Supermassive Black Holes, Ultralight Dark Matter, and Gravitational Waves from a First Order Phase Transition
Abstract
We report that the formation of ultra rare supermassive black holes (SMBHs), with masses of $$\mathcal{O}$$(109 M⊙), in the first billion years of the Universe remains an open question in astrophysics. At the same time, ultralight dark matter (DM) with mass in the vicinity of $$\mathcal{O}$$(10-20 eV) has been motivated by small scale DM distributions. Though this type of DM is constrained by various astrophysical considerations, certain observations could be pointing to modest evidence for it. We present a model with a confining first order phase transition at ~ 10 keV temperatures, facilitating production of $$\mathcal{O}$$(109 M⊙) primordial SMBHs. Such a phase transition can also naturally lead to the implied mass for a motivated ultralight axion DM candidate, suggesting that SMBHs and ultralight DM may be two sides of the same cosmic coin. We consider constraints and avenues to discovery from superradiance and a modification to Neff . On general grounds, we also expect primordial gravitational waves – from the assumed first order phase transition – characterized by frequencies of $$\mathcal{O}$$(10-12 - 10-9 Hz). This frequency regime is largely uncharted, but could be accessible to pulsar timing arrays if the primordial gravitational waves are at the higher end of this frequency range, as could be the case in our assumed confining phase transition.
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1845415
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-222754-2022-JAAM
Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007; TRN: US2302443
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0012704
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Physical Review Letters
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 128; Journal Issue: 8; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007
- Publisher:
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; dark matter; gravitational wave sources; particle dark matter; astronomical black holes; axions
Citation Formats
Davoudiasl, Hooman, Denton, Peter B., and Gehrlein, Julia. Supermassive Black Holes, Ultralight Dark Matter, and Gravitational Waves from a First Order Phase Transition. United States: N. p., 2022.
Web. doi:10.1103/physrevlett.128.081101.
Davoudiasl, Hooman, Denton, Peter B., & Gehrlein, Julia. Supermassive Black Holes, Ultralight Dark Matter, and Gravitational Waves from a First Order Phase Transition. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.128.081101
Davoudiasl, Hooman, Denton, Peter B., and Gehrlein, Julia. Wed .
"Supermassive Black Holes, Ultralight Dark Matter, and Gravitational Waves from a First Order Phase Transition". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.128.081101. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1845415.
@article{osti_1845415,
title = {Supermassive Black Holes, Ultralight Dark Matter, and Gravitational Waves from a First Order Phase Transition},
author = {Davoudiasl, Hooman and Denton, Peter B. and Gehrlein, Julia},
abstractNote = {We report that the formation of ultra rare supermassive black holes (SMBHs), with masses of $\mathcal{O}$(109 M⊙), in the first billion years of the Universe remains an open question in astrophysics. At the same time, ultralight dark matter (DM) with mass in the vicinity of $\mathcal{O}$(10-20 eV) has been motivated by small scale DM distributions. Though this type of DM is constrained by various astrophysical considerations, certain observations could be pointing to modest evidence for it. We present a model with a confining first order phase transition at ~ 10 keV temperatures, facilitating production of $\mathcal{O}$(109 M⊙) primordial SMBHs. Such a phase transition can also naturally lead to the implied mass for a motivated ultralight axion DM candidate, suggesting that SMBHs and ultralight DM may be two sides of the same cosmic coin. We consider constraints and avenues to discovery from superradiance and a modification to Neff . On general grounds, we also expect primordial gravitational waves – from the assumed first order phase transition – characterized by frequencies of $\mathcal{O}$(10-12 - 10-9 Hz). This frequency regime is largely uncharted, but could be accessible to pulsar timing arrays if the primordial gravitational waves are at the higher end of this frequency range, as could be the case in our assumed confining phase transition.},
doi = {10.1103/physrevlett.128.081101},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
number = 8,
volume = 128,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2022},
month = {Wed Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2022}
}
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