Light scalaron as dark matter

Abstract

A new cosmological scenario is proposed in which a light scalaron of $f(R)$ gravity plays the role of dark matter. In this scenario, the scalaron initially resides at the minimum of its effective potential while the electroweak symmetry is unbroken. At the beginning of the electroweak crossover, the evolving expectation value of the Higgs field triggers the evolution of the scalaron due to interaction between these fields. After the electroweak crossover, the oscillating scalaron can represent cold dark matter. Its current energy density depends on a single free parameter, the scalaron mass $m$, and the value $m\simeq 4\times 10^{-3}\text{eV}$ is required to explain the observed dark-matter abundance. Larger mass values would be required in scenarios where the scalaron is excited before the electroweak crossover.

13 pages, references added, discussion extended, version accepted for publication in Phys. Lett. B

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• Revisiting compact star in $F(R)$ gravity: Roles of chameleon potential and energy conditions
• On the Conformal Frames in $f(R)$ Gravity
• Spherically symmetric configurations in the quadratic $f(R)$ gravity
• Scalaron dark matter and the thermal history of the universe
• Interactions of the scalaron dark matter in $f(R)$ gravity
• An exact solution of the higher-order gravity in standard radiation-dominated era
• Galactic dynamics in the presence of scalaron: A perspective from $\mathbf{f}(\mathbf{R})$ gravity
• Is it possible to separate baryonic from dark matter within the $\Lambda$-CDM formalism?
• Universality in static spherically symmetric solutions of f(R) gravity
• Theoretical and observational constraints on early dark energy in $F(R)$ gravity
• Effective scalaron--photon interaction in $f(R)$ gravity