Dark Matter Search with a Resonantly-Coupled Hybrid Spin System
Beihang University（北京航空航天大学）；Hangzhou Extremely Weak Magnetic Field Major Science and Technology Infrastructure Research Institute（杭州极弱磁场重大科技基础设施研究院）；Hefei National Laboratory（合肥国家实验室）；Nanyang Technological University（南洋理工大学）；Peking University（北京大学）
Recent advances in tabletop quantum sensor technology have enabled searches for nongravitational interactions of dark matter (DM). Traditional axion DM experiments rely on sharp resonance, resulting in extensive scanning time to cover a wide mass range. In this work, we present a broadband approach in an alkali-${}^{21}$Ne spin system. We identify two distinct hybrid spin-coupled regimes: a self-compensation (SC) regime at low frequencies and a hybrid spin resonance (HSR) regime at higher frequencies. By utilizing these two distinct regimes, we significantly enhance the bandwidth of ${}^{21}$Ne nuclear spin compared to conventional nuclear magnetic resonance, while maintaining competitive sensitivity. We present a comprehensive broadband search for axion-like dark matter, covering 5 orders of magnitude of Compton frequencies range within $[10^{-2}, \, 10^3]$ Hz. We set new constraints on the axion dark matter interactions with neutrons and protons, accounting for the effects of DM stochasticity. For the axion-neutron coupling, our results reach a low value of $|g_{ann}|\le 3\times 10^{-10}$ in the frequency range $[2\times 10^{-2}, \, 4]$ Hz surpassing astrophysical limits and providing the strongest laboratory constraints in the $[10, \, 100]$ Hz range. For the axion-proton coupling, we offer the best terrestrial constraints for the frequency ranges $[2\times 10^{-2}, \, 5]$Hz and $[16, \, 7\times 10^{2}]$ Hz.
Resonantly produced sterile neutrinos are considered an attractive dark matter (DM) candidate only requiring a minimal, well motivated extension to the standard model of particle physics. With a particle mass restricted to the keV range, sterile neutrinos are furthermore a prime candidate for warm DM, characterised by suppressed matter perturbations at the smallest observable scales. In this paper we take a critical look at the validity of the resonant scenario in the context of constraints from structure formation. We compare predicted and observed number of Milky-Way satellites and we introd…
Sterile neutrinos produced through a resonant Shi-Fuller mechanism are arguably the simplest model for a dark matter interpretation origin of the recent unidentified X-ray line seen toward a number of objects harboring dark matter. Here, I calculate the exact parameters required in this mechanism to produce the signal. The suppression of small scale structure predicted by these models is consistent with Local Group and high-$z$ galaxy count constraints. Very significantly, the parameters necessary in these models to produce the full dark matter density fulfill previously determined requirement…
We perform an exhaustive scan of the allowed resonant production regime for sterile neutrino dark matter in order to improve constraints for dark matter structures which arise from the non-thermal sterile neutrino energy spectra. Small-scale structure constraints are particularly sensitive to large lepton asymmetries/small mixing angles which result in relatively warmer sterile neutrino momentum distributions. We revisit Milky Way galaxy subhalo count constraints and combine them with recent searches for X-ray emission from sterile neutrino decays. Together they rule out models outside the mas…
We examine the bounds on resonantly-produced sterile neutrino dark matter from phase-space densities of Milky Way dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs). The bounds result from a derivation of the dark matter coarse-grained phase-space density from the stellar kinematics, which allows us to explore bounds from some of the most compact dSphs without suffering the resolution limitation from N-body simulations that conventional methods have. We find that the strongest constraints come from very compact dSphs, such as Draco II and Segue 1. We additionally forecast the constraining power of a few dSph c…
Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are excellent systems to probe the nature of fermionic dark matter due to their high observed dark matter phase-space density. In this work, we review, revise and improve upon previous phase-space considerations to obtain lower bounds on the mass of fermionic dark matter particles. The refinement in the results compared to previous works is realised particularly due to a significantly improved Jeans analysis of the galaxies. We discuss two methods to obtain phase-space bounds on the dark matter mass, one model-independent bound based on Pauli's principle, and the othe…
It is known that a coherently oscillating axion field is a candidate of the dark matter. In the presence of the oscillating axion, the photon can be resonantly produced through the parametric amplification. In the universe, there also exist cosmological magnetic fields which are coherent electromagnetic fields. In the presence of magnetic fields, an axion can be converted into a photon, and vice versa. Thus, it is interesting to investigate what happens for the axion-photon system in the presence of both the axion dark matter and the magnetic fields. This system can be regarded as a coupled sy…
We analyze the sensitivity of searches for dark matter in the jets and missing energy channel in the case where the particle mediating interactions between hadronic matter and DM is collider accessible. We consider all tree level UV completions of interactions between fermion DM and quarks which contribute to direct detection, and derive bounds which apply to elastic or inelastic scattering dark matter explanations of direct detection signals. We find that studies based on effective operators give robust bounds when the mediator is heavy enough to resonantly produce the final state in question…
Elementary keV sterile Dirac neutrinos can be a natural ingredient of the composite neutrino scenario. For a certain class of composite neutrino theories, these sterile neutrinos naturally have the appropriate mixing angles to be resonantly produced warm dark matter (WDM). Alternatively, we show these sterile neutrinos can be WDM produced by an entropy-diluted thermal freeze-out, with the necessary entropy production arising not from an out-of-equilibrium decay, but rather from the confinement of the composite neutrino sector, provided there is sufficient supercooling.
We study the visible photon production from the viscous dissipation of the dark matter (DM) fluid. The visible photon production depends on the magnitude of the dark matter viscosity and becomes important at the late times. We argue that for sufficiently large dark matter viscosity, the number of the resonantly converted visible photons becomes large which populates the Rayleigh-Jeans (RJ) tails of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation. Consequently, these excess visible photons possibly can explain the reported EDGES anomaly in the 21 cm signal. Further, we explore the parameter spa…
We discuss the bounds on the mass of Dark Matter (DM) particles, coming from the analysis of DM phase-space distribution in dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs). After reviewing the existing approaches, we choose two methods to derive such a bound. The first one depends on the information about the current phase space distribution of DM particles only, while the second one uses both the initial and final distributions. We discuss the recent data on dSphs as well as astronomical uncertainties in relevant parameters. As an application, we present lower bounds on the mass of DM particles, coming fro…
Scalar (fermion) dark matter with mass in the MeV range coupled to ordinary neutrinos and another fermion (scalar) is motivated by scenarios that establish a link between radiatively generated neutrino masses and the dark matter relic density. With such a coupling, cosmic supernova neutrinos, on their way to us, could resonantly interact with the background dark matter particles, giving rise to a dip in their redshift-integrated spectra. Current and future neutrino detectors, such as Super-Kamiokande, LENA and Hyper-Kamiokande, could be able to detect this distortion.
We perform a set of cosmological simulations of structure formation in a mixed dark matter (MDM) model. Our model is motivated by the recently identified $3.5\,{\rm keV}$ X-ray line, which can be explained by the decay of non-resonantly produced sterile neutrinos accounting for $20$-$60\%$ of the dark matter in the Universe. These non-resonantly produced sterile neutrinos have a sizable free-streaming length and hence behave effectively as warm dark matter (WDM). Assuming the rest of dark matter is composed of some cold dark matter (CDM) particles, we follow the coevolution of a mixed WDM plus…
We introduce Super-Resonant Dark Matter, a model of self-interacting dark matter based on the low energy effective theory of supersymmetric QCD. The structure of the theory ensures a resonant enhancement of the self-interactions of the low energy mesons, since their mass ratio is set by the number of colors and flavors. The velocity dependence of the resonantly enhanced self-interactions allows such theories to accommodate puzzles in small scale structure that arise from dark matter halos of different sizes. The dark matter mass is then predicted to be around 3-4 MeV, with its abundance set by…
We apply phase-space density considerations to obtain lower bounds on the mass of sterile neutrino as dark matter candidate. The bounds are different for non-resonant production, resonant production in the presence of lepton asymmetry and production in decays of heavier particles. In the former case our bound is comparable to, but independent of the Lyman-alpha bound, and together with X-ray upper limit it disfavors non-resonantly produced sterile neutrino dark matter. An interesting feature of the latter case is that warm dark matter may be composed of heavy particles.
Light boson dark matter such as axion or hidden photon can be resonantly converted into a magnon in a magnetic insulator under the magnetic field, which can be detected experimentally. We provide a quantum mechanical formulation for the magnon event rate and show that the result is consistent with that obtained by a classical calculation. Besides, it is pointed out that the experimental setup of the QUAX proposal for the axion detection also works as a detector of hidden photon dark matter. It has good sensitivity in the mass range around 1 meV, which is beyond astrophysical constraints.
We examine the possibility that energetic Standard Model particles contained in the jets produced by active galactic nuclei (AGN) may scatter off of the dark matter halo which is expected to surround the AGN. In particular, if there are nearby states in the dark sector which can appear resonantly in the scattering, the cross section can be enhanced and a distinctive edge feature in the energy spectrum may appear. We examine bounds on supersymmetric models which may be obtained from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope observation of the nearby AGN Centaurus A.
We study the phenomenology and detection prospects of a sub-GeV Dirac dark matter candidate with resonantly enhanced annihilations via a dark photon mediator. The model evades cosmological constraints on light thermal particles in the early universe while simultaneously being in reach of current and upcoming terrestrial experiments. We conduct a global analysis of the parameter space , considering bounds from accelerator and direct detection experiments, as well as those arising from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, the Cosmic Microwave Background and dark matter self-interactions. We also extend our…
Searching for dark photon dark matter from terrestrial magnetic fields
Kyoto University（京都大学）；Hiroshima University（广岛大学）；Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University（京都大学汤川理论物理研究所）；Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, Todai Institutes for Advanced Study, The University of Tokyo（东京大学前缘研究机构 Kavli宇宙物理数学研究所）；Korea Institute for Advanced Study（韩国高等研究院）；College of Industrial Technology, Nihon University（日本大学生命理工学院）
The hypothesis that Dark Matter is one electroweak multiplet leads to predictive candidates with multi-TeV masses that can form electroweak bound states. Bound states with the same quantum numbers as electroweak vectors are found to be especially interesting, as they can be produced resonantly with large cross sections at lepton colliders. Such bound states exist e.g. if DM is an automatically stable fermionic weak 5-plet with mass $M \approx$ 14 TeV such that the DM abundance is reproduced thermally. In this model, a muon collider could resolve three such bound states. Production rates are so…
It has recently been argued that the PAMELA, ATIC and PPB-BETS data showing an anomalous excess of high-energy cosmic ray positrons and electrons might be explained by dark matter annihilating in the Galactic halo with a cross section resonantly enhanced compared to its value in the primeval plasma. We find that with a very large annihilation cross section the flash of energetic photons and electron-positron pairs expected from dark-matter annihilation in the first protohalos that form at redshift z~40 is likely substantial and observable. As a consequence, bounds on the allowed energy injecti…
Dark Matter-Induced Stellar Oscillations in the de Broglie Regime
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY（德国电子同步加速器）；Kavli IPMU (WPI), UTIAS, University of Tokyo（卡弗里宇宙物理起源研究所（WPI），东京大学先端科学技术研究中心）；Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Hawai ‘ i（夏威夷大学物理与天文学系）
Dark matter can be produced in the early universe via the freeze-in or freeze-out mechanisms. Both scenarios were investigated in references, but the production of dark matters via the combination of these two mechanisms are not addressed. In this paper we propose a hybrid dark matter model where dark matters have two components with one component produced thermally and the other one produced non-thermally. We present for the first time the analytical calculation for the relic abundance of the Higgs portal hybrid dark matter, then we investigate constraints on the parameter space of the model …
It has been suggested that the dark energy density ρ_v ~ 10^{-12} eV^4 in the universe is associated with a metastable (false) vacuum, while the true vacuum has a vanishing cosmological constant. By including supergravity corrections we show how this is naturally realized in realistic supersymmetric hybrid inflation models. With a fundamental supersymmetry breaking scale ~ TeV, the LSP is not a suitable candidate for cold dark matter. We consider axion physics to overcome this and simultaneously provide a resolution of the MSSM μproblem.
We describe two new generation mechanisms for Dark Matter composed of sterile neutrinos with ${\cal O}(1)$ keV mass. The model contains a light scalar field which coherently oscillates in the early Universe and modulates the Majorana mass of the sterile neutrino. In a region of model parameter space, the oscillations between active and sterile neutrinos are resonantly enhanced. This mechanism allows us to produce sterile neutrino DM with small mixing angle with active neutrinos, thus evading the X-ray constraints. At the same time the spectrum of produced DM is much cooler, than in the case of…
We show that axion dark matter (DM) may be detectable through narrow radio lines emitted from neutron stars. The neutron star magnetosphere hosts a strong magnetic field and a plasma frequency that increases towards the neutron star surface. As the axions pass through the magnetosphere, they can resonantly convert into radio photons in a narrow region around the radius at which the plasma frequency equals the axion mass. The bandwidth of the signal is set by the small DM velocity dispersion far away from the neutron star. We solve the axion-photon mixing equations, including a full treatment o…
Following a recent suggestion of axion cooling of photons between the nucleosynthesis and recombination epochs in the Early Universe, we investigate a hybrid model with both axions and relic supersymmetric particles. In this model we demonstrate that the 7Li abundance can be consistent with observations without destroying the important concordance of deuterium abundance.
It has been suggested that radio telescopes may be sensitive to axion dark matter that resonantly converts to radio photons in the magnetospheres surrounding neutron stars (NSs). In this work, we closely examine this possibility by calculating the radiated power from and projected sensitivity to axion dark matter conversion in ensembles of NSs within astrophysical systems like galaxies and globular clusters. We use population synthesis and evolution models to describe the spatial distributions of NSs within these systems and the distributions of NS properties. Focusing on three specific target…
We consider the scenario where dark matter (DM) is represented by an ultra-light classical scalar field performing coherent periodic oscillations. We point out that such DM perturbs the dynamics of binary systems either through its gravitational field or via direct coupling to ordinary matter. This perturbation gets resonantly amplified if the frequency of DM oscillations is close to a (half-)integer multiple of the orbital frequency of the system and leads to a secular variation of the orbital period. We suggest to use binary pulsars as probes of this scenario and estimate their sensitivity. …
We show that the magnetic component of the photon field produced by dark matter axions via the two-photon coupling mechanism in a Sikivie Haloscope is an important parameter passed over in previous analysis and experiments. The interaction of the produced photons will be resonantly enhanced as long as they couple to the electric or magnetic mode structure of the Haloscope cavity. For typical Haloscope experiments the electric and magnetic coupling is the same and implicitly assumed in past sensitivity calculations. However, for future planned searches such as those at high frequency, which syn…
Due to their high magnetic fields and plasma densities, pulsars provide excellent laboratories for tests of beyond Standard Model (BSM) physics. When axions or axion-like particles (ALPs) approach closely enough to pulsars, they can be resonantly converted to photons, yielding dramatic electromagnetic signals. We discuss the possibility of detecting such signals from bound configurations of axions, colliding with pulsar magnetospheres. We find that all but the densest axion stars, $\textit{oscillons}$, are tidally destroyed well before resonant conversion can take place. Oscillons can be effic…
We explore the phenomenology of having a second epoch of dark matter annihilation into dark radiation long after the standard thermal freeze-out. Such a hidden reannihilation process could affect visible sectors only gravitationally. As a concrete realization we consider self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) with a light force mediator coupled to dark radiation. We demonstrate how resonantly Sommerfeld enhanced cross sections emerge to induce the reannihilation epoch. The effect is a temporally local modification of the Hubble expansion rate and we show that the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)…
We present a unified model of dark matter and dark energy. The dark matter field is a modulus corresponding to a flat direction of supersymmetry, which couples, in a hybrid type potential, with the dark energy field. The latter is a light scalar, whose direction is stabilized by non-renormalizable terms. This quintessence field is kept `locked' on top of a false vacuum due to the coupling with the oscillating dark matter field. It is shown that the model can satisfy the observations when we consider low-scale gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking. The necessary initial conditions are naturally…
We perform a detailed study of scalar dark matter with triplet Higgs extensions of the Standard Model in order to explain the cosmic ray electron and positron excesses reported by AMS-02 and DAMPE. A detailed analysis of AMS-02 positron excess reveals that for different orderings (normal, inverted and quasi-degenerate) of neutrino mass, the hybrid triplet Higgs portal framework is more favored with respect to the single triplet Higgs portal for TeV scale dark matter. We also show that the resonant peak and continuous excess in DAMPE cosmic ray data can be well explained with the hybrid triplet…
We propose a novel reformulation of supersymmetric (more precisely $μ$-) hybrid inflation based on a local U(1) or any suitable extension of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) which also resolves the $μ$ problem. We employ a suitable Kahler potential which effectively yields quartic inflation with non-minimal coupling to gravity. Imposing the gravitino Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) constraint on the reheat temperature ($T_r \lesssim 10^6$ GeV) and requiring a neutralino LSP, the tensor to scalar ratio ($r$) has a lower bound $r \gtrsim 0.004$. The U(1) symmetry breaking scale li…
Dark photons in the MeV to GeV mass range are important targets for experimental searches. We consider the case where dark photons $A'$ decay invisibly to hidden dark matter $X$ through $A' \to XX$. For generic masses, proposed accelerator searches are projected to probe the thermal target region of parameter space, where the $X$ particles annihilate through $XX \to A' \to \text{SM}$ in the early universe and freeze out with the correct relic density. However, if $m_{A'} \approx 2m_X$, dark matter annihilation is resonantly enhanced, shifting the thermal target region to weaker couplings. For …
In warm dark matter scenarios structure formation is suppressed on small scales with respect to the cold dark matter case, reducing the number of low-mass halos and the fraction of ionized gas at high redshifts and thus, delaying reionization. This has an impact on the ionization history of the Universe and measurements of the optical depth to reionization, of the evolution of the global fraction of ionized gas and of the thermal history of the intergalactic medium, can be used to set constraints on the mass of the dark matter particle. However, the suppression of the fraction of ionized mediu…
Previous fits of sterile neutrino dark matter models to cosmological data assumed a peculiar production mechanism, which is not representative of the best-motivated particle physics models given current data on neutrino oscillations. These analyses ruled out sterile neutrino masses smaller than 8-10 keV. Here we focus on sterile neutrinos produced resonantly. We show that their cosmological signature can be approximated by that of mixed Cold plus Warm Dark Matter (CWDM). We use recent results on LambdaCWDM models to show that for each mass greater than or equal to 2 keV, there exists at least …
Free streaming in a \emph{mixture} of collisionless non-relativistic dark matter (DM) particles is studied by implementing methods from the theory of multicomponent plasmas. The mixture includes Fermionic, condensed and non condensed Bosonic particles decoupling in equilibrium while relativistic, heavy non-relativistic thermal relics (WIMPs), and sterile neutrinos that decouple \emph{out of equilibrium} when they are relativistic. The free-streaming length $λ_{fs}$ is obtained from the marginal zero of the gravitational polarization function, which separates short wavelength Landau-damped from…
