Signatures of dark matter burning in nuclear star clusters

Details Signatures of dark matter burning in nuclear star clusters Signatures of dark matter burning in nuclear star clusters

2011-04-28

arxiv.org/abs/1104.5465v1

ApJ, 733, L51 (2011)

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

5 pages + table with isochrones. To be published in ApJL

Scientific paper

10.1088/2041-8205/733/2/L51

In order to characterize how dark matter (DM) annihilation inside stars changes the aspect of a stellar cluster we computed the evolution until the ignition of the He burning of stars from 0.7 to 3.5 M_sun within halos of DM with different characteristics. We found that, when a cluster is surrounded by a dense DM halo, the positions of the cluster' stars in the H-R diagram have a brighter and hotter turn-off point than in the classical scenario without DM, therefore giving the cluster a younger appearance. The high DM densities required to produce these effects are expected only in very specific locations, such as near the center of our Galaxy. In particular, if DM is formed by the 8 GeV WIMPs recently invoked to reconcile the results from direct detection experiments, then this signature is predicted for halos of DM with a density rho_DM = 3 \cdot 10^5 GeV cm^3. A DM density gradient inside the stellar cluster would result in a broader main sequence, turn-off and red giant branch regions. Moreover, we found that for very high DM halo densities the bottom of the isochrones in the H-R diagram rises to higher luminosities, leading to a characteristic signature on the stellar cluster. We argue that this signature could be used to indirectly probe the presence of DM particles in the location of a cluster.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Signatures of dark matter burning in nuclear star clusters does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Signatures of dark matter burning in nuclear star clusters, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Signatures of dark matter burning in nuclear star clusters will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-450784