Could dark matter have gamma-ray absorption lines?

In summary: There aren't many surveys that look for gamma rays from dark matter interactions, but I think they're certainly a possibility.
  • #1
johne1618
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Are there sky surveys that perform gamma-ray absorption spectroscopy?

I was wondering if dark matter might absorb gamma radiation.

I have done a simple Bohr-atom type calculation assuming a dark matter model of a bound state of a North and South magnetic monopole and found a Rydberg energy of about a MeV. I assume that the mass of the monopoles is 1 Tev; masses less than this limit have apparently been excluded by particle accelerator experiments (to a confidence of 95%). I also assume that the monopoles have the minimum magnetic charge.
 
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  • #2
johne1618 said:
I have done a simple Bohr-atom type calculation assuming a dark matter model of a bound state of a North and South magnetic monopole and found a Rydberg energy of about a MeV. I assume that the mass of the monopoles is 1 Tev; masses less than this limit have apparently been excluded by particle accelerator experiments (to a confidence of 95%). I also assume that the monopoles have the minimum magnetic charge.

Actually I retract this calculation - I think I got my fine structure constant upside-down! And also GUT theories think the mass of the monopole is probably bigger than [itex]10^{16}[/itex] GeV!
 
  • #3
johne1618 said:
Are there sky surveys that perform gamma-ray absorption spectroscopy?

I was wondering if dark matter might absorb gamma radiation.

I have done a simple Bohr-atom type calculation assuming a dark matter model of a bound state of a North and South magnetic monopole and found a Rydberg energy of about a MeV. I assume that the mass of the monopoles is 1 Tev; masses less than this limit have apparently been excluded by particle accelerator experiments (to a confidence of 95%). I also assume that the monopoles have the minimum magnetic charge.
It's somewhat difficult to do spectroscopy in general with gamma rays, as least where astronomy is concerned. The number counts are just too low. But I think the general expectation is that we'd see gamma rays from dark matter annihilation, but that the dark matter won't do much if any absorption.

That said, I don't think that magnetic monopoles can work as dark matter. They'd interact far too strongly with one another and normal matter.
 
  • #4
johne1618 said:
Actually I retract this calculation - I think I got my fine structure constant upside-down! And also GUT theories think the mass of the monopole is probably bigger than [itex]10^{16}[/itex] GeV!
Quite possibly!
 
  • #5


I find this idea intriguing and worth exploring further. There is currently no conclusive evidence that dark matter interacts with electromagnetic radiation, including gamma rays. However, the possibility of dark matter having absorption lines in the gamma-ray spectrum is not entirely ruled out.

There are ongoing sky surveys that perform gamma-ray absorption spectroscopy, such as the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the Cherenkov Telescope Array. These surveys use different techniques to detect and study gamma-ray sources, including absorption spectroscopy. While they are not specifically designed to search for dark matter absorption lines, they could potentially provide valuable data for investigating this hypothesis.

Further research and analysis are needed to determine if dark matter absorption lines could be detected in the gamma-ray spectrum. This could involve studying the data from these sky surveys and conducting targeted observations of specific regions of the sky where dark matter is expected to be present. Overall, this is an interesting and promising avenue of research that could potentially provide valuable insights into the nature of dark matter.
 

1. What is dark matter?

Dark matter is a type of matter that scientists believe makes up about 85% of the total matter in the universe. It does not emit or interact with light, making it invisible to traditional observation methods.

2. What are gamma-ray absorption lines?

Gamma-ray absorption lines are specific wavelengths of gamma rays that are absorbed by certain types of matter. They can provide valuable information about the composition and properties of that matter.

3. How can dark matter have gamma-ray absorption lines?

While dark matter itself does not interact with light, it is possible that it could interact with other types of matter in a way that produces gamma-ray absorption lines. These interactions could be caused by collisions between dark matter particles or interactions with other types of particles.

4. Why is the possibility of dark matter having gamma-ray absorption lines important?

If dark matter is found to have gamma-ray absorption lines, it could provide evidence for the existence and properties of dark matter. It could also help scientists better understand the role of dark matter in the formation and evolution of the universe.

5. How can scientists study the potential gamma-ray absorption lines of dark matter?

Scientists can use a variety of methods, such as observing the gamma-ray spectra of distant galaxies or conducting experiments in particle accelerators, to search for potential gamma-ray absorption lines from dark matter. They can also analyze data from existing observations, such as from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, to look for any potential signals of dark matter interactions.

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