Simulations of multifield ultralight axionlike dark matter

Academic Article

Abstract

  • As constraints on ultralight axion-like particles (ALPs) tighten, models with multiple species of ultralight ALP are of increasing interest. We perform simulations of two-ALP models with particles in the currently supported range [arXiv:1307.1705] of plausible masses. The code we modified, UltraDark.jl, not only allows for multiple species of ultralight ALP with different masses, but also different self-interactions and inter-field interactions. This allows us to perform the first three-dimensional simulations of two-field ALPs with self-interactions and inter-field interactions. Our simulations show that having multiple species and interactions introduces different phenomenological effects as compared to a single field, non-interacting scenarios. In particular, we explore the dynamics of solitons. Interacting multi-species ultralight dark matter has different equilibrium density profiles as compared to single-species and/or non-interacting ultralight ALPs. As seen in earlier work [arXiv:2011.09510], attractive interactions tend to contract the density profile while repulsive interactions spread out the density profile. We also explore collisions between solitons comprised of distinct axion species. We observe a lack of interference patterns in such collisions, and that resulting densities depend on the relative masses of the ALPs and their interactions.
  • Authors

  • Glennon, Noah
  • Musoke, Nathan
  • Prescod-Weinstein, Chanda
  • Publication Date

  • February 8, 2023
  • Published In

  • Physical Review D  Journal
  • Keywords

  • astro-ph.CO
  • hep-ph
  • Digital Object Identifier (doi)

    Start Page

  • 063520
  • Volume

  • 107
  • Issue

  • 6