Heterotic string theory implies the QCD axion mass is bounded below by 0.5 neV and typically falls in [0.5, 0.8] neV across most compactifications.
WarmAndFuzzy: the halo model beyond CDM
2 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
abstract
Cold dark matter (CDM) is a well established paradigm to describe cosmological structure formation, and works extraordinarily well on large, linear, scales. Progressing further in dark matter physics requires being able to understand structure formation in the non-linear regime, both for CDM and its alternatives. This short note describes a calculation, and accompanying code, WarmAndFuzzy, incorporating the popular models of warm and fuzzy dark matter (WDM and FDM) into the standard halo model to compute the non-linear matter power spectrum. The FDM halo model power spectrum has not been computed before. The FDM implementation models ultralight axions and other scalar fields with $m_a\approx 10^{-22}\text{ eV}$. The WDM implementation models thermal WDM with mass $m_X\approx 1\text{ keV}$. The halo model shows that differences between WDM, FDM, and CDM survive at low redshifts in the quasi-linear and fully non-linear regimes. The code uses analytic transfer functions for the linear power spectrum, modified collapse barriers in the halo mass function, and a modified concentration-mass relationship for the halo density profiles. Modified halo density profiles (for example, cores) are not included, but are under development. Cores are expected to have very minor effects on the power spectrum on observable scales. Applications of this code to the Lyman-$\alpha$ forest flux power spectrum and the cosmic microwave background lensing power spectrum will be discussed in companion papers. \textsc{WarmAndFuzzy} is available online at \url{https://github.com/DoddyPhysics/HMcode}, where collaboration in development is welcomed.
years
2026 2representative citing papers
New simulation-based fitting formula for FDM halo mass functions at z=6-11, with ~30% weaker suppression than earlier formulas for m c²=10^{-21} eV at M~3e9 solar masses.
citing papers explorer
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Heterotic String Theory Suggests a QCD Axion Near 0.5 neV
Heterotic string theory implies the QCD axion mass is bounded below by 0.5 neV and typically falls in [0.5, 0.8] neV across most compactifications.
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Fuzzy Dark Matter Halo Mass Functions at Cosmic Dawn
New simulation-based fitting formula for FDM halo mass functions at z=6-11, with ~30% weaker suppression than earlier formulas for m c²=10^{-21} eV at M~3e9 solar masses.