arXiv subjects

Douglas Spolyar

Publications and source records attributed to Douglas Spolyar.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

Faint objects in motion: the new frontier of high precision astrometry

Sky survey telescopes and powerful targeted telescopes play complementary roles in astronomy. In order to investigate the nature and characteristics of the motions of very faint objects, a flexibly-pointed instrument capable of high astrometric accuracy is an ideal complement to current astrometric surveys and a unique tool for precision astrophysics. Such a space-based mission will push the frontier of precision astrometry from evidence of Earth-mass habitable worlds around the nearest stars, to distant Milky Way objects, and out to the Local Group of galaxies. As we enter the era of the James Webb Space Telescope and the new ground-based, adaptive-optics-enabled giant telescopes, by obtaining these high precision measurements on key objects that Gaia could not reach, a mission that focuses on high precision astrometry science can consolidate our theoretical understanding of the local Universe, enable extrapolation of physical processes to remote redshifts, and derive a much more consistent picture of cosmological evolution and the likely fate of our cosmos. Already several missions have been proposed to address the science case of faint objects in motion using high precision astrometry missions: NEAT proposed for the ESA M3 opportunity, micro-NEAT for the S1 opportunity, and Theia for the M4 and M5 opportunities. Additional new mission configurations adapted with technological innovations could be envisioned to pursue accurate measurements of these extremely small motions. The goal of this White Paper is to address the fundamental science questions that are at stake when we focus on the motions of faint sky objects and to briefly review instrumentation and mission profiles.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2017

Theia: Faint objects in motion or the new astrometry frontier

In the context of the ESA M5 (medium mission) call we proposed a new satellite mission, Theia, based on relative astrometry and extreme precision to study the motion of very faint objects in the Universe. Theia is primarily designed to study the local dark matter properties, the existence of Earth-like exoplanets in our nearest star systems and the physics of compact objects. Furthermore, about 15 $\%$ of the mission time was dedicated to an open observatory for the wider community to propose complementary science cases. With its unique metrology system and "point and stare" strategy, Theia's precision would have reached the sub micro-arcsecond level. This is about 1000 times better than ESA/Gaia's accuracy for the brightest objects and represents a factor 10-30 improvement for the faintest stars (depending on the exact observational program). In the version submitted to ESA, we proposed an optical (350-1000nm) on-axis TMA telescope. Due to ESA Technology readiness level, the camera's focal plane would have been made of CCD detectors but we anticipated an upgrade with CMOS detectors. Photometric measurements would have been performed during slew time and stabilisation phases needed for reaching the required astrometric precision.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2016

Improved Constraints on Dark Matter Annihilation to a Line using Fermi-LAT observations of Galaxy Clusters

Galaxy clusters are dominated by dark matter, and may have a larger proportion of surviving substructure than, e.g, field galaxies. Due to the presence of galaxy clusters in relative proximity and their high dark matter content, they are promising targets for the indirect detection of dark matter via Gamma-rays. Indeed, dedicated studies of sets of up to 100 clusters have been made previously, so far with no clear indication of a dark matter signal. Here we report on Gamma-ray observations of some 26,000 galaxy clusters based on Pass-7 Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data, with clusters selected from the Tully 2MASS Groups catalog. None of these clusters is significantly detected in Gamma-rays, and we present Gamma-ray flux upper limits between 20 GeV and 500 GeV. We estimate the dark matter content of each of the clusters in these catalogs, and constrain the dark matter annihilation cross section, by analyzing Fermi-LAT data from the directions of the clusters. We set some of the tightest cluster-based constraints to date on the annihilation of dark matter particles with masses between 20 GeV and 500 GeV for annihilation to a gamma-ray line. Our cluster based constraints are not yet as strong as bounds placed using the Galactic Center, although an uncertainty still exists regarding the "boost factor" from cluster substructure, where we have chosen a rather conservative value. Our analysis, given this choice of possible boost, is not yet sensitive enough to fully rule out typical realistic DM candidates, especially if the gamma-ray line is not a dominant annihilation mode.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2016

Beyond $Λ$CDM: Problems, solutions, and the road ahead

Despite its continued observational successes, there is a persistent (and growing) interest in extending cosmology beyond the standard model, $Λ$CDM. This is motivated by a range of apparently serious theoretical issues, involving such questions as the cosmological constant problem, the particle nature of dark matter, the validity of general relativity on large scales, the existence of anomalies in the CMB and on small scales, and the predictivity and testability of the inflationary paradigm. In this paper, we summarize the current status of $Λ$CDM as a physical theory, and review investigations into possible alternatives along a number of different lines, with a particular focus on highlighting the most promising directions. While the fundamental problems are proving reluctant to yield, the study of alternative cosmologies has led to considerable progress, with much more to come if hopes about forthcoming high-precision observations and new theoretical ideas are fulfilled.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2016

Dark Stars: A Review

Dark Stars are stellar objects made (almost entirely) of hydrogen and helium, but powered by the heat from Dark Matter annihilation, rather than by fusion. They are in hydrostatic and thermal equilibrium, but with an unusual power source. Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), among the best candidates for dark matter, can be their own antimatter and can annihilate inside the star, thereby providing a heat source. Although dark matter constitutes only $\lesssim 0.1\%$ of the stellar mass, this amount is sufficient to power the star for millions to billions of years. Thus, the first phase of stellar evolution in the history of the Universe may have been dark stars. We review how dark stars come into existence, how they grow as long as dark matter fuel persists, and their stellar structure and evolution. The studies were done in two different ways, first assuming polytropic interiors and more recently using the MESA stellar evolution code; the basic results are the same. Dark stars are giant, puffy ($\sim$ 10 AU) and cool (surface temperatures $\sim$10,000 K) objects. We follow the evolution of dark stars from their inception at $\sim 1 M_\odot$ as they accrete mass from their surroundings to become supermassive stars, some even reaching masses $> 10^6 M_\odot$ and luminosities $>10^{10} L_\odot$, making them detectable with the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. Once the dark matter runs out and the dark star dies, it may collapse to a black hole; thus dark stars may provide seeds for the supermassive black holes observed throughout the Universe and at early times. Other sites for dark star formation may exist in the Universe today in regions of high dark matter density such as the centers of galaxies. The current review briefly discusses dark stars existing today, but focuses on the early generation of dark stars.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2015

Fermi/LAT observations of Dwarf Galaxies highly constrain a Dark Matter Interpretation of Excess Positrons seen in AMS-02, HEAT, and PAMELA

It is shown that a Weakly Interacting Massive dark matter Particle (WIMP) interpretation for the positron excess observed in a variety of experiments, HEAT, PAMELA, and AMS-02, is highly constrained by the Fermi/LAT observations of dwarf galaxies. In particular, this paper has focused on the annihilation channels that best fit the current AMS-02 data (Boudaud et al., 2014). The Fermi satellite has surveyed the $γ$-ray sky, and its observations of dwarf satellites are used to place strong bounds on the annihilation of WIMPs into a variety of channels. For the single channel case, we find that dark matter annihilation into {$b\bar{b}$, $e^+e^-$, $μ^+μ^-$, $τ^+τ^-$, 4-$e$, or 4-$τ$} is ruled out as an explanation of the AMS positron excess (here $b$ quarks are a proxy for all quarks, gauge and Higgs bosons). In addition, we find that the Fermi/LAT 2$σ$ upper limits, assuming the best-fit AMS-02 branching ratios, exclude multichannel combinations into $b\bar{b}$ and leptons. The tension between the results might relax if the branching ratios are allowed to deviate from their best-fit values, though a substantial change would be required. Of all the channels we considered, the only viable channel that survives the Fermi/LAT constraint and produces a good fit to the AMS-02 data is annihilation (via a mediator) to 4-$μ$, or mainly to 4-$μ$ in the case of multichannel combinations.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2014

Detecting Dark Matter Substructures around the Milky Way with Gaia

Cold Dark Matter (CDM) theory, a pillar of modern cosmology and astrophysics, predicts the existence of a large number of starless dark matter halos surrounding the Milky Way (MW). However, clear observational evidence of these "dark" substructures remains elusive. Here, we present a detection method based on the small, but detectable, velocity changes that an orbiting substructure imposes on the stars in the MW disk. Using high-resolution numerical simulations we estimate that the new space telescope Gaia should detect the kinematic signatures of a few starless substructures provided the CDM paradigm holds. Such a measurement will provide unprecedented constraints on the primordial matter power spectrum at low-mass scales and offer a new handle onto the particle physics properties of dark matter.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2014

Plan beta: Core or Cusp?

The inner profile of Dark Matter (DM) halos remains one of the central problems in small-scale cosmology. At present, the problem can not be resolved in dwarf spheroidal galaxies due to a degeneracy between the DM profile and the velocity anisotropy beta of the stellar population. We discuss a method which can break the degeneracy by exploiting 3D positions and 1D line-of-sight (LOS) velocities. With the full 3D spatial information, we can determine precisely what fraction of each stars LOS motion is in the radial and tangential direction. This enables us to infer the anisotropy parameter beta directly from the data. The method is particularly effective if the galaxy is highly anisotropic. Finally, we argue that such a test could be applied to Sagittarius and potentially other dwarfs with RR Lyrae providing the necessary depth information.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2013

Topology and Dark Energy: Testing Gravity in Voids

Modified gravity has garnered interest as a backstop against dark matter and dark energy (DE). As one possible modification, the graviton can become massive, which introduces a new scalar field - here with a Galileon-type symmetry. The field can lead to a nontrivial equation of state (EOS) of DE which is density-and-scale-dependent. Tension between Type Ia supernovae and Planck could be reduced. In voids the scalar field dramatically alters the EOS of DE, induces a soon-observable gravitational slip between the two metric potentials, and develops a topological defect (domain wall) due to a nontrivial vacuum structure for the field.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

Numerical Evidence for Dark Star Formation: A Comment on "Weakly Interacting Massive Particle Dark Matter and First Stars: Suppression of Fragmentation in Primordial Star Formation" by Smith et al. 2012, ApJ 761, 154

(abridged) This comment is intended to show that simulations by Smith et al. (S12) support the Dark Star (DS) scenario and even remove some potential obstacles. Our previous work illustrated that the initial hydrogen densities of the first equilibrium DSs are high, ~10^{17}/cm^3 for the case of 100 GeV WIMPs, with a stellar radius of ~2-3 AU. Subsequent authors have somehow missed the fact that equilibrium DSs have the high densities they do. S12 have numerically simulated the effect of dark matter annihilation on the contraction of a protostellar gas cloud en route to forming the first stars. They show results at a density ~5 10^{14}/cm^3, slightly higher than the value at which annihilation heating prevails over cooling. However, they are apparently unable to reach the ~10^{17}/cm^3 density of our hydrostatic DS solutions. We are in complete agreement with their physical result that the gas keeps collapsing to densities > 5 10^{14}/cm^3, as it must before equilibrium DSs can form. However we are in disagreement with some of the words in their paper which imply that DSs never come to exist. It seems to us that S12 supports the DS scenario. They use the sink particle approach to treat the gas that collapses to scales smaller than their resolution limit. We argue that their sink is effectively a DS, or contains one. An accretion disk forms as more mass falls onto the sink, and the DS grows. S12 not only confirm our predictions about DS in the range where the simulations apply, but also solve a potential obstruction to DS formation by showing that dark matter annihilation prevents the fragmentation of the collapsing gas. Whereas fragmentation might perturb the dark matter away from the DS and remove its power source, instead S12 show that further sinks, if any, form only far enough away as to leave the DS undisturbed in the comfort of its dark matter surroundings.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Gamma-Ray Constraints on the First Stars from Annihilation of Light WIMPs

We calculate the limits on the fraction of viable dark matter minihalos in the early universe to host Population III.1 stars, surviving today as dark matter spikes in our Milky Way halo. Motivated by potential hints of light dark matter from the DAMA and CoGeNT direct dark matter searches, we consider thermal relic WIMP dark matter with masses of 5, 10, and 20 GeV, and annihilation to mu^+ mu^-, tau^+ tau^-, and q bar{q}. From this brief study we conclude that, if dark matter is light, either the typical black hole size is \lesssim 100 M_\odot (i.e. there is no significant Dark Star phase), and/or dark matter annihilates primarily to mu^+ mu^- or other final states that result in low gamma-ray luminosity, and/or that an extremely small fraction of minihalos in the early universe that seem suitable to host the formation of the first stars actually did.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

SuperCool Inflation: A Graceful Exit from Eternal Inflation at LHC Scales and Below

In SuperCool Inflation (SCI), a technically natural and thermal effect gives a graceful exit to old inflation. The Universe starts off hot and trapped in a false vacuum. The Universe supercools and inflates solving the horizon and flatness problems. The inflaton couples to a set of QCD like fermions. When the fermions' non-Abelian gauge group freezes, the Yukawa terms generate a tadpole for the inflaton, which removes the barrier. Inflation ends, and the Universe rapidly reheats. The thermal effect is technically natural in the same way that the QCD scale is technically natural. In fact, Witten used a similar mechanism to drive the Electro-Weak (EW) phase transition; critically, no scalar field drives inflation, which allows SCI to avoid eternal inflation and the measure problem. SCI also works at scales, which can be probed in the lab, and could be connected to EW symmetry breaking. Finally, we introduce a light spectator field to generate density perturbations, which match the CMB. The light field does not affect the inflationary dynamics and can potentially generate non-Gaussianities and isocurvature perturbations observable with Planck.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Black Holes in our Galactic Halo: Compatibility with FGST and PAMELA Data and Constraints on the First Stars

10 to 10^5 solar mass black holes with dark matter spikes that formed in early minihalos and still exist in our Milky Way Galaxy today are examined in light of recent data from the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope (FGST). The dark matter spikes surrounding black holes in our Galaxy are sites of significant dark matter annihilation. We examine the signatures of annihilations into gamma-rays, electrons and positrons, and neutrinos. We find that some significant fraction of the point sources detected by FGST might be due to dark matter annihilation near black holes in our Galaxy. We obtain limits on the properties of dark matter annihilations in the spikes using the information in the FGST First Source Catalog as well as the diffuse gamma-ray flux measured by FGST. We determine the maximum fraction of high redshift minihalos that could have hosted the formation of the first generation of stars and, subsequently, their black hole remnants. The strength of the limits depends on the choice of annihilation channel and black hole mass; limits are strongest for the heaviest black holes and annhilation to $b \bar{b}$ and $W^+W^-$ final states. The larger black holes considered in this paper may arise as the remnants of Dark Stars after the dark matter fuel is exhausted and thermonuclear burning runs its course; thus FGST observations may be used to constrain the properties of Dark Stars. Additionally, we comment on the excess positron flux found by PAMELA and its possible interpretation in terms of dark matter annihilation around these black hole spikes.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Signatures of Dark Star Remnants in the Galactic Halo

The very first stars likely formed from metal-free, molecular hydrogen-cooled gas at the centers of dark matter minihalos. Prior to nuclear fusion, these stars may have been supported by dark matter heating from annihilations in the star, in which case they could have grown to be quite massive before collapsing to black holes. Many remnant black holes and their surrounding dark matter density spikes may be part of our Milky Way halo today. Here we explore the gamma-ray signatures of dark matter annihilations in the dark matter spikes surrounding these black holes for a range of star formation scenarios, black hole masses, and dark matter annihilation modes. Data from the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope are used to constrain models of dark matter annihilation and the formation of the first stars.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Dark Stars and Boosted Dark Matter Annihilation Rates

Dark Stars (DS) may constitute the first phase of stellar evolution, powered by dark matter (DM) annihilation. We will investigate here the properties of DS assuming the DM particle has the required properties to explain the excess positron and elec- tron signals in the cosmic rays detected by the PAMELA and FERMI satellites. Any possible DM interpretation of these signals requires exotic DM candidates, with an- nihilation cross sections a few orders of magnitude higher than the canonical value required for correct thermal relic abundance for Weakly Interacting Dark Matter can- didates; additionally in most models the annihilation must be preferentially to lep- tons. Secondly, we study the dependence of DS properties on the concentration pa- rameter of the initial DM density profile of the halos where the first stars are formed. We restrict our study to the DM in the star due to simple (vs. extended) adiabatic contraction and minimal (vs. extended) capture; this simple study is sufficient to illustrate dependence on the cross section and concentration parameter. Our basic results are that the final stellar properties, once the star enters the main sequence, are always roughly the same, regardless of the value of boosted annihilation or concentration parameter in the range between c=2 and c=5: stellar mass ~ 1000M\odot, luminosity ~ 10^7 L\odot, lifetime ~ 10^6 yrs (for the minimal DM models considered here; additional DM would lead to more massive dark stars). However, the lifetime, final mass, and final luminosity of the DS show some dependence on boost factor and concentration parameter as discussed in the paper.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

The Sensitivity of the IceCube Neutrino Detector to Dark Matter Annihilating in Dwarf Galaxies

In this paper, we compare the relative sensitivities of gamma-ray and neutrino observations to the dark matter annihilation cross section in leptophilic models such as have been designed to explain PAMELA data. We investigate whether the high energy neutrino telescope IceCube will be competitive with current and upcoming searches by gamma-ray telescopes, such as the Atmospheric Cerenkov Telescopes (ACTs) (HESS, VERITAS and MAGIC), or the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope, in detecting or constraining dark matter particles annihilating in dwarf spheroidal galaxies. We find that after ten years of observation of the most promising nearby dwarfs, IceCube will have sensitivity comparable to the current sensitivity of gamma-ray telescopes only for very heavy (m_X > 7 TeV) or relatively light (m_X < 200 GeV) dark matter particles which annihilate primarily to mu+mu-. If dark matter particles annihilate primarily to tau+tau-, IceCube will have superior sensitivity only for dark matter particle masses below the 200 GeV threshold of current ACTs. If dark matter annihilations proceed directly to neutrino-antineutrino pairs a substantial fraction of the time, IceCube will be competitive with gamma-ray telescopes for a much wider range of dark matter masses.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Supermassive Dark Stars: Detectable in JWST

The first phase of stellar evolution in the history of the Universe may be Dark Stars, powered by dark matter heating rather than by nuclear fusion. Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, which may be their own antipartners, collect inside the first stars and annihilate to produce a heat source that can power the stars for millions to billions of years. In this paper we show that these objects can grow to be supermassive dark stars (SMDS) with masses $\gtrsim (10^5-10^7) \msun$. The growth continues as long as dark matter heating persists, since dark stars are large and cool (surface temperature $\lesssim 5\times 10^4$K) and do not emit enough ionizing photons to prevent further accretion of baryons onto the star. The dark matter may be provided by two mechanisms: (1) gravitational attraction of dark matter particles on a variety of orbits not previously considered, and (2) capture of WIMPs due to elastic scattering. Once the dark matter fuel is exhausted, the SMDS becomes a heavy main sequence star; these stars eventually collapse to form massive black holes that may provide seeds for supermassive black holes in the Universe. SMDS are very bright, with luminosities exceeding $(10^9-10^{11}) L_\odot$. We demonstrate that for several reasonable parameters, these objects will be detectable with JWST. Such an observational discovery would confirm the existence of a new phase of stellar evolution powered by dark matter.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Cascade Events at IceCube+DeepCore as a Definitive Constraint on the Dark Matter Interpretation of the PAMELA and Fermi Anomalies

Dark matter decaying or annihilating into mu+mu- or tau+tau- has been proposed as an explanation for the e+e- anomalies reported by PAMELA and Fermi. Recent analyses show that IceCube, supplemented by DeepCore, will be able to significantly constrain the parameter space of decays to mu+mu-, and rule out decays to tau+tau- and annihilations to mu+mu- in less than five years of running. These analyses rely on measuring track-like events in IceCube+DeepCore from down-going nu_mu. In this paper we show that by instead measuring cascade events, which are induced by all neutrino flavors, IceCube+DeepCore can rule out decays to mu+mu- in only three years of running, and rule out decays to tau+tau- and annihilation to mu+mu- in only one year of running. These constraints are highly robust to the choice of dark matter halo profile and independent of dark matter-nucleon cross-section.

hep-ph↗