Dark Strings

TL;DR

This paper explores the cosmology and potential observational signatures of dark matter-related cosmic strings, called dark strings, which interact with standard particles via Aharonov-Bohm effects, and discusses more complex dark sector topological defects.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of GeV scale dark strings with Aharonov-Bohm interactions and analyzes their cosmological implications and observational signatures.

Findings

Dark strings can produce detectable astrophysical signals.

Hybrid topological defects in dark sectors may have observable effects.

Cosmological models of dark strings suggest new avenues for dark matter detection.

Abstract

Recent astrophysical observations have motivated novel theoretical models of the dark matter sector. A class of such models predicts the existence of GeV scale cosmic strings that communicate with the standard model sector by Aharonov-Bohm interactions with electrically charged particles. We discuss the cosmology of these "dark strings" and investigate possible observational signatures. More elaborate dark sector models are argued to contain hybrid topological defects that may also have observational signatures.