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Published on: November 15, 2013
First Galaxy Ultraviolet Luminosity Function Limits on Dark Matter-Proton Scattering
Hovav Lazare1, Ely D Kovetz1,2, Kimberly K Boddy2
1Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Department of Physics, Be'er Sheva 84105, Israel.
Physical Review Letters
|July 23, 2026
Summary
This study investigates dark matter (DM) and proton scattering using galaxy luminosity functions. Including lensed data significantly improved constraints on DM-proton interactions, surpassing previous limits.
Area of Science:
- Cosmology
- Astrophysics
- Particle Physics
Background:
- Dark matter (DM) interactions with protons can suppress small-scale cosmic structure formation.
- Understanding these interactions is crucial for interpreting cosmological observations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To search for evidence of DM-proton scattering using high-redshift ultraviolet galaxy luminosity functions (UVLFs).
- To constrain the DM-proton interaction cross section for various interaction types (n=0, 2, 4).
Main Methods:
- Utilized Hubble Space Telescope (HST) UVLF data from blank and lensed fields.
- Employed modified Boltzmann solver (dmeff) and gallumi for interacting DM.
- Incorporated Planck CMB and Pantheon supernova data in a Bayesian analysis.
Main Results:
- Lensed UVLF data significantly improved constraints on DM-proton scattering cross sections for n>0.
- New bounds surpass existing limits from Milky Way satellite abundance and CMB anisotropies.
- For specific DM masses, upper bounds were set at 1.1×10⁻²⁵ cm² (n=2) and 2.1×10⁻²² cm² (n=4).
Conclusions:
- High-redshift UVLFs, especially with lensed data, are powerful probes of DM-proton interactions.
- The study provides stringent constraints on DM-proton scattering, particularly for velocity-dependent interactions.
- Results highlight the importance of small-scale probes for understanding dark matter properties.
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