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Constraints on the interaction between dark matter and Baryons from cooling flow clusters
1National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
Physical Review Letters
|August 11, 2001
Summary
Dark matter interactions may reheat galaxy cluster cores, resolving discrepancies between observations and cooling models. This study constrains the dark matter-baryon cross-section, offering a new heating mechanism for the intracluster medium.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics
- Cosmology
- Particle Physics
Background:
- Galaxy clusters exhibit a lack of cool gas in their centers, contradicting standard radiative cooling models.
- Observations from Chandra and XMM reveal this absence of cool gas components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and investigate nongravitational heating mechanisms for the intracluster medium (ICM).
- To explore the role of dark matter-baryon interactions in reheating galaxy cluster cores.
Main Methods:
- Analyzing observational data from Chandra and XMM.
- Developing a theoretical model where dark matter kinetic energy heats the ICM.
- Constraining the dark matter-baryon cross-section.
Main Results:
- Dark matter-baryon interactions can provide an alternative heating source for the ICM.
- A constraint on the dark matter-baryon cross-section was established: sigma(xp)/m(x) approximately 1x10(-25) cm(2) GeV-1.
- This mechanism balances radiative cooling in the inner regions of galaxy clusters.
Conclusions:
- Dark matter-baryon interactions are a viable explanation for the observed ICM properties.
- The findings necessitate considering dark matter-baryon coupling in models of galaxy cluster evolution.
- Further research can refine constraints on dark matter properties and interactions.