Spacecraft calorimetry as a test of the dark matter scattering model for flyby anomalies

TL;DR

This paper proposes using spacecraft calorimetry to test a dark matter scattering model that explains flyby velocity anomalies, by measuring temperature fluctuations caused by nucleon-dark matter collisions.

Contribution

It introduces a quantitative analysis of temperature fluctuations due to dark matter scattering, suggesting calorimetry as a method to verify or constrain the model.

Findings

Temperature fluctuations can be detected with precise calorimetry.

Calorimetry measurements could confirm or rule out the dark matter scattering explanation.

The effect is significant below 70,000 km from Earth.

Abstract

In previous papers we have shown that scattering of spacecraft nucleons from dark matter gravitationally bound to the earth gives a possible explanation of the flyby velocity anomalies. In addition to flyby velocity changes arising from the average over the scattering cross section of the collision-induced nucleon velocity change, there will be spacecraft temperature increases arising from the mean squared fluctuation of the collision-induced velocity change. We give here a quantitative treatment of this effect, and suggest that careful calorimetry on spacecraft traversing the region below 70,000 km where the flyby velocity changes take place could verify, or at a minimum place significant constraints, on the dark matter scattering model.