clustering. Specifically, we model the Jiang et al. measurements of the galaxy two-point correlation function down to very small projected separations (10 h{sup -1} kpc {<=} r {<=} 400 h{sup -1} kpc), in a wide range of luminosity threshold samples (absolute r-band magnitudes of -18 up to -23). We use a halo occupation distribution framework with free parameters that specify both the number and spatial distribution of galaxies within their host dark matter halos. We assume one galaxy resides in the halo center and additional galaxies are considered satellites that follow a radial density profile similar to the dark matter Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) profile, except that the concentration and inner slope are allowed to vary. We find that in low luminosity samples (M{sub r} < -19.5 and lower), satellite galaxies have radial profiles that are consistent with NFW. M{sub r} < -20 and brighter satellite galaxies have radial profiles with significantly steeper inner slopes than NFW (we find inner logarithmic slopes ranging from -1.6 to -2.1, as opposed to -1 for NFW). We define a useful metric of concentration, M{sub 1/10}, which is the fraction of satellite galaxies (or mass) that are enclosed within one-tenth of the virial radius of a halo. We find that M{sub 1/10} for low-luminosity satellite galaxies agrees with NFW, whereas for luminous galaxies it is 2.5-4 times higher, demonstrating that these galaxies are substantially more centrally concentrated within their dark matter halos than the dark matter itself. Our results therefore suggest that the processes that govern the spatial distribution of galaxies, once they have merged into larger halos, must be luminosity dependent, such that luminous galaxies become poor tracers of the underlying dark matter.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN GALAXIES AND DARK MATTER STRUCTURES IN THE LOCAL UNIVERSE

We provide new constraints on the connection between galaxies in the local universe, identified by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and dark matter halos and their constituent substructures in the {Lambda}-cold dark matter model using WMAP7 cosmological parameters. Predictions for the abundance and clustering properties of dark matter halos, and the relationship between dark matter hosts and substructures, are based on a high-resolution cosmological simulation, the Bolshoi simulation. We associate galaxies with dark matter halos and subhalos using subhalo abundance matching, and perform a comprehensive analysis which investigates the underlying assumptions of this technique including (1) which halo property is most closely associated with galaxy stellar masses and luminosities, (2) how much scatter is in this relationship, and (3) how much subhalos can be stripped before their galaxies are destroyed. The models are jointly constrained by new measurements of the projected two-point galaxy clustering and the observed conditional stellar mass function of galaxies in groups. We find that an abundance matching model that associates galaxies with the peak circular velocity of their halos is in good agreement with the data, when scatter of 0.20 {+-} 0.03 dex in stellar mass at a given peak velocity is included. This confirms the theoretical expectation that the stellar mass of galaxies is tightly correlated with the potential wells of their dark matter halos before they are impacted by larger structures. The data put tight constraints on the satellite fraction of galaxies as a function of galaxy stellar mass and on the scatter between halo and galaxy properties, and rule out several alternative abundance matching models that have been considered. This will yield important constraints for galaxy formation models, and also provides encouraging indications that the galaxy-halo connection can be modeled with sufficient fidelity for future precision studies of the dark universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Quark matter symmetry energy and quark stars

We extend the confined-density-dependent-mass (CDDM) model to include isospin dependence of the equivalent quark mass. Within the confined-isospin-density-dependent-mass (CIDDM) model, we study the quark matter symmetry energy, the stability of strange quark matter, and the properties of quark stars. We find that including isospin dependence of the equivalent quark mass can significantly influence the quark matter symmetry energy as well as the properties of strange quark matter and quark stars. While the recently discovered large mass pulsars PSR J1614–2230 and PSR J0348+0432 with masses around 2 M {sub ☉} cannot be quark stars within the CDDM model, they can be well described by quark stars in the CIDDM model. In particular, our results indicate that the two-flavor u-d quark matter symmetry energy should be at least about twice that of a free quark gas or normal quark matter within the conventional Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model in order to describe PSR J1614–2230 and PSR J0348+0432 as quark stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Formation of dark matter tori around supermassive black holes via the eccentric Kozai-Lidov mechanism

We explore the effects of long-term secular perturbations on the distribution of dark matter particles around supermassive black hole (BH) binaries. We show that in the hierarchical (in separation) three-body problem, one of the BHs and a dark matter particle form an inner binary. Gravitational perturbations from the BH companion, on a much wider orbit, can cause the dark matter particle to reach extremely high eccentricities and even get accreted onto the BH by what is known as the eccentric Kozai-Lidov (EKL) mechanism. We show that this may produce a torus-like configuration for the dark matter distribution around the less massive member of the BH binary. We first consider an intermediate BH (IMBH) in the vicinity of our galactic center, which may be a relic of a past minor merger. We show that if the IMBH is close enough (i.e., near the stellar disk) the EKL mechanism is very efficient in exciting the eccentricity of dark matter particles in near-polar configurations to extremely high values where they are accreted by the IMBH. We show that this mechanism is even more effective if the central BH grows in mass, where we have assumed adiabatic growth. Because near-polar configurations are disrupted, a torus-like shape is formed. We also show that this behavior is also likely to be relevant for supermassive BH binaries. We suggest that if the BHs are spinning, the accreted dark matter particles may linger in the ergosphere, and thereby generate self-annihilations and produce an indirect signature of potential interest.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Antiproton constraints on dark matter annihilations from internal electroweak bremsstrahlung

If the dark matter particle is a Majorana fermion, annihilations into two fermions and one gauge boson could have, for some choices of the parameters of the model, a non-negligible cross-section. Using a toy model of leptophilic dark matter, we calculate the constraints on the annihilation cross-section into two electrons and one weak gauge boson from the PAMELA measurements of the cosmic antiproton-to-proton flux ratio. Furthermore, we calculate the maximal astrophysical boost factor allowed in the Milky Way under the assumption that the leptophilic dark matter particle is the dominant component of dark matter in our Universe. These constraints constitute very conservative estimates on the boost factor for more realistic models where the dark matter particle also couples to quarks and weak gauge bosons, such as the lightest neutralino which we also analyze for some concrete benchmark points. The limits on the astrophysical boost factors presented here could be used to evaluate the prospects to detect a gamma-ray signal from dark matter annihilations at currently operating IACTs as well as in the projected CTA.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Extended ΛCDM: generalized non-minimal coupling for dark matter fluids

In this paper we discuss a class of models that address the issue of explaining the gravitational dynamics at the galactic scale starting from a geometric point of view. Instead of claiming the existence of some hidden coupling between dark matter and baryons, or abandoning the existence of dark matter itself, we consider the possibility that dark matter and gravity have some non trivial interaction able to modify the dynamics at astrophysical scales. This interaction is implemented assuming that dark matter gets non-minimally coupled with gravity at suitably small scales and late times. After showing the predictions of the model in the Newtonian limit we also discuss the possible origin of it non-minimal coupling. This investigation seems to suggest that phenomenological mechanisms envisaged for the dark matter dynamics, such as the Bose-Einstein condensation of dark matter halos, could be connected to this class of models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Finite temperature effects in Bose-Einstein condensed dark matter halos

Once the critical temperature of a cosmological boson gas is less than the critical temperature, a Bose-Einstein Condensation process can always take place during the cosmic history of the universe. Zero temperature condensed dark matter can be described as a non-relativistic, Newtonian gravitational condensate, whose density and pressure are related by a barotropic equation of state, with barotropic index equal to one. In the present paper we analyze the effects of the finite dark matter temperature on the properties of the dark matter halos. We formulate the basic equations describing the finite temperature condensate, representing a generalized Gross-Pitaevskii equation that takes into account the presence of the thermal cloud. The static condensate and thermal cloud in thermodynamic equilibrium is analyzed in detail, by using the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov and Thomas-Fermi approximations. The condensed dark matter and thermal cloud density and mass profiles at finite temperatures are explicitly obtained. Our results show that when the temperature of the condensate and of the thermal cloud are much smaller than the critical Bose-Einstein transition temperature, the zero temperature density and mass profiles give an excellent description of the dark matter halos. However, finite temperature effects may play an important role in the early stages of the cosmological evolution of the dark matter condensates.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

An intermediate framework between WIMP, FIMP, and EWIP dark matter

WIMP (Weakly Interacting Massive Particle), FIMP (Feebly interacting Massive Particle) and EWIP (Extremely Weakly Interacting Particle) dark matter are different theoretical frameworks that have been postulated to explain the dark matter. In this paper we examine an intermediate scenario that combines features from these three frameworks. It consists of a weakly interacting particle — à la WIMP — that does not reach thermal equilibrium in the early Universe — à la FIMP — and whose relic density is determined by the reheating temperature of the Universe — à la EWIP. As an example, an explicit realization of this framework, based on the singlet scalar model of dark matter, is analyzed in detail. In particular, the relic density is studied as a function of the parameters of the model, and the new viable region within this intermediate scenario is determined. Finally, it is shown that this alternative framework of dark matter allows for arbitrarily heavy dark matter particles and that it suggests a connection between dark matter and inflation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Diurnal modulation due to self-interacting mirror and hidden sector dark matter

Mirror and more generic hidden sector dark matter models can simultaneously explain the DAMA, CoGeNT and CRESST-II dark matter signals consistently with the null results of the other experiments. This type of dark matter can be captured by the Earth and shield detectors because it is self-interacting. This effect will lead to a diurnal modulation in dark matter detectors. We estimate the size of this effect for dark matter detectors in various locations. For a detector located in the northern hemisphere, this effect is expected to peak in April and can be detected for optimistic parameter choices. The diurnal variation is expected to be much larger for detectors located in the southern hemisphere. In particular, if the CoGeNT detector were moved to e.g. Sierra Grande, Argentina then a 5σ dark matter discovery would be possible in around 30 days of operation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Earthly probes of the smallest dark matter halos

Dark matter kinetic decoupling involves elastic scattering of dark matter off of leptons and quarks in the early universe, the same process relevant for direct detection and for the capture rate of dark matter in celestial bodies; the resulting size of the smallest dark matter collapsed structures should thus correlate with quantities connected with direct detection rates and with the flux of high-energy neutrinos from dark matter annihilation in the Sun or in the Earth. In this paper we address this general question in the context of two widely studied and paradigmatic weakly-interacting particle dark matter models: the lightest neutralino of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model, and the lightest Kaluza-Klein particle of Universal Extra Dimensions (UED). We argue and show that while the scalar neutralino-nucleon cross section correlates poorly with the kinetic decoupling temperature, the spin-dependent cross section exhibits a strong correlation in a wide range of models. In UED models the correlation is present for both cross sections, and is extraordinarily tight for the spin-dependent case. A strong correlation is also found, for both models, for the flux of neutrinos from the Sun, especially for fluxes large enough to be at potentially detectable levels. We provide analytic guidance and formulae that illustrate our findings.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Dark matter constraints from box-shaped gamma-ray features

The observation of a sharp spectral feature in the gamma-ray sky would be one of the cleanest ways to identify dark matter and pinpoint its properties. Over the years a lot of attention has been paid to two specific features, namely gamma-ray lines and internal bremsstrahlung. Here, we explore a third class of spectral signatures, box-shaped gamma-ray spectra, that naturally arise in dark matter cascade annihilations or decays into intermediate particles that in turn decay into photons. Using Fermi-LAT data, we derive constraints on the dark matter parameter space for both annihilating and decaying dark matter, and show explicitly that our limits are competitive to strategies employing standard spectral features. More importantly, we find robust limits even in the case of non-degenerate dark matter and intermediate particle masses. This result is particularly relevant in constraining dark matter frameworks with gamma-ray data. We conclude by illustrating the power of box-shaped gamma-ray constraints on concrete particle physics scenarios.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Decaying vs. annihilating dark matter in light of a tentative gamma-ray line

Recently reported tentative evidence for a gamma-ray line in the Fermi-LAT data is of great potential interest for identifying the nature of dark matter. We compare the implications for decaying and annihilating dark matter taking the constraints from continuum gamma-rays, antiproton flux and morphology of the excess into account. We find that higgsino and wino dark matter are excluded, also for nonthermal production. Generically, the continuum gamma-ray flux severely constrains annihilating dark matter. Consistency of decaying dark matter with the spatial distribution of the Fermi-LAT excess would require an enhancement of the dark matter density near the Galactic center.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Origin of ΔN{sub eff} as a result of an interaction between dark radiation and dark matter

Results from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and recently from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) have indicated the possible existence of an extra radiation component in addition to the well known three neutrino species predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics. In this paper, we explore the possibility of the apparent extra dark radiation being linked directly to the physics of cold dark matter (CDM). In particular, we consider a generic scenario where dark radiation, as a result of an interaction, is produced directly by a fraction of the dark matter density effectively decaying into dark radiation. At an early epoch when the dark matter density is negligible, as an obvious consequence, the density of dark radiation is also very small. As the Universe approaches matter radiation equality, the dark matter density starts to dominate thereby increasing the content of dark radiation and changing the expansion rate of the Universe. As this increase in dark radiation content happens naturally after Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN), it can relax the possible tension with lower values of radiation degrees of freedom measured from light element abundances compared to that of the CMB. We numerically confront this scenario with WMAP+ACT and WMAP+SPT data and derive an upper limit on the allowed fraction of dark matter decaying into dark radiation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

The galactic halo in mixed dark matter cosmologies

A possible solution to the small scale problems of the cold dark matter (CDM) scenario is that the dark matter consists of two components, a cold and a warm one. We perform a set of high resolution simulations of the Milky Way halo varying the mass of the WDM particle (m{sub WDM}) and the cosmic dark matter mass fraction in the WDM component ( f-bar {sub W}). The scaling ansatz introduced in combined analysis of LHC and astroparticle searches postulates that the relative contribution of each dark matter component is the same locally as on average in the Universe (e.g. f{sub W,s}un = f-bar {sub W}). Here we find however, that the normalised local WDM fraction (f{sub W,s}un / f-bar {sub W}) depends strongly on m{sub WDM} for m{sub WDM} < 1 keV. Using the scaling ansatz can therefore introduce significant errors into the interpretation of dark matter searches. To correct this issue a simple formula that fits the local dark matter densities of each component is provided.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Closing in on mass-degenerate dark matter scenarios with antiprotons and direct detection

Over the last years both cosmic-ray antiproton measurements and direct dark matter searches have proved particularly effective in constraining the nature of dark matter candidates. The present work focusses on these two types of constraints in a minimal framework which features a Majorana fermion as the dark matter particle and a scalar that mediates the coupling to quarks. Considering a wide range of coupling schemes, we derive antiproton and direct detection constraints using the latest data and paying close attention to astrophysical and nuclear uncertainties. Both signals are strongly enhanced in the presence of degenerate dark matter and scalar masses, but we show that the effect is especially dramatic in direct detection. Accordingly, the latest direct detection limits take the lead over antiprotons. We find that antiproton and direct detection data set stringent lower limits on the mass splitting, reaching 19% at a 300 GeV dark matter mass for a unity coupling. Interestingly, these limits are orthogonal to ongoing collider searches at the Large Hadron Collider, making it feasible to close in on degenerate dark matter scenarios within the next years.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Diffuse gamma-ray constraints on dark matter revisited I: the impact of subhalos

We make a detailed analysis of the indirect diffuse gamma-ray signals from dark matter annihilation in the Galaxy. We include the prompt emission, as well as the emission from inverse Compton scattering whenever the annihilation products contain light leptons. We consider both the contribution from the smooth dark matter halo and that from substructures. The main parameters for the latter are the mass function index and the minimal subhalo mass. We use recent results from N-body simulations to set the most reasonable range of parameters, and find that the signal can be boosted by a factor ranging from 2 to 15 towards the Galactic poles, slightly more towards the Galactic anticenter, with an important dependence on the subhalo mass index. This uncertainty is however much less than that of the extragalactic signal studied in the literature. We derive upper bounds on the dark matter annihilation cross section using the isotropic gamma-ray emission measured by Fermi-LAT, for two directions in the sky, the Galactic anticenter and the Galactic pole(s). The former represents the lowest irreducible signal from dark matter annihilation, and the latter is robust as the astrophysical background, dominated by the hadronic contribution, is rather well established in that direction. Finally, we show how the knowledge of the minimal subhalo mass, which formally depends on the dark matter particle interactions with normal matter, can be used to derive the mass function index.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Probing the stability of superheavy dark matter particles with high-energy neutrinos

Two of the most fundamental properties of the dark matter particle, the mass and the lifetime, are only weakly constrained by the astronomical and cosmological evidence of dark matter. We derive in this paper lower limits on the lifetime of dark matter particles with masses in the range 10TeV−10{sup 15}TeV from the non-observation of ultrahigh energy neutrinos in the AMANDA, IceCube, Auger and ANITA experiments. For dark matter particles which produce neutrinos in a two body or a three body leptonic decay, we find that the dark matter lifetime must be longer than O(10{sup 26}−10{sup 28})s for masses between 10 TeV and the Grand Unification scale. Finally, we also calculate, for concrete particle physics scenarios, the limits on the strength of the interactions that induce the dark matter decay.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗