Probing Bosonic Stars with Atomic Clocks

TL;DR

This paper proposes using atomic clocks to detect asymmetric bosonic dark matter stars passing through Earth, by observing induced frequency shifts that reveal the presence of such dark matter candidates.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to probe asymmetric bosonic dark matter stars via atomic clock frequency shifts, connecting dark matter detection with precision timing technology.

Findings

Dilute dark matter boson stars can cause measurable frequency shifts in atomic clocks.

Atomic clocks can serve as detectors for otherwise elusive dark matter objects.

The method provides a new avenue for dark matter detection beyond conventional techniques.

Abstract

Dark Matter could potentially manifest itself in the form of asymmetric dark stars. In this paper we entertain the possibility of probing such asymmetric bosonic dark matter stars by the use of atomic clocks. If the dark sector connects to the standard model sector via a Higgs or photon portal, the interior of boson stars that are in a Bose-Einstein condensate state can change the values of physical constants that control the timing of atomic clock devices. Dilute asymmetric dark matter boson stars passing through the Earth can induce frequency shifts that can be observed in separated Earth based atomic clocks. This gives the opportunity to probe a class of dark matter candidates that for the moment cannot be detected with any different conventional method.