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