Axionlike Dark Matter Model Involving Two-Phase Structure and Two-Particle Composites (Dimers)

TL;DR

This paper proposes a two-phase axionlike dark matter model involving two-particle dimers, revealing long-lived composite states that could influence large-scale dark matter structures in galaxies.

Contribution

It introduces a novel two-phase structure with dimers in axionlike dark matter, supported by quantum two-channel analysis and resonance effects, expanding understanding of dark matter microphysics.

Findings

Existence of long-lived two-particle dimers with millions of years lifetime.

Identification of a two-phase structure in dark matter halos due to axion self-interaction.

Resonance-driven variation of scattering length in dark matter environments.

Abstract

Within the self-gravitating Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) model of dark matter (DM), we argue that the axionlike self-interaction of ultralight bosons ensures the existence of both rarefied and dense phases in the DM halo core of (dwarf) galaxies. In fact, this stems from two independent solutions of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation corresponding to the same model parameters. For a small number of particles, this structure disappears along with the gravitational interaction, and the Gross-Pitaevskii equation reduces to the stationary sine-Gordon equation, the one-dimensional antikink solution of which mimics a single-phase DM radial distribution in the halo core. Quantum mechanically, this solution corresponds to a zero-energy bound state of two particles in a closed scattering channel formed by the domain-wall potential with a finite asymptotics. To produce a two-particle composite with low positive energy and a finite lifetime, we appeal to the resonant transition of one asymptotically free particle of a pair from an open channel (with a model scattering potential) to the closed channel. Using the Feshbach resonance concept, the problem of two-channel quantum mechanics is solved in the presence of a small external influence which couples the two channels, and an analytical solution is obtained in the first approximation. Analyzing the dependence of scattering data on interaction parameters, we reveal a long-lived two-particle composite (dimer) possessing a lifetime of millions of years. This result is rather surprising and supposes important implications of dimers' being involved in forming large DM structures. It is shown that the dimers' appearance is related with the regime of infinite scattering length due to resonance. The revealed dependence of the DM scattering length $a$ on the parameters of interactions can theoretically justify variation of $a$ in the DM dominated galaxies.