Observationally determining the properties of dark matter

Determining the properties of the dark components of the universe remains one of the outstanding challenges in cosmology. We explore how upcoming CMB anisotropy measurements, galaxy power spectrum data, and supernova (SN) distance measurements can observationally constrain their gravitational properties with minimal assumptions on the theoretical side. SN observations currently suggest the existence of dark matter with an exotic equation of state p/ρ≲-1/3 that accelerates the expansion of the universe. When combined with CMB anisotropy measurements, SN or galaxy survey data can in principle determine the equation of state and density of this component separately, regardless of their value, as long as the universe is spatially flat. Combining these pairs creates a sharp consistency check. If p/ρ≳-1/2, then the clustering behavior (sound speed) of the dark component can be determined so as to test the scalar-field “quintessence” hypothesis. If the exotic matter turns out instead to be simply a cosmological constant (p/ρ=-1), the combination of CMB and galaxy survey data should provide a significant detection of the remaining dark matter, the neutrino background radiation (NBR). The gross effect of its density or temperature on the expansion rate is ill constrained as it can be mimicked by a change in the matter density. However, anisotropies of the NBR break this degeneracy and should be detectable by upcoming experiments.