Unified view of scalar and vector dark matter solitons
Abstract The existence of solitons — stable, long-lived, and localized field configurations — is a generic prediction for ultralight dark matter. These solitons, known by various names such as boson stars, axion stars, oscillons, and Q-balls depending on the context, are typically treated as distinc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of High Energy Physics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP04(2025)174 |
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| author | Hong-Yi Zhang |
| author_facet | Hong-Yi Zhang |
| author_sort | Hong-Yi Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The existence of solitons — stable, long-lived, and localized field configurations — is a generic prediction for ultralight dark matter. These solitons, known by various names such as boson stars, axion stars, oscillons, and Q-balls depending on the context, are typically treated as distinct entities in the literature. This study aims to provide a unified perspective on these solitonic objects for real or complex, scalar or vector dark matter, considering self-interactions and nonminimal gravitational interactions. We demonstrate that these solitons share universal nonrelativistic properties, such as conserved charges, mass-radius relations, stability and profiles. Without accounting for alternative interactions or relativistic effects, distinguishing between real and complex scalar dark matter is challenging. However, self-interactions differentiate real and complex vector dark matter due to their different dependencies on the macroscopic spin density of dark matter waves. Furthermore, gradient-dependent nonminimal gravitational interactions impose an upper bound on soliton amplitudes, influencing their mass distribution and phenomenology in the present-day universe. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cc400a724295435594e5d964f56a045b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1029-8479 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of High Energy Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-cc400a724295435594e5d964f56a045b2025-08-20T02:15:25ZengSpringerOpenJournal of High Energy Physics1029-84792025-04-012025412610.1007/JHEP04(2025)174Unified view of scalar and vector dark matter solitonsHong-Yi Zhang0Tsung-Dao Lee Institute & School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityAbstract The existence of solitons — stable, long-lived, and localized field configurations — is a generic prediction for ultralight dark matter. These solitons, known by various names such as boson stars, axion stars, oscillons, and Q-balls depending on the context, are typically treated as distinct entities in the literature. This study aims to provide a unified perspective on these solitonic objects for real or complex, scalar or vector dark matter, considering self-interactions and nonminimal gravitational interactions. We demonstrate that these solitons share universal nonrelativistic properties, such as conserved charges, mass-radius relations, stability and profiles. Without accounting for alternative interactions or relativistic effects, distinguishing between real and complex scalar dark matter is challenging. However, self-interactions differentiate real and complex vector dark matter due to their different dependencies on the macroscopic spin density of dark matter waves. Furthermore, gradient-dependent nonminimal gravitational interactions impose an upper bound on soliton amplitudes, influencing their mass distribution and phenomenology in the present-day universe.https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP04(2025)174Axions and ALPsModels for Dark MatterSolitons Monopoles and InstantonsEffective Field Theories |
| spellingShingle | Hong-Yi Zhang Unified view of scalar and vector dark matter solitons Journal of High Energy Physics Axions and ALPs Models for Dark Matter Solitons Monopoles and Instantons Effective Field Theories |
| title | Unified view of scalar and vector dark matter solitons |
| title_full | Unified view of scalar and vector dark matter solitons |
| title_fullStr | Unified view of scalar and vector dark matter solitons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unified view of scalar and vector dark matter solitons |
| title_short | Unified view of scalar and vector dark matter solitons |
| title_sort | unified view of scalar and vector dark matter solitons |
| topic | Axions and ALPs Models for Dark Matter Solitons Monopoles and Instantons Effective Field Theories |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP04(2025)174 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hongyizhang unifiedviewofscalarandvectordarkmattersolitons |