Photons from dark photon solitons via parametric resonance

TL;DR

This paper investigates how dark photon solitons can produce detectable electromagnetic radiation through parametric resonance, offering potential new methods for astrophysical detection of dark matter structures.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanism for photon emission from dark photon solitons via parametric resonance, analyzing polarization, directionality, and detection prospects.

Findings

Radiation depends on soliton polarization and operator type.

Directional and polarization features of emitted photons are characterized.

Implications for soliton stability and astrophysical detection are discussed.

Abstract

Wave-like dark matter made of spin-1 particles (dark photons) is expected to form ground state clumps called "vector solitons", which can have different polarizations. In this work, we consider the interaction of dark photons with photons, expressed as dimension-6 operators, and study the electromagnetic radiation that arises from an isolated vector soliton due to parametric resonant amplification of the ambient electromagnetic field. We characterize the directional dependence and polarization of the outgoing radiation, which depends on the operator as well as the polarization state of the underlying vector soliton. We discuss the implications of this radiation for the stability of solitons and as a possible channel for detecting mergers of vector solitons through astrophysical observations.