1st Edition

Dark Matter An Introduction

By Debasish Majumdar Copyright 2015
    270 Pages 41 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Dark Matter: An Introduction tackles the rather recent but fast-growing subject of astroparticle physics, encompassing three main areas of fundamental physics: cosmology, particle physics, and astrophysics. Accordingly, the book discusses symmetries, conservation laws, relativity, and cosmological parameters and measurements, as well as the astrophysical behaviors of galaxies and galaxy clusters that indicate the presence of dark matter and the possible nature of dark matter distribution. This succinct yet comprehensive volume:

    • Addresses all aspects essential to the study of dark matter
    • Explores particle candidates for cold dark matter beyond the theory of the standard model, providing examples of basic extensions and introducing theories such as supersymmetry and extra dimensions
    • Explains—in simple text and mathematical formulations—calculation of the freeze-out temperature of a dark matter species and its relic density
    • Provides theoretical background for dark matter scattering off a target, event rate calculation, and dark matter annihilation essential to study direct and indirect detection of dark matter

    Complete with a detailed review of the latest dark matter experiments and techniques, Dark Matter: An Introduction is an ideal text for beginning researchers in the field as well as for general readers with an inquisitive mind, as the important topic of astroparticle physics is treated both pedagogically and with deeper insight.

    Preface

    Acknowledgments

    Introduction

    Brief Discussion on Relativity

    Galilean Transformation

    Lorentz Transformation

    Electromagnetic Theory

    Particle Physics Basics

    Leptons and Quarks

    Klein–Gordon Equation

    Dirac Equation

    Symmetries

    Discrete Symmetries

    Groups and Representations of Groups

    Continuous Symmetries

    Global Symmetries

    Local Symmetries and Abelian Gauge Invariance

    Local Symmetries and Non-Abelian Gauge Invariance

    SUL (2) × UY (1)

    Basics of Cosmology

    Time Evolution of Scale Factor a(t)

    Flat Universe and Density Parameters

    Luminosity Distance

    Deceleration Parameter

    Bolometric Magnitude

    Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation

    Evidence of Dark Matter

    Rotation Curve of Spiral Galaxies

    Dark Matter in Galaxy Clusters

    Virial Theorem

    Gravitational Lensing

    Bullet Cluster

    Lyman Alpha Forest

    Galactic Halo of Dark Matter

    Milky Way Galaxy

    Central Bulge and Galactic Center

    Galactic Disk

    Steller Clusters

    Dark Matter in the MilkyWay

    Types of Dark Matter

    From Thermal History

    Thermal Dark Matter

    Non-Thermal Dark Matter

    On the Basis of Particle Types

    Baryonic Dark Matter

    Non-Baryonic Dark Matter

    From Mass and Speed

    Hot Dark Matter

    Cold Dark Matter

    Role in Structure Formation

    Candidates of Dark Matter

    Candidates for CDM

    Supersymmetric Dark Matter

    Kaluza–Klein Dark Matter

    Scalar Singlet Dark Matter

    Inert Doublet Dark Matter

    Candidate for Hot Dark Matter

    Axion Dark Matter

    Experimental Searches for Axion Dark Matter

    Relic Density

    Direct Detection of Dark Matter

    Basic Principles

    Direct Detection Rates

    Annual Variations

    Daily and Directional Variations

    Dark Matter Hunt

    Direct Detection Experiments

    CDMS Experiment

    CRESST Experiment

    DAMA Experiment

    CoGENT Dark Matter Search

    XENON Dark Matter Search

    PICASSO Experiment

    DRIFT Experiment

    Indirect Dark Matter Search

    Antimatter Production and Distortion in Cosmic Ray Spectra

    Antiproton as an Indirect Probe for Galactic Dark Matter

    Positron Excess as Indirect Probe for Dark Matter

    Gamma Rays from Dark Matter Annihilation

    Dwarf Spheroidals

    Neutrinos as a Probe of Indirect Dark Matter Detection

    Neutrinos from Solar or Earth Core

    Neutrinos from the Galactic Center

    Other Dark Matter Candidates

    Sterile Neutrino

    MACHOs

    Inelastic Dark Matter

    References

    Index

    Biography

    Debasish Majumdar is a professor in the Astroparticle Physics and Cosmology Division at the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata, India. His research interests include dark matter, dark energy, neutrino physics, and a statistical approach to nuclear-level and strength densities. He did his Ph.D work at the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, India. A widely published and respected dark matter research pioneer, he has visited such prestigious institutions as CERN, Geneva, Switzerland; Fermilab, Chicago, Illinois, USA; The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy; and University of Oxford, UK as a researcher and a speaker.

    "… well-chosen references. Altogether, the present work is intended for young researchers pursuing a research career in dark matter in particular, or astroparticle physics or cosmology in general. But the book contains also discussions, which are of interest to a more advanced reader interested in astrophysical aspects of dark matter."
    Zentralblatt MATH 1305