Aspects of production and kinetic decoupling of non-thermal dark matter

TL;DR

This paper systematically analyzes non-thermal production of WIMP dark matter, emphasizing the importance of accurate relic density calculations, and explores implications for supersymmetric models and cosmic-ray anomalies.

Contribution

It introduces a new formalism for solving Boltzmann's equations without assuming kinetic equilibrium, applied to coannihilating species like pure Winos.

Findings

Favored candidates have large pair annihilation rates.

Non-thermal production impacts the preferred mass scale for neutralino dark matter.

Connection suggested between dark matter models and cosmic-ray anomalies.

Abstract

We reconsider non-thermal production of WIMP dark matter in a systematic way and using a numerical code for accurate computations of dark matter relic densities. Candidates with large pair annihilation rates are favored, suggesting a connection with the anomalies in the lepton cosmic-ray flux detected by Pamela and Fermi. Focussing on supersymmetric models we will consider the impact of non-thermal production on the preferred mass scale for dark matter neutralinos. We have also developed a new formalism to solve the Boltzmann's equation for a system of coannihilating species without assuming kinetic equilibrium and applied it to the case of pure Winos.