Strongly interacting massive particles

Strongly interacting massive particles (SIMPs) are hypothetical particles that interact strongly between themselves [looks like they scatter off each other - observation of colliding galaxies in the Abell 3827 cluster, where it seemed that dark matter lagged behind the ordinary matter] and weakly with ordinary matter, but could form the inferred dark matter despite this.[1] However, this finding has since been discounted based on further observations and modelling of the cluster.[2][3]

Strongly interacting massive particles have been proposed as a solution for the ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray problem[4][5] and the absence of cooling flows in galactic clusters.[6][7]

Various experiments and observations have set constraints on SIMP dark matter from 1990 onward.[8][9][10][11][12][13]

SIMP annihilations would produce significant heat. DAMA set limits with NaI(Tl) crystals.[11]

Measurements of Uranus's heat excess exclude SIMPs from 150 MeV to 104 GeV.[14] Earth's heat flow significantly constrains any cross section.[15]
See also

Weakly interacting massive particles – Hypothetical particles that are thought to constitute dark matter
Self-interacting dark matter – A hypothetical form of dark matter consisting of particles with strong self-interactions
Massive compact halo object – A hypothetical form of dark matter in galactic halos

References

Wandelt, Benjamin D; Dave, Romeel; Farrar, Glennys R; McGuire, Patrick C; Spergel, David N; Steinhardt, Paul J (2000), "Self-Interacting Dark Matter", in Cline, David B (ed.), Sources and Detection of Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe, Springer-Verlag, p. 263,arXiv:astro-ph/0006344, Bibcode:2001sddm.symp..263W, ISBN 978-3-540-41216-8
Massey, Richard; et al. (2017), "Dark matter dynamics in Abell 3827: new data consistent with standard Cold Dark Matter", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 477: 669–677, arXiv:1708.04245, Bibcode:2018MNRAS.477..669M, doi:10.1093/mnras/sty630
Grossman, Lisa (April 5, 2018). "Dark matter isn't interacting with itself after all". ScienceNews. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
Chung, Daniel J. H; Farrar, Glennys R; Kolb, Edward W (1998), "Are ultrahigh energy cosmic rays signals of supersymmetry?", Physical Review D, 57 (8): 4606,arXiv:astro-ph/9707036, Bibcode:1998PhRvD..57.4606C, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.57.4606
Albuquerque, Ivone F. M; Farrar, Glennys R; Kolb, Edward W (1998), "Exotic massive hadrons and ultra-high energy cosmic rays", Physical Review D, 59 (1): 015021, arXiv:hep-ph/9805288, Bibcode:1999PhRvD..59a5021A, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.59.015021
Qin, Bo; Wu, Xiang-Ping (2001), "Constraints on the Interaction between Dark Matter and Baryons from Cooling Flow Clusters", Physical Review Letters, 87 (6): 061301, arXiv:astro-ph/0106458, Bibcode:2001PhRvL..87f1301Q, doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.061301, PMID 11497819
Chuzhoy, Leonid; Nusser, Adi (2006), "Consequences of short range interactions between dark matter and protons in galaxy clusters", The Astrophysical Journal, 645 (2): 950–954, arXiv:astro-ph/0408184, Bibcode:2006ApJ...645..950C, doi:10.1086/504505
Starkman, Glenn D; Gould, Andrew; Esmailzadeh, Rahim; Dimopoulos, Savas (1990), "Opening the window on strongly interacting dark matter", Physical Review D, 41 (12): 3594, Bibcode:1990PhRvD..41.3594S, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.41.3594
Cyburt, Richard H; Fields, Brian D; Pavlidou, Vasiliki; Wandelt, Benjamin D (2002), "Constraining Strong Baryon-Dark Matter Interactions with Primordial Nucleosynthesis and Cosmic Rays", Physical Review D, 65 (12): 123503, arXiv:astro-ph/0203240, Bibcode:2002PhRvD..65l3503C, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.65.123503.
Zaharijas, Gabrijela; Farrar, Glennys R (2004), "A Window in the Dark Matter Exclusion Limits", Physical Review D, 72 (8): 083502, arXiv:astro-ph/0406531, Bibcode:2005PhRvD..72h3502Z, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.72.083502
Bacci, C.; et al. (1996), "Improved limits on strongly interacting massive particles with NaI(Tl) scintillators", Astroparticle Physics, 4 (3): 195–198, Bibcode:1996APh.....4..195B, doi:10.1016/0927-6505(95)00032-1
McGuire, Patrick C; Steinhardt, Paul J (2001), "Cracking Open the Window for Strongly Interacting Massive Particles as the Halo Dark Matter", Proceedings of the International Cosmic Ray Conference, International Cosmic Ray Conference, 4, Hamburg, Germany, p. 1566, arXiv:astro-ph/0105567, Bibcode:2001ICRC....4.1566M
Javorsek II, D; Fischbach, E; Teplitz, V (2002), "New Experimental Bounds on the Contributions to the Cosmological Density Parameter Ω from Strongly Interacting Massive Particles", The Astrophysical Journal, 568 (1): 1–8, Bibcode:2002ApJ...568....1J, doi:10.1086/338796
Mitra, Saibal (2004), "Uranus's anomalously low excess heat constrains strongly interacting dark matter", Physical Review D, 70 (10): 103517, arXiv:astro-ph/0408341, Bibcode:2004PhRvD..70j3517M, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.70.103517

Mack, Gregory D; Beacom, John F; Bertone, Gianfranco (2007), "Towards Closing the Window on Strongly Interacting Dark Matter: Far-Reaching Constraints from Earth's Heat Flow", Physical Review D, 76 (4): 043523, arXiv:0705.4298, Bibcode:2007PhRvD..76d3523M, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.76.043523