Highlights and Conclusions of the Chalonge Meudon Workshop Dark Matter in the Universe

TL;DR

The workshop summarized evidence suggesting dark matter particles are likely keV-scale particles, such as sterile neutrinos, which naturally explain small-scale galaxy structures, challenging heavier WIMP candidates.

Contribution

This paper compiles highlights from a 2010 workshop emphasizing the growing evidence for keV-scale dark matter particles and their role in galaxy formation and structure.

Findings

Dark matter particles likely have keV-scale mass.

Sterile neutrinos are promising dark matter candidates.

Heavier WIMPs are disfavored by observations and theory.

Abstract

The CIAS Chalonge Workshop `Dark Matter in the Universe and Universal Properties of Galaxies: Theory and Observations', was held at the Meudon Ch^ateau of Observatoire de Paris on 8-11 June 2010. The Workshop approached DM in a fourfold way: astronomical observations of DM structures (galaxy properties, halos, rotation curves and density profiles), DM numerical simulations (with and without baryons), theoretical astrophysics and cosmology (kinetic theory, Boltzmann-Vlasov evolution), astroparticle physics. Peter Biermann, Alfonso Cavaliere, Hector J. de Vega, Gianfranco Gentile, Chandra Jog, Andrea Lapi, Paolo Salucci, Norma G. Sanchez, Pasquale Serpico, Rainer Stiele, Janine van Eymeren and Markus Weber present here their highlights of the Workshop. The summary and conclusions by H. J. de Vega and N. G. Sanchez stress among other points the growing evidence that DM particles have a mass in the keV scale and that those keV scale particles naturally produce the small scale structures observed in galaxies. Wimps (DM particles heavier than 1 GeV) are strongly disfavoured combining theory with galaxy astronomical observations. Peter Biermann presents his live minutes of the Workshop and concludes that a right-handed sterile neutrino of mass of a few keV is the most interesting DM candidate. Photos of the Workshop are included.