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Phys. Rev. D 77, 047301 (2008) [4 pages]

The zero age main sequence of WIMP burners

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Malcolm Fairbairn*
PH-TH, CERN, Geneva, Switzerland and King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom

Pat Scott and Joakim Edsjö
Cosmology, Particle Astrophysics and String Theory, Physics, Stockholm University and High Energy Astrophysics and Cosmology Centre (HEAC), AlbaNova University Centre, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden

Received 5 November 2007; published 4 February 2008

We modify a stellar structure code to estimate the effect upon the main sequence of the accretion of weakly-interacting dark matter onto stars and its subsequent annihilation. The effect upon the stars depends upon whether the energy generation rate from dark matter annihilation is large enough to shut off the nuclear burning in the star. Main sequence weakly-interacting massive particles (WIMP) burners look much like proto-stars moving on the Hayashi track, although they are in principle completely stable. We make some brief comments about where such stars could be found, how they might be observed and more detailed simulations which are currently in progress. Finally we comment on whether or not it is possible to link the paradoxically hot, young stars found at the galactic center with WIMP burners.

© 2008 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevD.77.047301
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevD.77.047301
PACS:
95.35.+d

*malc@cern.ch

pat@physto.se

edsjo@physto.se