Dark Stars Powered by Self-Interacting Dark Matter

TL;DR

This paper explores the formation and properties of dark stars powered by self-interacting dark matter, presenting a particle physics model that satisfies observational constraints and influences early star formation.

Contribution

It introduces a concrete SIDM model that explains dark star formation and evolution, addressing small-scale structure issues and matching observed dark matter properties.

Findings

SIDM can produce dark stars with luminosity and size similar to collisionless models.

Self-interactions accelerate SIDM halo evolution, facilitating dark star formation.

The proposed model aligns with astrophysical and terrestrial constraints.

Abstract

Dark matter annihilation might power the first luminous stars in the Universe. These types of stars, known as dark stars, could form in $(10^6\mathrm{-}10^8)\,M_\odot$ protohalos at redshifts $z \sim 20$, and they could be much more luminous and larger in size than ordinary stars powered by nuclear fusion. We investigate the formation of dark stars in the self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) scenario. We present a concrete particle physics model of SIDM that can simultaneously give rise to the observed dark matter density, satisfy constraints from astrophysical and terrestrial searches, and address the various small-scale problems of collisionless dark matter via the self-interactions. In this model, the power from dark matter annihilation is deposited in the baryonic gas in environments where dark stars could form. We further study the evolution of SIDM density profiles in the protohalos at $z \sim 20$. As the baryon cloud collapses due to the various cooling processes, the deepening gravitational potential can speed up gravothermal evolution of the SIDM halo, yielding sufficiently high dark matter densities for dark stars to form. We find that SIDM-powered dark stars can have similar properties, such as their luminosity and size, as dark stars predicted in collisionless dark matter models.