Searching for Dark Photon Dark Matter with Gravitational Wave Detectors

TL;DR

This paper proposes a new method using gravitational wave detectors to search for ultra-light gauge boson dark matter, potentially enabling discoveries in previously unexplored parameter spaces.

Contribution

It introduces a novel search strategy for gauge boson dark matter using gravitational wave detectors, highlighting their potential for groundbreaking discoveries.

Findings

Ground-based and space-based detectors can detect dark photon signals.

Potential for 5σ discovery in new parameter regimes.

Method applicable to current and future gravitational wave observatories.

Abstract

If dark matter stems from the background of a very light gauge boson, this gauge boson could exert forces on test masses in gravitational wave detectors, resulting in displacements with a characteristic frequency set by the gauge boson mass. We outline a novel search strategy to hunt for such dark matter, and show that both ground-based and future space-based gravitational wave detectors have the capability to make a 5$\sigma$ discovery in unexplored parameter regimes.