Constraints on dark photon dark matter using data from LIGO's and Virgo's third observing run (2105.13085v3)

Abstract: We present a search for dark photon dark matter that could couple to gravitational-wave interferometers using data from Advanced LIGO and Virgo's third observing run. To perform this analysis, we use two methods, one based on cross-correlation of the strain channels in the two nearly aligned LIGO detectors, and one that looks for excess power in the strain channels of the LIGO and Virgo detectors. The excess power method optimizes the Fourier Transform coherence time as a function of frequency, to account for the expected signal width due to Doppler modulations. We do not find any evidence of dark photon dark matter with a mass between $m_{\rm A} \sim 10^{-14}-10^{-11}$ eV/$c^2$, which corresponds to frequencies between 10-2000 Hz, and therefore provide upper limits on the square of the minimum coupling of dark photons to baryons, i.e. $U(1){\rm B}$ dark matter. For the cross-correlation method, the best median constraint on the squared coupling is $\sim2.65\times10^{-46}$ at $m{\rm A}\sim4.31\times10^{-13}$ eV/$c^2$; for the other analysis, the best constraint is $\sim 2.4\times 10^{-47}$ at $m_{\rm A}\sim 5.7\times 10^{-13}$ eV/$c^2$. These limits improve upon those obtained in direct dark matter detection experiments by a factor of $\sim100$ for $m_{\rm A}\sim [2-4]\times 10^{-13}$ eV/$c^2$, and are, in absolute terms, the most stringent constraint so far in a large mass range $m_A\sim$ $2\times 10^{-13}-8\times 10^{-12}$ eV/$c^2$.

• The paper establishes stringent upper limits on dark photon coupling strengths by analyzing data from LIGO and Virgo using cross-correlation and excess power methods.
• It employs optimized Fourier Transform techniques to account for Doppler shifts, ensuring sensitivity to expected oscillation signals in the detectors.
• The findings provide a critical benchmark, surpassing previous constraints by about a factor of 100 and guiding future dark matter detection efforts.

Constraints on Dark Photon Dark Matter from LIGO and Virgo Observations

The research under review presents an investigation into the constraints on dark photon dark matter utilizing data from the third observing run of the Advanced LIGO and Virgo detectors. The motivation for this paper stems from the potential interaction of ultralight dark matter candidates, such as dark photons, with baryonic matter in gravitational wave interferometers. Specifically, the work addresses how such particles could cause oscillations in the interferometers’ mirrors, leading to detectable gravitational wave-like signals.

The paper employs two methodologies to analyze the data: a cross-correlation method focusing on the strain channels of nearly aligned LIGO detectors and an excess power analysis applied to both LIGO and Virgo detectors. The latter method optimizes the coherence time of the Fourier Transform concerning frequency to accommodate the expected frequency behavior of the signal due to the Doppler effect.

Despite extensive analysis, no definitive evidence of a dark photon signal is identified. Nevertheless, this absence of detection facilitates the establishment of stringent upper limits on the coupling strength of dark photons to baryons. This research notably reaches superior sensitivity compared to other direct dark matter detection endeavors, providing constraints that surpass these by a factor of about 100 within certain mass ranges. The analysis specifies the most restrictive constraints on dark photon interactions over a broad mass interval extending from $2 \times 10^{-13}$ to $8 \times 10^{-12}$ eV/c².

The implications of this work are multifaceted. On a theoretical level, the constraints guide and refine existing models of dark matter, particularly those predicting ultralight dark matter candidates. Practically, the results illustrate the potential of gravitational wave detectors as indirect detection tools for dark matter, reinforcing the importance of incorporating multi-disciplinary approaches in the search for these elusive particles.

Future directions in this research domain will likely leverage the increased sensitivity of current and next-generation gravitational wave observatories, such as Cosmic Explorer and the Einstein Telescope, as well as future space-based detectors like LISA. These advancements will provide the community with the ability to probe additional parameter spaces, potentially unveiling interactions at even lower masses and couplings than those currently explored.

In conclusion, while the search for dark phonon dark matter remains inconclusive, the constraints established by LIGO and Virgo’s enhanced sensitivity offer a crucial benchmark for future theoretical and experimental explorations of dark matter. Such endeavors will benefit from continuously improving detector technologies and methodologies, gradually enhancing our understanding of the universe's most enigmatic constituents.