6533b85efe1ef96bd12bfe2b
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Looking for MACHOs in the Spectra of Fast Radio Bursts
Joachim KoppJoachim KoppSergey SibiryakovSergey SibiryakovSergey SibiryakovAndrey KatzAndrey KatzWei XueWei Xuesubject
Astrophysics and AstronomyCosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO)Milky WayAstrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical PhenomenaDark matterFOS: Physical sciencesPrimordial black holeAstrophysicsAstrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic AstrophysicsGravitational microlensing01 natural sciencesHigh Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)0103 physical sciencesMassive compact halo object010303 astronomy & astrophysicsAstrophysics::Galaxy AstrophysicsParticle Physics - PhenomenologyPhysicsHigh Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)astro-ph.HE010308 nuclear & particles physicsAstronomy and Astrophysicshep-phGalaxyInterstellar mediumHigh Energy Physics - PhenomenologySpace and Planetary Scienceastro-ph.COAstrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical PhenomenaGamma-ray burstAstrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysicsdescription
We explore a novel search strategy for dark matter in the form of massive compact halo objects (MACHOs) such as primordial black holes or dense mini-halos in the mass range from $10^{-4}$ to 0.1 solar masses. These objects can gravitationally lens the signal of fast radio bursts (FRBs), producing a characteristic interference pattern in the frequency spectrum, similar to the previously studied femtolensing signal in gamma ray burst spectra. Unlike traditional searches using microlensing, FRB lensing will probe the abundance of MACHOs at cosmological distance scales (~Gpc) rather than just their distribution in the neighborhood of the Milky Way. The method is thus particularly relevant for dark mini-halos, which may be inaccessible to microlensing due to their finite spatial extent or tidal disruption in galaxies. We find that the main complication in FRB lensing will be interstellar scintillation in the FRB's host galaxy and in the Milky Way. Scintillation is difficult to quantify because it heavily depends on turbulence in the interstellar medium, which is poorly understood. We show that, nevertheless, for realistic scintillation parameters, FRB lensing can set competitive limits on compact dark matter object, and we back our findings with explicit simulations.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-12-16 |