Analytical warm dark matter power spectrum on small scales

TL;DR

This paper analytically derives the small-scale matter power spectrum for Warm Dark Matter using the Reduced Relativistic Gas model, providing insights consistent with observational constraints and offering a pedagogical approach to WDM perturbation evolution.

Contribution

It introduces an analytical method to compute the WDM power spectrum on small scales using the RRG model, simplifying the treatment of perturbations in the relativistic regime.

Findings

Analytical power spectrum matches observational constraints.

WDM perturbations are accurately modeled with the RRG framework.

Results are consistent with Lyman-alpha forest data.

Abstract

Using the Reduced Relativistic Gas (RRG) model, we analytically determine the matter power spectrum for Warm Dark Matter (WDM) on small scales, $k>1\ h\text{/Mpc}$. The RRG is a simplified model for the ideal relativistic gas, but very accurate in the cosmological context. In another work, we have shown that, for typical allowed masses for dark matter particles, $m>5\ \text{keV}$, the higher order multipoles, $\ell>2$, in the Einstein-Boltzmann system of equations are negligible on scales $k<10\ h\text{/Mpc}$. Hence, we can follow the perturbations of WDM using the ideal fluid framework, with equation of state and sound speed of perturbations given by the RRG model. We derive a M\'esz\'aros like equation for WDM and solve it analytically in radiation, matter and dark energy dominated eras. Joining these solutions, we get an expression that determines the value of WDM perturbations as a function of redshift and wavenumber. Then we construct the matter power spectrum and transfer function of WDM on small scales and compare it to some results coming from Lyman-$\alpha$ forest observations. Besides being a clear and pedagogical analytical development to understand the evolution of WDM perturbations, our power spectrum results are consistent with the observations considered and the other determinations of the degree of warmness of dark matter particles.