Microlensing of x-ray pulsars: A method to detect primordial black hole dark matter

Bai, Yang; Orlofsky, Nicholas

doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.99.123019

Title: Microlensing of x-ray pulsars: A method to detect primordial black hole dark matter

Journal Article · Mon Jun 24 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Physical Review D

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.99.123019· OSTI ID:1570845

Bai, Yang ^[1];

^[2]

Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Primordial black holes (PBHs) with a mass from 10^-16 to 10^-11 M_⊙ may comprise 100% of dark matter. Due to a combination of wave and finite source size effects, the traditional microlensing of stars does not probe this mass range. Here, we point out that x-ray pulsars with higher photon energies and smaller source sizes are good candidate sources for microlensing for this mass window. Among the existing x-ray pulsars, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) X-1 source is found to be the best candidate because of its apparent brightness and long distance from Earth. We have analyzed the existing observation data of SMC X-1 by the RXTE telescope (around 10 days) and found that PBH as 100% of dark matter is close to but not yet excluded. Lastly, future longer observation of this source by x-ray telescopes with larger effective areas such as AstroSat, Athena, Lynx, and eXTP can potentially close the last mass window where PBHs can make up all of dark matter.

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Research Organization:: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-07CH11359; SC0017647

OSTI ID:: 1570845

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1546269

Report Number(s):: arXiv:1812.01427; FERMILAB-PUB-19-516-T; PRVDAQ; oai:inspirehep.net:1706804; TRN: US2100145

Journal Information:: Physical Review D, Vol. 99, Issue 12; ISSN 2470-0010

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 18 works

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