Dark Matter capture and annihilation on the First Stars: preliminary estimates

TL;DR

This paper estimates how dark matter, particularly WIMPs, could influence the evolution of the first stars by providing additional energy through annihilation, potentially surpassing their nuclear luminosity.

Contribution

It provides preliminary estimates of dark luminosity in first-generation stars, highlighting possible significant effects on their evolution due to dark matter interactions.

Findings

Massive, metal-free stars can have dark luminosity comparable to nuclear luminosity.

Small, galactic-like stars may also experience significant dark luminosity effects.

Dark matter annihilation could dramatically alter early star evolution.

Abstract

Assuming that Dark Matter is dominated by WIMPs, it accretes by gravitational attraction and scattering over baryonic material and annihilates inside celestial objects, giving rise to a "Dark Luminosity" which may potentially affect the evolution of stars. We estimate the Dark Luminosity achieved by different kinds of stars in a halo with DM properties characteristic of the ones where the first star formation episode occurs. We find that either massive, metal-free and small, galactic-like stars can achieve Dark Luminosities comparable or exceeding their nuclear ones. This might have dramatic effects over the evolution of the very first stars, known as Population III.