Local dark matter searches with LISA

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to detect local dark matter density using the precise measurements of LISA's satellite constellation, exploiting how dark matter would uniquely perturb their relative motion over time.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to measure local dark matter density through the differential motion of drag-free satellites, leveraging LISA's high-precision tracking capabilities.

Findings

LDM causes a differential breathing mode in satellite separation.

The LDM signal has characteristic spectral components that increase over time.

The method can detect LDM effects at various frequencies of the constellation's dynamics.

Abstract

The drag-free satellites of LISA will maintain the test masses in geodesic motion over many years with residual accelerations at unprecedented small levels and time delay interferometry (TDI) will keep track of their differential positions at level of picometers. This may allow investigations of fine details of the gravitational field in the Solar System previously inaccessible. In this spirit, we present the concept of a method to measure directly the gravitational effect of the density of diffuse Local Dark Matter (LDM) with a constellation of a few drag-free satellites, by exploiting how peculiarly it would affect their relative motion. Using as test bed an idealized LISA with rigid arms, we find that the separation in time between the test masses is uniquely perturbed by the LDM, so that they acquire a differential breathing mode. Such a LDM signal is related to the LDM density within the orbits and has characteristic spectral components, with amplitudes increasing in time, at various frequencies of the dynamics of the constellation. This is the relevant result, in that the LDM signal is brought to non-zero frequencies.