Isocurvature bounds on axion-like particle dark matter in the post-inflationary scenario

We assume that dark matter is comprised of axion-like particles (ALPs) generated by the realignment mechanism in the post-inflationary scenario. This leads to isocurvature fluctuations with an amplitude of order one for scales comparable to the horizon at the time when the ALP field starts oscillati...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Feix, Martin (Author) , Schäfer, Björn Malte (Author) , Schwetz-Mangold, Thomas (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 14 May 2019
In: Journal of cosmology and astroparticle physics
Year: 2019, Issue: 5
ISSN:1475-7516
DOI:10.1088/1475-7516/2019/05/021
Online Access:Verlag, Pay-per-use, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2019/05/021
Get full text
Author Notes:M. Feix, J. Frank, A. Pargner, R. Reischke, B.M. Schäfer and T. Schwetz
Description
Summary:We assume that dark matter is comprised of axion-like particles (ALPs) generated by the realignment mechanism in the post-inflationary scenario. This leads to isocurvature fluctuations with an amplitude of order one for scales comparable to the horizon at the time when the ALP field starts oscillating. The power spectrum of these fluctuations is flat for small wave numbers, extending to scales relevant for cosmological observables. Denoting the relative isocurvature amplitude at k* = 0.05 Mpc−1 by fiso, Planck observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) yield fiso < 0.31 at the 2σ-level. This excludes the hypothesis of post-inflationary ALP dark matter with masses ma < 10−20-10−16 eV, where the range is due to details of the ALP mass-temperature dependence. Future CMB stage IV and 21-cm intensity mapping experiments may improve these limits by 1-2 orders of magnitude in ma.
Item Description:Gesehen am 03.07.2019
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1475-7516
DOI:10.1088/1475-7516/2019/05/021