%0 Generic %1 ganguly2023edges %A Ganguly, Anoma %A Khatri, Rishi %A Roy, Tuhin S. %D 2023 %K library %T EDGES of the dark forest: A new absorption window into the composite dark matter and large scale structure %U http://arxiv.org/abs/2301.03624 %X We propose a new method to hunt for dark matter using dark forest/absorption features across the whole electromagnetic spectrum from radio to gamma rays, especially in the bands where there is a desert i.e. regions where no strong lines from baryons are expected. Such novel signatures can arise for dark matter models with a composite nature and internal electromagnetic transitions. The photons from a background source can interact with the dark matter resulting in an absorption signal in the source spectrum. In the case of a compact source, such as a quasar, such interactions in the dark matter halos can produce a series of closely spaced absorption lines, which we call the dark forest. We show that the dark forest feature is a sensitive probe of the dark matter self-interactions and the halo mass function, especially at the low mass end. Moreover, the absorption of CMB photons by dark matter gives rise to a global absorption signal in the CMB spectrum. For dark matter transition energies in the range $2.510^-4 eV$-$510^3$ eV, such absorption features result in spectral distortions of the CMB in the COBE/FIRAS band of 60-600 GHz. If the dark matter transition frequency is $\sim$156 GHz, we show that the absorption of CMB photons by dark matter can provide an explanation for the anomalous absorption feature detected by the EDGES collaboration in 50-100 MHz range.

@misc{ganguly2023edges, abstract = {We propose a new method to hunt for dark matter using dark forest/absorption features across the whole electromagnetic spectrum from radio to gamma rays, especially in the bands where there is a desert i.e. regions where no strong lines from baryons are expected. Such novel signatures can arise for dark matter models with a composite nature and internal electromagnetic transitions. The photons from a background source can interact with the dark matter resulting in an absorption signal in the source spectrum. In the case of a compact source, such as a quasar, such interactions in the dark matter halos can produce a series of closely spaced absorption lines, which we call the dark forest. We show that the dark forest feature is a sensitive probe of the dark matter self-interactions and the halo mass function, especially at the low mass end. Moreover, the absorption of CMB photons by dark matter gives rise to a global absorption signal in the CMB spectrum. For dark matter transition energies in the range $2.5\times 10^{-4} \text{eV}$-$5\times 10^{3}$ eV, such absorption features result in spectral distortions of the CMB in the COBE/FIRAS band of 60-600 GHz. If the dark matter transition frequency is $\sim$156 GHz, we show that the absorption of CMB photons by dark matter can provide an explanation for the anomalous absorption feature detected by the EDGES collaboration in 50-100 MHz range.}, added-at = {2023-01-11T06:01:53.000+0100}, author = {Ganguly, Anoma and Khatri, Rishi and Roy, Tuhin S.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2e711baea222a9b530573a5d3a5971321/gpkulkarni}, description = {EDGES of the dark forest: A new absorption window into the composite dark matter and large scale structure}, interhash = {7c6237c3d0a1e0c131a06992deadbf1a}, intrahash = {e711baea222a9b530573a5d3a5971321}, keywords = {library}, note = {cite arxiv:2301.03624}, timestamp = {2023-01-11T06:01:53.000+0100}, title = {EDGES of the dark forest: A new absorption window into the composite dark matter and large scale structure}, url = {http://arxiv.org/abs/2301.03624}, year = 2023 }