Ultralight vector dark matter search using data from the KAGRA O3GK run

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for ultralight vector dark matter using KAGRA gravitational wave data, setting new upper bounds on the coupling strength for a range of DM masses, and demonstrating the method's applicability to lower-mass DM.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel search method for ultralight vector dark matter using gravitational wave detector data, focusing on the $U(1)_{B-L}$ gauge boson and auxiliary channels.

Findings

Set upper bounds on coupling strength for various DM masses.

Demonstrated the method's applicability to lower-mass vector DM.

Compared constraints with previous experiments, noting less stringent bounds.

Abstract

Among the various candidates for dark matter (DM), ultralight vector DM can be probed by laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors through the measurement of oscillating length changes in the arm cavities. In this context, KAGRA has a unique feature due to differing compositions of its mirrors, enhancing the signal of vector DM in the length change in the auxiliary channels. Here we present the result of a search for $U(1)_{B-L}$ gauge boson DM using the KAGRA data from auxiliary length channels during the first joint observation run together with GEO600. By applying our search pipeline, which takes into account the stochastic nature of ultralight DM, upper bounds on the coupling strength between the $U(1)_{B-L}$ gauge boson and ordinary matter are obtained for a range of DM masses. While our constraints are less stringent than those derived from previous experiments, this study demonstrates the applicability of our method to the lower-mass vector DM search, which is made difficult in this measurement by the short observation time compared to the auto-correlation time scale of DM.