Constraining dark matter-neutrino interactions using the CMB and large-scale structure

Wilkinson, R.J.; Boehm, C.; Lesgourgues, J.

Abstract

We present a new study on the elastic scattering cross section of dark matter (DM) and neutrinos using the latest cosmological data from Planck and large-scale structure experiments. We find that the strongest constraints are set by the Lyman-alpha forest, giving sigma_{DM-neutrino} < 10^{-33} (m_DM/GeV) cm^2 if the cross section is constant and a present-day value of sigma_{DM-neutrino} < 10^{-45} (m_DM/GeV) cm^2 if it scales as the temperature squared. These are the most robust limits on DM-neutrino interactions to date, demonstrating that one can use the distribution of matter in the Universe to probe dark ("invisible") interactions. Additionally, we show that scenarios involving thermal MeV DM and a constant elastic scattering cross section naturally predict (i) a cut-off in the matter power spectrum at the Lyman-alpha scale, (ii) N_eff ~ 3.5 +/- 0.4, (iii) H_0 ~ 71 +/- 3 km/s/Mpc and (iv) the possible generation of neutrino masses.

Citation

Wilkinson, R., Boehm, C., & Lesgourgues, J. (2014). Constraining dark matter-neutrino interactions using the CMB and large-scale structure. Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2014(05), https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2014/05/011

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: May 12, 2014
• Deposit Date: May 14, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 10, 2014
• Journal: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
• Electronic ISSN: 1475-7516
• Publisher: IOP Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2014
• Issue: 05
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2014/05/011
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1465282
• Related Public URLs: http://arxiv.org/abs/1401.7597