• Featured in Physics

Dark-Disk Universe

JiJi Fan, Andrey Katz, Lisa Randall, and Matthew Reece
Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 211302 – Published 23 May 2013
Physics logo See Synopsis: A Second Dish of Dark Matter

Abstract

We point out that current constraints on dark matter imply only that the majority of dark matter is cold and collisionless. A subdominant fraction of dark matter could have much stronger interactions. In particular, it could interact in a manner that dissipates energy, thereby cooling into a rotationally supported disk, much as baryons do. We call this proposed new dark matter component double-disk dark matter (DDDM). We argue that DDDM could constitute a fraction of all matter roughly as large as the fraction in baryons, and that it could be detected through its gravitational effects on the motion of stars in galaxies, for example. Furthermore, if DDDM can annihilate to gamma rays, it would give rise to an indirect detection signal distributed across the sky that differs dramatically from that predicted for ordinary dark matter. DDDM and more general partially interacting dark matter scenarios provide a large unexplored space of testable new physics ideas.

  • Received 5 March 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.211302

© 2013 American Physical Society

Synopsis

Key Image

A Second Dish of Dark Matter

Published 23 May 2013

According to a new model, galaxies may contain disks made of a specific type of dark matter that can interact more strongly than most dark matter.

See more in Physics

Authors & Affiliations

JiJi Fan, Andrey Katz, Lisa Randall, and Matthew Reece

  • Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 110, Iss. 21 — 24 May 2013

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
CHORUS

Article Available via CHORUS

Download Accepted Manuscript
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×