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Astrophysical Effects of Scalar Dark Matter Miniclusters

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arxiv astro-ph/0607341 v3 pith:YPZLBTAY submitted 2006-07-14 astro-ph hep-ph

classification astro-phhep-ph
keywords lensingminiclustersscalarearlyeffectsformationgravitationalobjects
verification ladder T0 review T1 audit T2 compute T3 formal
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abstract

We model the formation, evolution and astrophysical effects of dark compact Scalar Miniclusters (``ScaMs''). These objects arise when a scalar field, with an axion-like or Higgs-like potential, undergoes a second order phase transition below the QCD scale. Such a scalar field may couple too weakly to the standard model to be detectable directly through particle interactions, but may still be detectable by gravitational effects, such as lensing and baryon accretion by large, gravitationally bound miniclusters. The masses of these objects are shown to be constrained by the Ly$\alpha$ power spectrum to be less than $\sim 10^4 M_\odot$, but they may be as light as classical axion miniclusters, of the order of $10^{-12} M_\odot$. We simulate the formation and nonlinear gravitational collapse of these objects around matter-radiation equality using an N-body code, estimate their gravitational lensing properties, and assess the feasibility of studying them using current and future lensing experiments. Future MACHO-type variability surveys of many background sources can reveal either high-amplification, strong lensing events, or measure density profiles directly via weak-lensing variability, depending on ScaM parameters and survey depth. However, ScaMs, due to their low internal densities, are unlikely to be responsible for apparent MACHO events already detected in the Galactic halo. A simple estimate is made of parameters that would give rise to early structure formation; in principle, early stellar collapse could be triggered by ScaMs as early as recombination, and significantly affect cosmic reionization.

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Cited by 7 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score. Full citation record

  1. From Rags to Jeans: Axion Miniclusters from Early matter domination

    hep-ph 2026-06 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

    Temperature-dependent axion mass fluctuations in early matter domination source order-unity axion overdensities by equality, yielding two distinct regions in the nonlinear spectrum and estimated minicluster masses.

  2. Growth of Structure in Multi-species Wave Dark Matter

    astro-ph.CO 2025-10 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

    Derives the power spectrum evolution and cross-spectra for arbitrary multi-species wave and particle dark matter, incorporating free-streaming, Jeans scales, and intrinsic fluctuations.

  3. Multi-species Dark Matter with Warmth and Randomness

    astro-ph.CO 2025-10 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

    Presents a general analytic framework based on truncated BBGKY hierarchy solved via Volterra equations for computing power spectra in multi-species dark matter with finite velocity dispersion and Poisson fluctuations.

  4. Pulsar Timing Sensitivity to Dark Matter Substructure in the Presence of a Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background

    astro-ph.CO 2026-07 accept novelty 6.5 of 10

    A stochastic GWB suppresses PTA reach to DM substructure by 1–3 orders of magnitude relative to white-noise forecasts, with dynamic Shapiro least affected near 10^{-2} M_⊙.

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    astro-ph.CO 2026-06 unverdicted novelty 6.0 of 10

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    astro-ph.CO 2025-11 conditional novelty 5.0 of 10

    HST ultraviolet luminosity function data at z=4-10, combined with Lyman-α and CMB data, place leading constraints on subdominant post-inflationary axion dark matter via its white-noise isocurvature perturbations.

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    astro-ph.CO 2024-11 unverdicted

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