Exploring dark matter microphysics with galaxy surveys

• Published in: Journal of cosmology and astroparticle physics Vol. 2015; no. 9; p. 34
• Main Authors: Escudero, Miguel, Mena, Olga, Vincent, Aaron C., Wilkinson, Ryan J., Bœhm, Céline
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 10.09.2015
• Subjects: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT; COSMOLOGY; ENERGY SPECTRA; GALAXIES; LIMITING VALUES; NEUTRINOS; NONLUMINOUS MATTER; POTENTIALS; PROBES; SATELLITES; SCATTERING
• ISSN: 1475-7516; 1475-7516
• DOI: 10.1088/1475-7516/2015/09/034

We use present cosmological observations and forecasts of future experiments to illustrate the power of large-scale structure (LSS) surveys in probing dark matter (DM) microphysics and unveiling potential deviations from the standard ΛCDM scenario. To quantify this statement, we focus on an extension of ΛCDM with DM-neutrino scattering, which leaves a distinctive imprint on the angular and matter power spectra. After finding that future CMB experiments (such as COrE+) will not significantly improve the constraints set by the Planck satellite, we show that the next generation of galaxy clustering surveys (such as DESI) could play a leading role in constraining alternative cosmologies and even have the potential to make a discovery. Typically we find that DESI would be an order of magnitude more sensitive to DM interactions than Planck, thus probing effects that until now have only been accessible via N-body simulations.