Rich structure of non-thermal relativistic CMB spectral distortions from high energy particle cascades at redshifts $z\lesssim 2\times 10^5$

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that high-energy particle injections in the early universe produce complex, non-thermal CMB spectral distortions that depend on the injection mechanism and redshift, offering new insights into dark matter decay or annihilation.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed evolution model of electromagnetic cascades and non-thermal spectral distortions in the CMB, revealing shapes that differ from traditional thermal distortions.

Findings

Non-thermal relativistic distortions depend on initial particle spectra.

Distortions vary with redshift of energy injection.

New method distinguishes dark matter decay channels.

Abstract

It is generally assumed that for energy injection before recombination, all of the injected energy is dissipated as heat in the baryon-photon plasma, giving rise to the $y$-type, $i$-type, and $\mu$-type distortions in the CMB spectrum. We show that this assumption is incorrect when the energy is injected in the form of energetic (i.e. energy much greater than the background CMB temperature) particles. We evolve the electromagnetic cascades, from the injection of high energy particles, in the expanding Universe and follow the non-thermal component of CMB spectral distortions resulting from the interaction of the electromagnetic shower with the background photons, electrons, and ions. The electromagnetic shower loses a substantial fraction of its energy to the CMB spectral distortions before the energy of the particles in the shower has degraded to low enough energies that they can thermalize with the background plasma. This spectral distortion is the result of the interaction of non-thermal energetic electrons in the shower with the CMB and thus has a shape that is substantially different from the $y$-type or $i$-type distortions. The shape of the final \emph{non-thermal relativistic} ($ntr$-type) CMB spectral distortion depends upon the initial energy spectrum of the injected electrons, positrons, and photons and thus has information about the energy injection mechanism e.g. the decay or annihilation channel of the decaying or annihilating dark matter particles. The shape of the spectral distortion is also sensitive to the redshift of energy injection. Our calculations open up a new window into the energy injection at $z\lesssim 2\times 10^5$ which is not degenerate with, and can be distinguished from the low redshift thermal $y$-type distortions.