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New Constraints on Macroscopic Compact Objects as a Dark Matter Candidate from Gravitational Lensing of Type Ia Supernovae

R. Benton Metcalf·Joseph Silk
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Abstract

We use the distribution, and particularly the skewness, of high redshift type Ia supernovae brightnesses relative to the low redshift sample to constrain the density of macroscopic compact objects (MCOs) in the universe. The data favors dark matter made of microscopic particles (such as the LSP) at 89% confidence. Future data will greatly improve this limit. This constraint is valid for a range in MCO mass from 10^-2 Msun to 10^10 Msun. Combined with other constraints, MCOs larger than one tenth the mass of Earth (~ 10^-7 Msun) can be eliminated as the sole constituent of dark matter.

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R. Benton Metcalf, Joseph Silk. 2006-12-10. New Constraints on Macroscopic Compact Objects as a Dark Matter Candidate from Gravitational Lensing of Type Ia Supernovae. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.98.071302%2010.1103%2Fphysrevlett.98.099903

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