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Title: INTO THE LAIR: GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE SIGNATURES OF DARK MATTER

Abstract

The nature and properties of dark matter (DM) are both outstanding issues in physics. Besides clustering in halos, the universal character of gravity implies that self-gravitating compact DM configurations-predicted by various models-might be spread throughout the universe. Their astrophysical signature can be used to probe fundamental particle physics, or to test alternative descriptions of compact objects in active galactic nuclei. Here, we discuss the most promising dissection tool of such configurations: the inspiral of a compact stellar-size object and consequent gravitational-wave (GW) emission. The inward motion of this ''test probe'' encodes unique information about the nature of the supermassive configuration. When the probe travels through some compact region we show, within a Newtonian approximation, that the quasi-adiabatic inspiral is mainly driven by DM accretion and by dynamical friction, rather than by radiation reaction. When accretion dominates, the frequency and amplitude of the GW signal produced during the latest stages of the inspiral are nearly constant. In the exterior region we study a model in which the inspiral is driven by GW and scalar-wave emission, described at a fully relativistic level. Resonances in the energy flux appear whenever the orbital frequency matches the effective mass of the DM particle, corresponding tomore » the excitation of the central object's quasinormal frequencies. Unexpectedly, these resonances can lead to large dephasing with respect to standard inspiral templates, to such an extent as to prevent detection with matched filtering techniques. We discuss some observational consequences of these effects for GW detection.« less

Authors:
; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Faculdade de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Para, 66075-110 Belem, Para (Brazil)
  2. CENTRA, Departamento de Fisica, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa (UTL), Avenida Rovisco Pais 1, 1049 Lisboa (Portugal)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22133941
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 774; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; ASTROPHYSICS; CLASSICAL MECHANICS; EFFECTIVE MASS; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; EXCITATION; FRICTION; GALAXY NUCLEI; GRAVITATIONAL WAVE DETECTORS; GRAVITATIONAL WAVES; NONLUMINOUS MATTER; PROBES; RESONANCE

Citation Formats

Macedo, Caio F. B., Cardoso, Vitor, Crispino, Luis C. B., and Pani, Paolo. INTO THE LAIR: GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE SIGNATURES OF DARK MATTER. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/774/1/48.
Macedo, Caio F. B., Cardoso, Vitor, Crispino, Luis C. B., & Pani, Paolo. INTO THE LAIR: GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE SIGNATURES OF DARK MATTER. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/774/1/48
Macedo, Caio F. B., Cardoso, Vitor, Crispino, Luis C. B., and Pani, Paolo. 2013. "INTO THE LAIR: GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE SIGNATURES OF DARK MATTER". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/774/1/48.
@article{osti_22133941,
title = {INTO THE LAIR: GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE SIGNATURES OF DARK MATTER},
author = {Macedo, Caio F. B. and Cardoso, Vitor and Crispino, Luis C. B. and Pani, Paolo},
abstractNote = {The nature and properties of dark matter (DM) are both outstanding issues in physics. Besides clustering in halos, the universal character of gravity implies that self-gravitating compact DM configurations-predicted by various models-might be spread throughout the universe. Their astrophysical signature can be used to probe fundamental particle physics, or to test alternative descriptions of compact objects in active galactic nuclei. Here, we discuss the most promising dissection tool of such configurations: the inspiral of a compact stellar-size object and consequent gravitational-wave (GW) emission. The inward motion of this ''test probe'' encodes unique information about the nature of the supermassive configuration. When the probe travels through some compact region we show, within a Newtonian approximation, that the quasi-adiabatic inspiral is mainly driven by DM accretion and by dynamical friction, rather than by radiation reaction. When accretion dominates, the frequency and amplitude of the GW signal produced during the latest stages of the inspiral are nearly constant. In the exterior region we study a model in which the inspiral is driven by GW and scalar-wave emission, described at a fully relativistic level. Resonances in the energy flux appear whenever the orbital frequency matches the effective mass of the DM particle, corresponding to the excitation of the central object's quasinormal frequencies. Unexpectedly, these resonances can lead to large dephasing with respect to standard inspiral templates, to such an extent as to prevent detection with matched filtering techniques. We discuss some observational consequences of these effects for GW detection.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/774/1/48},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22133941}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 1,
volume = 774,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}