Papers
Topics
Authors
Recent
Gemini 2.5 Flash
Gemini 2.5 Flash
120 tokens/sec
GPT-4o
7 tokens/sec
Gemini 2.5 Pro Pro
46 tokens/sec
o3 Pro
4 tokens/sec
GPT-4.1 Pro
38 tokens/sec
DeepSeek R1 via Azure Pro
28 tokens/sec
2000 character limit reached

Direct Detection of Hawking Radiation from Asteroid-Mass Primordial Black Holes (2010.04797v1)

Published 9 Oct 2020 in astro-ph.CO, astro-ph.HE, gr-qc, and hep-ph

Abstract: Light, asteroid-mass primordial black holes, with lifetimes in the range between hundreds to several millions times the age of the universe, are well-motivated candidates for the cosmological dark matter. Using archival COMPTEL data, we improve over current constraints on the allowed parameter space of primordial black holes as dark matter by studying their evaporation to soft gamma-rays in nearby astrophysical structures. We point out that a new generation of proposed MeV gamma-ray telescopes will offer the unique opportunity to directly detect Hawking evaporation from observations of nearby dark matter dense regions and to constrain, or discover, the primordial black hole dark matter.

Citations (68)

Summary

  • The paper presents a novel method for constraining dark matter by analyzing archival COMPTEL data to detect Hawking radiation from asteroid-mass primordial black holes.
  • It employs detailed modeling of secondary photon spectra from PBH evaporation that sets stringent constraints and predicts enhanced sensitivity for future gamma-ray observatories.
  • The research challenges conventional dark matter models by proposing PBHs as viable candidates, opening new avenues for exploring quantum gravity effects.

Direct Detection of Hawking Radiation from Asteroid-Mass Primordial Black Holes

The paper under discussion explores the intriguing hypothesis that asteroid-mass primordial black holes (PBHs) could be viable candidates for cosmological dark matter (DM). This investigation primarily focuses on the direct detection of Hawking radiation emitted by these PBHs, leveraging historical data from the COMPTEL gamma-ray telescope and forecasting the capabilities of upcoming MeV gamma-ray observatories.

Primordial black holes are hypothesized to form in the early universe and are not necessarily restricted to the mass range typical of stellar remnants. Particularly, the paper investigates PBHs in the mass range close to 101610^{16} to 101710^{17} grams. Within this range, black holes are meanlifespan contenders as they continue to evaporate via Hawking radiation, which could potentially contribute to the cosmic gamma-ray background or be detectable as gamma-ray emissions from dense DM regions such as the Galactic center or nearby dwarf galaxies.

The authors have used archival data from COMPTEL to propose stricter limits on PBH density as a component of dark matter. Their analytical approach includes an advanced estimation of the secondary photon spectrum arising from the Hawking evaporation of PBHs. These secondary processes are essential for accurate projections of telescope sensitivity to PBHs at low mass end since they are influenced by hadronic interactions and the subsequent cascade decay processes.

Current constraints from COMPTEL observations are shown to be the most stringent over a broad range of PBH masses. Future gamma-ray telescopes, as discussed in the paper, have significant prospects in detecting Hawking radiation with specific predictions for upcoming instruments such as AMEGO, GECCO, and e-ASTROGAM. These instruments could significantly lower the detectable PBH mass threshold, and are expected to probe masses up to roughly 101810^{18} grams under certain assumptions regarding the DM distribution profile.

The constraints discussed have profound implications for the understanding of DM composition. They challenge our conception of the DM paradigm, which has largely been focused on weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), by proposing PBHs as potential candidates. Importantly, since Hawking radiation is inherently dependent on quantum mechanics, detecting it would have implications not only for astrophysics and cosmology but also for fundamental physics, potentially shedding light on quantum gravity effects.

The paper concluded with the suggestion that direct detection of PBH evaporation could offer definitive evidence towards establishing the PBH hypothesis for dark matter and pave paths for the exploration of new physics, especially in terms of high-energy particle interaction dynamics in cosmological contexts.

In summary, this research is instrumental for advancing knowledge in DM investigations, offers improved constraints on astrophysical candidates for DM, and forecasts promising avenues for future observational investigations that could redefine our understanding of DM and its associated cosmic phenomena.

Youtube Logo Streamline Icon: https://streamlinehq.com