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Updated: Jul 12, 2026
11:34
Scattering And Absorption of Light in Planetary Regoliths
Published on: July 1, 2019
Search for Dark Matter Induced Airglow in Planetary Atmospheres
Carlos Blanco1,2, Rebecca K Leane3,4, Marianne Moore5
1Princeton University, Department of Physics, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|July 10, 2026
Summary
Dark matter (DM) can create ultraviolet airglow on planets. Analyzing planetary ultraviolet data, this study sets new constraints on dark matter-nucleon scattering, offering a novel discovery pathway.
Area of Science:
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Particle Physics
- Planetary Science
Background:
- Dark matter (DM) interactions with planetary atmospheres are not well understood.
- Ultraviolet (UV) airglow emissions can be produced by various atmospheric processes.
- Previous searches for DM signals have not focused on planetary UV airglow.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential for dark matter annihilation to produce observable ultraviolet airglow on planets.
- To analyze existing UV data from outer planet flybys for signatures of DM.
- To establish new constraints on dark matter properties based on these observations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of nightside ultraviolet radiation data from Voyager and New Horizons spacecraft.
- Examination of UV data from flybys of Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, and Jupiter.
- Modeling of dark matter annihilation product energy deposition and subsequent atmospheric excitation.
Main Results:
- Detection of a novel potential signature of dark matter in planetary UV airglow.
- Establishment of new constraints on the dark matter-nucleon scattering cross-section for DM masses above the electron mass.
- Constraints reach 10^-40 cm^2 for DM masses around 1 GeV.
Conclusions:
- Dark matter annihilation can illuminate planetary skies via UV airglow.
- Future UV airglow measurements offer a new avenue for dark matter discovery.
- This research opens new possibilities for detecting dark matter within our solar system and beyond.
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