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At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2012

THE M31 VELOCITY VECTOR. III. FUTURE MILKY WAY M31-M33 ORBITAL EVOLUTION, MERGING, AND FATE OF THE SUN

We study the future orbital evolution and merging of the Milky Way (MW)-M31-M33 system, using a combination of collisionless N-body simulations and semi-analytic orbit integrations. Monte Carlo simulations are used to explore the consequences of varying all relevant initial phase-space and mass parameters within their observational uncertainties. The observed M31 transverse velocity from Papers I and II implies that the MW and M31 will merge t = 5.86{sup +1.61}{sub -0.72} Gyr from now. The first pericenter occurs at t = 3.87{sup +0.42}{sub -0.32} Gyr, at a pericenter distance of r = 31.0{sup +38.0}{sub -19.8} kpc. In 41% of Monte Carlo orbits, M31 makes a direct hit with the MW, defined here as a first-pericenter distance less than 25 kpc. For the M31-M33 system, the first-pericenter time and distance are t = 0.85{sup +0.18}{sub -0.13} Gyr and r = 80.8{sup +42.2}{sub -31.7} kpc. By the time M31 gets to its first pericenter with the MW, M33 is close to its second pericenter with M31. For the MW-M33 system, the first-pericenter time and distance are t = 3.70{sup +0.74}{sub -0.46} Gyr and r = 176.0{sup +239.0}{sub -136.9} kpc. The most likely outcome is for the MW and M31 to merge first, with M33 settling onto an orbit around them that may decay toward a merger later. However, there is a 9% probability that M33 makes a direct hit with the MW at its first pericenter, before M31 gets to or collides with the MW. Also, there is a 7% probability that M33 gets ejected from the Local Group, temporarily or permanently. The radial mass profile of the MW-M31 merger remnant is significantly more extended than the original profiles of either the MW or M31, and suggests that the merger remnant will resemble an elliptical galaxy. The Sun will most likely ({approx}85% probability) end up at a larger radius from the center of the MW-M31 merger remnant than its current distance from the MW center, possibly further than 50 kpc ({approx}10% probability). There is a {approx}20% probability that the Sun will at some time in the next 10 Gyr find itself moving through M33 (within 10 kpc), but while dynamically still bound to the MW-M31 merger remnant. The arrival and possible collision of M31 (and possibly M33) with the MW is the next major cosmic event affecting the environment of our Sun and solar system that can be predicted with some certainty.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

PERVASIVE LINEAR POLARIZATION SIGNALS IN THE QUIET SUN

This paper investigates the distribution of linear polarization signals in the quiet-Sun internetwork using ultra-deep spectropolarimetric data. We reduce the noise of the observations as much as is feasible by adding single-slit measurements of the Zeeman-sensitive Fe I 630 nm lines taken by the Hinode spectropolarimeter. The integrated Stokes spectra are employed to determine the fraction of the field of view covered by linear polarization signals. We find that up to 69% of the quiet solar surface at disk center shows Stokes Q or U profiles with amplitudes larger than 0.032% (4.5 times the noise level of 7 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -5} reached by the longer integrations). The mere presence of linear polarization in most of the quiet Sun implies that the weak internetwork fields must be highly inclined, but we quantify this by inverting those pixels with Stokes Q or U signals well above the noise. This allows for a precise determination of the field inclination, field strength, and field azimuth because the information carried by all four Stokes spectra is used simultaneously. The inversion is performed for 53% of the observed field of view at a noise level of 1.3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} I{sub c}. The derived magnetic distributions are thus representative of more than half of the quiet-Sun internetwork. Our results confirm the conclusions drawn from previous analyses using mainly Stokes I and V: internetwork fields are very inclined, but except in azimuth they do not seem to be isotropically distributed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

SUPERGRANULES AS PROBES OF THE SUN'S MERIDIONAL CIRCULATION

Recent analysis revealed that supergranules (convection cells seen at the Sun's surface) are advected by the zonal flows at depths equal to the widths of the cells themselves. Here we probe the structure of the meridional circulation by cross-correlating maps of the Doppler velocity signal using a series of successively longer time lags between maps. We find that the poleward meridional flow decreases in amplitude with time lag and reverses direction to become an equatorward return flow at time lags >24 hr. These cross-correlation results are dominated by larger and deeper cells at longer time lags. (The smaller cells have shorter lifetimes and do not contribute to the correlated signal at longer time lags.) We determine the characteristic cell size associated with each time lag by comparing the equatorial zonal flows measured at different time lags with the zonal flows associated with different cell sizes from a Fourier analysis. This association gives a characteristic cell size of {approx}50 Mm at a 24 hr time lag. This indicates that the poleward meridional flow returns equatorward at depths >50 Mm-just below the base of the surface shear layer. A substantial and highly significant equatorward flow (4.6 {+-} 0.4 m s{sup -1}) is found at a time lag of 28 hr corresponding to a depth of {approx}70 Mm. This represents one of the first positive detections of the Sun's meridional return flow and illustrates the power of using supergranules to probe the Sun's internal dynamics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

THE INTERSTELLAR MAGNETIC FIELD CLOSE TO THE SUN. II

The magnetic field in the local interstellar medium (ISM) provides a key indicator of the galactic environment of the Sun and influences the shape of the heliosphere. We have studied the interstellar magnetic field (ISMF) in the solar vicinity using polarized starlight for stars within 40 pc of the Sun and 90 Degree-Sign of the heliosphere nose. In Frisch et al. (Paper I), we developed a method for determining the local ISMF direction by finding the best match to a group of interstellar polarization position angles obtained toward nearby stars, based on the assumption that the polarization is parallel to the ISMF. In this paper, we extend the analysis by utilizing weighted fits to the position angles and by including new observations acquired for this study. We find that the local ISMF is pointed toward the galactic coordinates l, b =47 Degree-Sign {+-} 20 Degree-Sign , 25 Degree-Sign {+-} 20 Degree-Sign . This direction is close to the direction of the ISMF that shapes the heliosphere, l, b =33 Degree-Sign {+-} 4 Degree-Sign , 55 Degree-Sign {+-} 4 Degree-Sign , as traced by the center of the 'Ribbon' of energetic neutral atoms discovered by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission. Both the magnetic field direction and the kinematics of the local ISM are consistent with a scenario where the local ISM is a fragment of the Loop I superbubble. A nearby ordered component of the local ISMF has been identified in the region l Almost-Equal-To 0 Degree-Sign {yields} 80 Degree-Sign and b Almost-Equal-To 0 Degree-Sign {yields} 30 Degree-Sign , where PlanetPol data show a distance-dependent increase of polarization strength. The ordered component extends to within 8 pc of the Sun and implies a weak curvature in the nearby ISMF of {approx}0.{sup 0}25 pc{sup -1}. This conclusion is conditioned on the small sample of stars available for defining this rotation. Variations from the ordered component suggest a turbulent component of {approx}23 Degree-Sign . The ordered component and standard relations between polarization, color excess, and H{sup o} column density predict a reasonable increase of N(H) with distance in the local ISM. The similarity of the ISMF directions traced by the polarizations, the IBEX Ribbon, and pulsars inside the Local Bubble in the third galactic quadrant suggest that the ISMF is relatively uniform over spatial scales of 8-200 pc and is more similar to interarm than spiral-arm magnetic fields. The ISMF direction from the polarization data is also consistent with small-scale spatial asymmetries detected in GeV-TeV cosmic rays with a galactic origin. The peculiar geometrical relation found earlier between the cosmic microwave background dipole moment, the heliosphere nose, and the ISMF direction is supported by this study. The interstellar radiation field at {approx}975 A does not appear to play a role in grain alignment for the low-density ISM studied here.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

ON THE TEMPORAL EVOLUTION OF THE DISK COUNTERPART OF TYPE II SPICULES IN THE QUIET SUN

The newly established type II spicule has been speculated to provide enough hot plasma to play an important role in the mass loading and heating of the solar corona. With the identification of rapid blueshifted excursions (RBEs) as the on-disk counterpart of type II spicules we have analyzed three different high-quality timeseries with the CRisp Imaging SpectroPolarimeter (CRISP) at the Swedish Solar Telescope on La Palma and subjected to an automated detection routine to detect a large number of RBEs for statistical purposes. Our observations are of a quiet-Sun region at disk center and we find lower Doppler velocities, 15-40 km s{sup -1}, and Doppler widths, 2-15 km s{sup -1}, of RBEs than in earlier coronal hole studies, 30-50 km s{sup -1} and 7-23 km s{sup -1}, respectively. In addition, we examine the spatial dependence of Doppler velocities and widths along the RBE axis and conclude that there is no clear trend to this over the field of view or in individual RBEs in the quiet Sun at disk center. These differences with previous coronal hole studies are attributed to the more varying magnetic field configuration in quiet-Sun conditions. Using an extremely high-cadence data set has allowed us to improve greatly on the determination of lifetimes of RBEs, which we find to range from 5 to 60 s with an average lifetime of 30 s, as well as the transverse motions in RBEs, with transverse velocities up to 55 km s{sup -1} and averaging 12 km s{sup -1}. Furthermore, our measurements of the recurrence rates of RBEs provide important new constraints on coronal heating by spicules. We also see many examples of a sinusoidal wave pattern in the transverse motion of RBEs with periods averaging 54 s and amplitudes from 21.5 to 129 km which agrees well with previous studies of wave motion in spicules at the limb. We interpret the appearance of RBEs over their full length within a few seconds as the result of a combination of three kinds of motions as is earlier reported for spicules. Finally, we look at the temporal connection between H{alpha} and Ca II 8542 RBEs and find that Ca II 8542 RBEs in addition to being located closer to the footpoint also appear before the H{alpha} RBEs. This connection between Ca II 8542 and H{alpha} supports the idea that heating is occurring in spicules and contributes more weight to the prominence of spicules as a source for heating and mass loading of the corona.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

CONNECTING THE SUN'S HIGH-RESOLUTION MAGNETIC CARPET TO THE TURBULENT HELIOSPHERE

The solar wind is connected to the Sun's atmosphere by flux tubes that are rooted in an ever-changing pattern of positive and negative magnetic polarities on the surface. Observations indicate that the magnetic field is filamentary and intermittent across a wide range of spatial scales. However, we do not know to what extent the complex flux-tube topology seen near the Sun survives as the wind expands into interplanetary space. In order to study the possible long-distance connections between the corona and the heliosphere, we developed new models of turbulence-driven solar wind acceleration along empirically constrained field lines. We used a potential field model of the quiet Sun to trace field lines into the ecliptic plane with unprecedented spatial resolution at their footpoints. For each flux tube, a one-dimensional model was created with an existing wave/turbulence code that solves equations of mass, momentum, and energy conservation from the photosphere to 4 AU. To take account of stream-stream interactions between flux tubes, we used those models as inner boundary conditions for a time-steady magnetohydrodynamic description of radial and longitudinal structure in the ecliptic. Corotating stream interactions smear out much of the smallest-scale variability, making it difficult to see how individual flux tubes on granular or supergranular scales can survive out to 1 AU. However, our models help clarify the level of ''background'' variability with which waves and turbulent eddies should be expected to interact. Also, the modeled fluctuations in magnetic field magnitude were seen to match measured power spectra quite well.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE NEARBY L/T BINARY BROWN DWARF WISE J104915.57-531906.1 AT 2 pc FROM THE SUN

WISE J104915.57-531906.1 is a L/T brown dwarf binary located 2 pc from the Sun. The pair contains the closest known brown dwarfs and is the third closest known system, stellar or sub-stellar. We report comprehensive follow-up observations of this newly uncovered system. We have determined the spectral types of both components (L8 {+-} 1, for the primary, agreeing with the discovery paper; T1.5 {+-} 2 for the secondary, which was lacking spectroscopic type determination in the discovery paper) and, for the first time, their radial velocities (V{sub rad} {approx} 23.1, 19.5 km s{sup -1}) using optical spectra obtained at the Southern African Large Telescope and other facilities located at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO). The relative radial velocity of the two components is smaller than the range of orbital velocities for theoretically predicted masses, implying that they form a gravitationally bound system. We report resolved near-infrared JHK{sub S} photometry from the Infrared Survey Facility telescope at the SAAO which yields colors consistent with the spectroscopically derived spectral types. The available kinematic and photometric information excludes the possibility that the object belongs to any of the known nearby young moving groups or associations. Simultaneous optical polarimetry observations taken at the SAAO 1.9 m give a non-detection with an upper limit of 0.07%. For the given spectral types and absolute magnitudes, 1 Gyr theoretical models predict masses of 0.04-0.05 M{sub Sun} for the primary, and 0.03-0.05 M{sub Sun} for the secondary.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

The role of the magnetorotational instability in the sun

We calculate growth rates for nonaxisymmetric instabilities including the magnetorotational instability (MRI) throughout the Sun. We first derive a dispersion relation for nonaxisymmetric instability including the effects of shear, convective buoyancy, and three diffusivities (thermal conductivity, resistivity, and viscosity). We then use a solar model evolved with the stellar evolution code MESA and angular velocity profiles determined by Global Oscillations Network Group helioseismology to determine the unstable modes present at each location in the Sun and the associated growth rates. The overall instability has unstable modes throughout the convection zone and also slightly below it at middle and high latitudes. It contains three classes of modes: large-scale hydrodynamic convective modes, large-scale hydrodynamic shear modes, and small-scale magnetohydrodynamic shear modes, which may be properly called MRI modes. While large-scale convective modes are the most rapidly growing modes in most of the convective zone, MRI modes are important in both stably stratified and convectively unstable locations near the tachocline at colatitudes θ < 53°. Nonaxisymmetric MRI modes grow faster than the corresponding axisymmetric modes; for some poloidal magnetic fields, the nonaxisymmetric MRI growth rates are similar to the angular rotation frequency Ω, while axisymmetric modes are stabilized. We briefly discuss the saturation of the field produced by MRI modes, finding that the implied field at the base of the convective zone in the Sun is comparable to that derived based on dynamos active in the tachocline and that the saturation of field resulting from the MRI may be of importance even in the upper convection zone.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Connecting speeds, directions and arrival times of 22 coronal mass ejections from the sun to 1 AU

Forecasting the in situ properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from remote images is expected to strongly enhance predictions of space weather and is of general interest for studying the interaction of CMEs with planetary environments. We study the feasibility of using a single heliospheric imager (HI) instrument, imaging the solar wind density from the Sun to 1 AU, for connecting remote images to in situ observations of CMEs. We compare the predictions of speed and arrival time for 22 CMEs (in 2008-2012) to the corresponding interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) parameters at in situ observatories (STEREO PLASTIC/IMPACT, Wind SWE/MFI). The list consists of front- and backsided, slow and fast CMEs (up to 2700 km s{sup –1}). We track the CMEs to 34.9 ± 7.1 deg elongation from the Sun with J maps constructed using the SATPLOT tool, resulting in prediction lead times of –26.4 ± 15.3 hr. The geometrical models we use assume different CME front shapes (fixed-Φ, harmonic mean, self-similar expansion) and constant CME speed and direction. We find no significant superiority in the predictive capability of any of the three methods. The absolute difference between predicted and observed ICME arrival times is 8.1 ± 6.3 hr (rms value of 10.9 hr). Speeds are consistent to within 284 ± 288 km s{sup –1}. Empirical corrections to the predictions enhance their performance for the arrival times to 6.1 ± 5.0 hr (rms value of 7.9 hr), and for the speeds to 53 ± 50 km s{sup –1}. These results are important for Solar Orbiter and a space weather mission positioned away from the Sun-Earth line.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Outflow structure of the quiet sun corona probed by spacecraft radio scintillations in strong scattering

Radio scintillation observations have been unable to probe flow speeds in the low corona where the scattering of radio waves is exceedingly strong. Here we estimate outflow speeds continuously from the vicinity of the Sun to the outer corona (heliocentric distances of 1.5-20.5 solar radii) by applying the strong scattering theory to radio scintillations for the first time, using the Akatsuki spacecraft as the radio source. Small, nonzero outflow speeds were observed over a wide latitudinal range in the quiet-Sun low corona, suggesting that the supply of plasma from closed loops to the solar wind occurs over an extended area. The existence of power-law density fluctuations down to the scale of 100 m was suggested, which is indicative of well-developed turbulence which can play a key role in heating the corona. At higher altitudes, a rapid acceleration typical of radial open fields is observed, and the temperatures derived from the speed profile show a distinct maximum in the outer corona. This study opened up a possibility of observing detailed flow structures near the Sun from a vast amount of existing interplanetary scintillation data.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Evidence for wave heating of the quiet-sun corona

We have measured the energy and dissipation of Alfvénic waves in the quiet Sun. A magnetic field model was used to infer the location and orientation of the magnetic field lines along which the waves are expected to travel. The waves were measured using spectral lines to infer the wave amplitude. The waves cause a non-thermal broadening of the spectral lines, which can be expressed as a non-thermal velocity v {sub nt}. By combining the spectroscopic measurements with this magnetic field model, we were able to trace the variation of v {sub nt} along the magnetic field. At each footpoint of the quiet-Sun loops, we find that waves inject an energy flux in the range of 1.3-5.5 × 10{sup 5} erg cm{sup –2} s{sup –1}. At the minimum of this range, this amounts to more than 80% of the energy needed to heat the quiet Sun. We also find that these waves are dissipated over a region centered on the top of the loops. The position along the loop where the damping begins is strongly correlated with the length of the loop, implying that the damping mechanism depends on the global loop properties rather than on local collisional dissipation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

USING REALISTIC MHD SIMULATIONS FOR THE MODELING AND INTERPRETATION OF QUIET-SUN OBSERVATIONS WITH THE SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY HELIOSEISMIC AND MAGNETIC IMAGER

The solar atmosphere is extremely dynamic, and many important phenomena develop on small scales that are unresolved in observations with the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) instrument on the Solar Dynamics Observatory. For correct calibration and interpretation of the observations, it is very important to investigate the effects of small-scale structures and dynamics on the HMI observables, such as Doppler shift, continuum intensity, spectral line depth, and width. We use 3D radiative hydrodynamics simulations of the upper turbulent convective layer and the atmosphere of the Sun, and a spectro-polarimetric radiative transfer code to study observational characteristics of the Fe i 6173 Å line observed by HMI in quiet-Sun regions. We use the modeling results to investigate the sensitivity of the line Doppler shift to plasma velocity, and also sensitivities of the line parameters to plasma temperature and density, and determine effective line formation heights for observations of solar regions located at different distances from the disk center. These estimates are important for the interpretation of helioseismology measurements. In addition, we consider various center-to-limb effects, such as convective blueshift, variations of helioseismic travel-times, and the “concave” Sun effect, and show that the simulations can qualitatively reproduce the observed phenomena, indicating that these effects are related to a complex interaction of the solar dynamics and radiative transfer.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

SUN-LIKE MAGNETIC CYCLES IN THE RAPIDLY ROTATING YOUNG SOLAR ANALOG HD 30495

A growing body of evidence suggests that multiple dynamo mechanisms can drive magnetic variability on different timescales, not only in the Sun but also in other stars. Many solar activity proxies exhibit a quasi-biennial (∼2 year) variation, which is superimposed upon the dominant 11 year cycle. A well-characterized stellar sample suggests at least two different relationships between rotation period and cycle period, with some stars exhibiting long and short cycles simultaneously. Within this sample, the solar cycle periods are typical of a more rapidly rotating star, implying that the Sun might be in a transitional state or that it has an unusual evolutionary history. In this work, we present new and archival observations of dual magnetic cycles in the young solar analog HD 30495, a ∼1 Gyr old G1.5 V star with a rotation period near 11 days. This star falls squarely on the relationships established by the broader stellar sample, with short-period variations at ∼1.7 years and a long cycle of ∼12 years. We measure three individual long-period cycles and find durations ranging from 9.6 to 15.5 years. We find the short-term variability to be intermittent, but present throughout the majority of the time series, though its occurrence and amplitude are uncorrelated with the longer cycle. These essentially solar-like variations occur in a Sun-like star with more rapid rotation, though surface differential rotation measurements leave open the possibility of a solar equivalence.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

On the minimum dark matter mass testable by neutrinos from the Sun

We discuss a limitation on extracting bounds on the scattering cross section of dark matter with nucleons, using neutrinos from the Sun. If the dark matter particle is sufficiently light (less than about 4 GeV), the effect of evaporation is not negligible and the capture process goes in equilibrium with the evaporation. In this regime, the flux of solar neutrinos of dark matter origin becomes independent of the scattering cross section and therefore no constraint can be placed on it. We find the minimum values of dark matter masses for which the scattering cross section on nucleons can be probed using neutrinos from the Sun. We also provide simple and accurate fitting functions for all the relevant processes of GeV-scale dark matter in the Sun.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

A novel way of constraining WIMPs annihilations in the Sun: MeV neutrinos

Annihilation of dark matter particles accumulated in the Sun would produce a flux of high-energy neutrinos whose prospects of detection in neutrino telescopes and detectors have been extensively discussed in the literature. However, for annihilations into Standard Model particles, there would also be a flux of neutrinos in the MeV range from the decays at rest of muons and positively charged pions. These low-energy neutrinos have never been considered before and they open the possibility to also constrain dark matter annihilation in the Sun into e{sup +}e{sup −}, μ{sup +}μ{sup −} or light quarks. Here we perform a detailed analysis using the recent Super-Kamiokande data in the few tens of MeV range to set limits on the WIMP-nucleon scattering cross section for different annihilation channels and computing the evaporation rate of WIMPs from the Sun for all values of the scattering cross section in a consistent way.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Search for muon signal from dark matter annihilations in the Sun with the Baksan Underground Scintillator Telescope for 24.12 years

We present a new dataset analysis of the neutrino experiment at the Baksan Underground Scintillator Telescope with muon energy threshold about 1 GeV for the longest exposure time toward the Sun. In search for a signal from self-annihilations of dark matter particles in the center of the Sun we use an updated sample of upward through-going muons for 24.12 years of live time. No observable excess has been found in measured muons relative to expected background from neutrinos of atmospheric origin. We present an improved data analysis procedure and describe it in detail. We set the 90% C.L. new upper limits on expected neutrino and muon fluxes from dark matter annihilations in the Sun, on the corresponding annihilation rates and cross sections of their elastic scattering off proton.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

First results on dark matter annihilation in the Sun using the ANTARES neutrino telescope

A search for high-energy neutrinos coming from the direction of the Sun has been performed using the data recorded by the ANTARES neutrino telescope during 2007 and 2008. The neutrino selection criteria have been chosen to maximize the selection of possible signals produced by the self-annihilation of weakly interacting massive particles accumulated in the centre of the Sun with respect to the atmospheric background. After data unblinding, the number of neutrinos observed towards the Sun was found to be compatible with background expectations. The 90% CL upper limits in terms of spin-dependent and spin-independent WIMP-proton cross-sections are derived and compared to predictions of two supersymmetric models, CMSSM and MSSM-7. The ANTARES limits are comparable with those obtained by other neutrino observatories and are more stringent than those obtained by direct search experiments for the spin-dependent WIMP-proton cross-section in the case of hard self-annihilation channels (W{sup +}W{sup −}, τ{sup +}τ{sup −})

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2016

The spectrum of darkonium in the Sun

Dark matter that gets captured in the Sun may form positronium-like bound states if it self-interacts via light dark photons. In this case, dark matter can either annihilate to dark photons or recombine in bound states which subsequently also decay to dark photons. The fraction of the dark photons that leave the Sun without decaying to Standard Model particles have a characteristic energy spectrum which is a mixture of the direct annihilation process, the decays of ortho- and para- bound states and the recombination process. The ultimate decay of these dark photons to positron-electron pairs (via kinetic mixing) outside the Sun creates a distinct signal that can either identify or set strict constraints on dark photon models.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗