Cosmic structure as the quantum interference of a coherent dark wave
Journal
Nature Physics
Journal Volume
10
Journal Issue
7
Pages
496-499
Date Issued
2014
Author(s)
Abstract
The conventional cold-particle interpretation of dark matter (known as 'cold dark matter', or CDM) still lacks laboratory support and struggles with the basic properties of common dwarf galaxies, which have surprisingly uniformcentralmasses and shallow density profiles 1-5 . In contrast, galaxies predicted by CDM extend to much lower masses, with steeper, singular profiles 6-9 . This tension motivates cold, wavelike dark matter ( DM) composed of a non-relativistic Bose-Einstein condensate, so the uncertainty principle counters gravity below a Jeans scale 10-12 . Here we achieve cosmological simulations of this quantum state at unprecedentedly high resolution capable of resolving dwarf galaxies, with only one free parameter, mB, the boson mass. We demonstrate the large-scale structure is indistinguishable from CDM, as desired, but diers radically inside galaxies where quantum interference forms solitonic cores surrounded by extended haloes of fluctuating density granules.These results allowus to determine m B =(8.0C +1.8 -2.0 ×10 -23 eV using stellar phase-space distributions in dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Denser, more massive solitons are predicted for Milky Way sized galaxies, providing a substantial seed to help explain early spheroid formation. The onset of galaxy formation is substantially delayed relative to CDM, appearing at redshift z≲13 in our simulations. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
Type
journal article