• Featured in Physics
  • Editors' Suggestion

New Limits on Primordial Black Hole Dark Matter from an Analysis of Kepler Source Microlensing Data

Kim Griest, Agnieszka M. Cieplak, and Matthew J. Lehner
Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 181302 – Published 31 October 2013
Physics logo See Synopsis: Planet Search Finds No Dark Matter Black Holes
PDFHTMLExport Citation

Abstract

We present new limits on the allowed masses of a dark matter (DM) halo consisting of primordial black holes (PBH) (or any other massive compact halo object). We analyze two years of data from the Kepler satellite, searching for short-duration bumps caused by gravitational microlensing. After removing background events consisting of variable stars, flare events, and comets or asteroids moving through the Kepler field, we find no microlensing candidates. We measure the efficiency of our selection criteria by adding millions of simulated microlensing lensing events into the Kepler light curves. We find that PBH DM with masses in the range 2×109M to 107M cannot make up the entirety of the DM in the Milky Way. At the low-mass end, this decreases the allowed mass range by more than an order of magnititude.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 12 July 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.181302

© 2013 American Physical Society

Synopsis

Key Image

Planet Search Finds No Dark Matter Black Holes

Published 31 October 2013

Using data from a planet-hunting mission, scientists place new limits on a supposed population of black holes that could act as dark matter.

See more in Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Kim Griest1,*, Agnieszka M. Cieplak1,4,†, and Matthew J. Lehner2,3,‡

  • 1Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, USA
  • 2Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica. P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 106, Taiwan
  • 3Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
  • 4Physics Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA

  • *kgriest@ucsd.edu
  • acieplak@ucsd.edu
  • mlehner@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

Supplemental Material (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 111, Iss. 18 — 1 November 2013

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
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
×