arXiv · 1202.0283
Oscillating Asymmetric Dark Matter
Abstract
We study the dynamics of dark matter (DM) particle-antiparticle oscillations within the context of asymmetric DM. Oscillations arise due to small DM number-violating Majorana-type mass terms, and can lead to recoupling of annihilation after freeze-out and washout of the DM density. We derive the density matrix equations for DM oscillations and freeze-out from first principles using nonequilibrium field theory, and our results are qualitatively different than in previous studies. DM dynamics exhibits particle-vs-antiparticle "flavor" effects, depending on the interaction type, analogous to neutrino oscillations in a medium. "Flavor-sensitive" DM interactions include scattering or annihilation through a new vector boson, while "flavor-blind" interactions include scattering or s-channel annihilation through a new scalar boson, or annihilation to pairs of bosons. In particular, we find that flavor-sensitive annihilation does not recouple when coherent oscillations begin, and that flavor-blind scattering does not lead to decoherence.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Sean Tulin, Hai-Bo Yu, Kathryn M. Zurek. 2012-02-13. Oscillating Asymmetric Dark Matter. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516%2F2012%2F05%2F013
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.