Modelling uncertainties in wide binary constraints on primordial black holes

Tyler, Emily; Green, Anne M.; Goodwin, Simon P.

Abstract

Dark matter in the form of compact objects with mass Mco ≳ 10 M⊙ can be constrained by its dynamical effects on wide binary stars. Motivated by the recent interest in primordial black hole dark matter, we revisit the theoretical modelling involved in these constraints. We improve on previous studies in several ways. Specifically, we (i) implement a physically motivated model for the initial wide-binary semimajor axis distribution, (ii) include unbound binaries, and (iii) take into account the uncertainty in the relationship between semimajor axis and observed angular separation. These effects all tend to increase the predicted number of wide binaries (for a given compact object population). Therefore the constraints on the halo fraction in compact objects, fco , are significantly weakened. For the wide binary sample used in the most recent calculation of the constraints, we find the fraction of halo dark matter in compact objects fco < 1 for Mco ≈ 300 M⊙ , tightening with increasing Mco to fco < 0.26 for Mco ≳ 1000 M⊙ .

Citation

Tyler, E., Green, A. M., & Goodwin, S. P. (2023). Modelling uncertainties in wide binary constraints on primordial black holes. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 524(2), 3052–3059. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad2028

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 4, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jul 10, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023-09
• Deposit Date: Jul 18, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 27, 2023
• Journal: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
• Print ISSN: 0035-8711
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-2966
• Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 524
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 3052–3059
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad2028
• Keywords: Binaries: general, Galaxy: halo, dark matter
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/22716601
• Publisher URL: https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/524/2/3052/7222381