Very Old Isolated Compact Objects as Dark Matter Probes

Abstract

Very old isolated neutron stars and white dwarfs have been suggested to be probes of dark matter. To play such a role, two requests should be fulfilled, i.e., the annihilation luminosity of the captured dark matter particles is above the thermal emission of the cooling compact objects (request-I) and also dominate over the energy output due to the accretion of normal matter onto the compact objects (request-II). Request-I calls for very dense dark matter medium and the critical density sensitively depends on the residual surface temperature of the very old compact objects. The accretion of interstellar/intracluster medium onto the compact objects is governed by the physical properties of the medium and by the magnetization and rotation of the stars and may outshine the signal of dark matter annihilation. Only in a few specific scenarios both requests are satisfied and the compact objects are dark matter burners. The observational challenges are discussed and a possible way to identify the dark matter burners is outlined.

9 pages including 1 Figure, to appear in Phys. Rev. D

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Cited by in corpus (9)

• Dark matter admixed neutron star properties in the light of X-ray pulse profile observations
• Last Electroweak WIMP Standing: Pseudo-Dirac Higgsino Status and Compact Stars as Future Probes
• Dark-matter admixed white dwarfs
• Dark Matter Admixed Type Ia Supernovae
• Probing dark matter crests with white dwarfs and IMBHs
• Dark Matter Mini-halo around the Compact Objects: the Formation, Evolution and Possible Contribution to the Cosmic Ray Electrons/Positrons
• Multi-frequency test of dark matter annihilation into long-lived particles in Sirius
• Constraints on asymmetric dark matter from asteroseismology
• Constraints on millicharged particles by neutron stars