Detecting dark matter annihilation with CMB polarization: Signatures and experimental prospects
![Thumbnail](/bitstream/handle/1/33461881/0503486.pdf.jpg?sequence=6&isAllowed=y)
View/ Open
Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.72.023508Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Padmanabhan, Nikhil, and Douglas P. Finkbeiner. 2005. “Detecting Dark Matter Annihilation with CMB Polarization: Signatures and Experimental Prospects.” Physical Review D 72 (2) (July 12). doi:10.1103/physrevd.72.023508.Abstract
Dark matter (DM) annihilation during hydrogen recombination (z ~ 1000) will alter the recombination history of the Universe, and affect the observed CMB temperature and polarization fluctuations. Unlike other astrophysical probes of DM, this is free of the significant uncertainties in modelling galactic physics, and provides a method to detect and constrain the cosmological abundances of these particles. We parametrize the effect of DM annihilation as an injection of ionizing energy at a rate e_{dm}, and argue that this simple "on the spot'' modification is a good approximation to the complicated interaction of the annihilation products with the photon-electron plasma. Generic models of DM do not change the redshift of recombination, but change the residual ionization after recombination. This broadens the surface of last scattering, suppressing the temperature fluctuations and enhancing the polarization fluctuations. We use the temperature and polarization angular power spectra to measure these deviations from the standard recombination history, and therefore, indirectly probe DM annihilation. (abridged)Other Sources
https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0503486Terms of Use
This article is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of-use#LAACitable link to this page
http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:33461881
Collections
- FAS Scholarly Articles [18304]
Contact administrator regarding this item (to report mistakes or request changes)