Constraints on light dark matter particles using white dwarf stars

TL;DR

This study uses white dwarf stars in a globular cluster to set new constraints on light dark matter particles' interaction cross section, especially in a challenging mass range, by analyzing their luminosity contributions.

Contribution

It provides the first astrophysical constraints on light dark matter particles in the 0.1-5 GeV mass range using white dwarf luminosity observations.

Findings

Upper bound on spin-independent cross section: < 4 x 10^-41 cm^2

Constraints cover dark matter masses from 0.1 to 5 GeV

Method applicable to other stellar objects for dark matter studies.

Abstract

We report constraints on the nucleon-dark matter particle cross section using the internal luminosity of observed white dwarf stars in the globular cluster Messier 4. Our results cover the parameter space corresponding to relatively light dark matter particles, in the mass range $0.1~GeV-5~GeV$, which is known to be very difficult to be probed by direct dark matter searches. The additional luminosity coming from self-annihilations of dark matter particles captured inside the stars must not exceed the observed luminosity. Imposing that condition, we obtain for the spin independent cross section of light dark matter particles on baryons $\sigma_{N\chi}$ the upper bound: $\sigma_{N\chi} < 4 \times 10^{-41}{\rm cm^2}$.