10 years of dark atoms of composite dark matter

TL;DR

This paper reviews a decade of research on composite dark matter models, especially the OHe model, which involves stable charged particles bound with helium to form dark matter, addressing previous issues with anomalous isotopes.

Contribution

It discusses the development, advantages, and unresolved problems of composite dark matter models, focusing on the OHe model as a promising candidate.

Findings

OHe model can potentially explain dark matter without producing anomalous isotopes.

Stable -2 charged particles can form neutral bound states with helium.

Open problems include understanding formation and detection of these composite particles.

Abstract

In 2005 Sheldon Glashow has proposed his sinister model, opening the path to composite-dark-matter scenarios, in which heavy stable electrically charged particles bound in neutral atoms play the role of dark matter candidates. Though the general problem of new stable single charged particles, forming with ordinary electrons anomalous isotopes of hydrogen, turned out to be unresolvable in Glashow's scenario, this scenario stimulated development of composite dark matter models, which can avoid the trouble of anomalous isotope overproduction. In the simplest case composite dark matter may consist of -2 charged particles, bound by ordinary Coulomb interaction with primordial helium in OHe dark matter model. The advantage and open problems of this model are discussed.