Using the CMB angular power spectrum to study Dark Matter-photon interactions

In this paper, we explore the impact of Dark Matter-photon interactions on the CMB angular power spectrum. Using the one-year data release of the Planck satellite, we derive an upper bound on the Dark Matter-photon elastic scattering cross section of sigma_{DM-photon} < 8 x 10^{-31} (m_DM/GeV) cm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of cosmology and astroparticle physics 2014-04, Vol.2014 (4), p.26-26
Main Authors: Wilkinson, Ryan J., Lesgourgues, Julien, Bœhm, C{é}line
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astrophysics
ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ASYMMETRY
Cosmology and Extra-Galactic Astrophysics
CROSS SECTIONS
DECAY
ELASTIC SCATTERING
INTERACTIONS
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
PHOTONS
Physics
POLARIZATION
SPECTRA
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Summary:In this paper, we explore the impact of Dark Matter-photon interactions on the CMB angular power spectrum. Using the one-year data release of the Planck satellite, we derive an upper bound on the Dark Matter-photon elastic scattering cross section of sigma_{DM-photon} < 8 x 10^{-31} (m_DM/GeV) cm^2 (68% CL) if the cross section is constant and a present-day value of sigma_{DM-photon} < 6 x 10^{-40} (m_DM/GeV) cm^2 (68% CL) if it scales as the temperature squared. For such a limiting cross section, both the B-modes and the TT angular power spectrum are suppressed with respect to LCDM predictions for l > 500 and l > 3000 respectively, indicating that forthcoming data from CMB polarisation experiments and Planck could help to constrain and characterise the physics of the dark sector. This essentially initiates a new type of dark matter search that is independent of whether dark matter is annihilating, decaying or asymmetric. Thus, any CMB experiment with the ability to measure the temperature and/or polarisation power spectra at high l should be able to investigate the potential interactions of dark matter and contributeto our fundamental understanding of its nature.
ISSN:1475-7516
1475-7508
1475-7516
DOI:10.1088/1475-7516/2014/04/026