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Title: Constraints on the very early universe from thermal WIMP dark matter

Journal Article · · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields
;  [1];  [1]
  1. Physikalisches Institut der Universitaet Bonn, Nussallee 12, 53115 Bonn (Germany)

We investigate the relic density n{sub {chi}} of nonrelativistic long-lived or stable particles {chi} in nonstandard cosmological scenarios. We calculate the relic abundance starting from arbitrary initial temperatures of the radiation-dominated epoch, and derive the lower bound on the initial temperature T{sub 0}{>=}m{sub {chi}}/23, assuming that thermally produced {chi} particles account for the dark matter energy density in the Universe; this bound holds for all {chi} annihilation cross sections. We also investigate cosmological scenarios with modified expansion rate. Even in this case an approximate formula similar to the standard one is capable of predicting the final relic abundance correctly. Choosing the {chi} annihilation cross section such that the observed cold dark matter abundance is reproduced in standard cosmology, we constrain possible modifications of the expansion rate at T{approx}m{sub {chi}}/20, well before big bang nucleosynthesis.

OSTI ID:
21027817
Journal Information:
Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 76, Issue 10; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.76.103524; (c) 2007 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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