Astronomers predict an unseen class of star-like our bodies known as “darkish dwarfs” close to our galaxy’s middle. A brand new research suggests these objects might shine because of annihilating darkish matter, not nuclear fusion. Darkish matter makes up a couple of quarter of the universe and interacts by way of gravity. If WIMP-like darkish matter particles acquire in a brown dwarf, they’d annihilate and warmth it, inflicting a faint glow. Darkish dwarfs could be too mild to fuse hydrogen, however would hold lithium-7 of their atmospheres, providing a signature. This prediction comes from a JCAP research. The invention of 1 might reveal darkish matter’s nature.
Predicted Darkish Dwarf Properties
In accordance to the paper, sub-stellar objects just under the hydrogen-burning threshold could be powered by darkish matter. The authors discover that the minimal mass for hydrogen fusion shifts above ∼0.075 M⊙ in dense dark-matter environments, so lighter brown dwarfs as an alternative turn into steady dark-matter–powered stars (‘darkish dwarfs’) by way of WIMP annihilation inside them. They predict such objects solely seem in areas with extraordinarily excessive dark-matter density, just like the Galactic middle (ρ_DM ≳ 10^3 GeV/cm^3), as a result of additional out the halo is just too tenuous. Crucially, darkish dwarfs ought to retain lithium-7 in mass ranges the place abnormal brown dwarfs burn it away, offering a transparent observational signature.
Observational Prospects and Implications
Sakstein notes that highly effective telescopes just like the James Webb House Telescope would possibly even already detect extraordinarily chilly objects like darkish dwarfs close to the galactic middle. Alternatively, astronomers might survey brown dwarf populations for a uncommon sub-class with anomalous lithium content material. Notably, even one confirmed darkish dwarf would strongly favor heavy, self-annihilating darkish matter.
Sakstein explains that discovering darkish dwarfs would supply “compelling proof” for darkish matter that’s huge and interacts with itself – basically WIMPs or related particles. He notes that lighter candidates (like axions) wouldn’t produce such stars, so a darkish dwarf discovery would disfavor these fashions. Whereas not a proof of WIMPs, a darkish dwarf detection would suggest darkish matter behaves like WIMPs (heavy and weakly interacting). Certainly, future surveys and JWST observations will even take a look at these predictions.
