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Filtered Dark Matter at a First Order Phase Transition.
Michael J Baker1,2, Joachim Kopp3,4, Andrew J Long5
1School of Physics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
Physical Review Letters
|October 23, 2020
Summary
A novel dark matter production mechanism is proposed. Dark matter particles avoid a first-order phase transition, annihilating instead, with surviving particles forming the observed dark matter.
Area of Science:
- Cosmology
- Particle Physics
- Astrophysics
Background:
- The origin of dark matter remains a significant unsolved problem in cosmology.
- Understanding dark matter production mechanisms is crucial for particle physics and astrophysics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and analyze a new mechanism for dark matter production.
- To explore the implications of dark matter mass generation during a first-order phase transition.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of dark matter particle behavior during a first-order phase transition.
- Analysis of particle reflection and annihilation dynamics within expanding bubbles.
- Calculation of potential dark matter mass ranges and comparison with existing bounds.
Main Results:
- Dark matter particles are energetically unfavorable to enter expanding bubbles during a first-order phase transition.
- Most dark matter particles are reflected and annihilate, with only those entering bubbles surviving.
- This mechanism can produce dark matter with masses from TeV to PeV scales, exceeding the Griest-Kamionkowski bound.
Conclusions:
- A new, viable dark matter production mechanism is presented.
- The proposed mechanism offers a way to generate dark matter in a mass range previously thought inaccessible.
- This work provides a new avenue for exploring dark matter candidates and their cosmological implications.
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