Self-Interacting Dark Matter: From Particle Physics Theories to Structure Formation Simulations
Abstract
We establish a unified theory-to-simulation framework for self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) that integrates three components: (i) a comprehensive, self-contained treatment of its particle-physics foundations and a broad range of model classes; (ii) a systematic, quantitative mapping from microscopic dark-sector physics to structure-formation simulation inputs through explicit expressions and numerical prescriptions; and (iii) the development, implementation, and validation of a broad suite of SIDM algorithms and a dedicated DM decay module in the moving-mesh code AREPO-2. Under (i), we detail the particle content, symmetries, interactions, production mechanisms, and constraints of a broad landscape of elementary and composite SIDM models, and present representative viable benchmark models. Under (ii), the mapping specifies cosmological initial conditions, internal-state masses and populations, reaction networks, velocity- and angle-dependent cross sections, dissipative energy loss, and decay rates and recoil kinematics. We then apply this mapping to a broad range of SIDM model classes. Under (iii), we implement and validate SIDM algorithms with constant and velocity-dependent cross sections, covering isotropic and anisotropic scattering, multi-state elastic and inelastic reactions, and dissipative processes, alongside a dedicated DM decay module in AREPO-2. We validate these implementations through beam-lattice deflection experiments, thermalization and uniform-box decay tests, isolated-halo gravothermal core-collapse simulations, and cosmological box and zoom-in simulations. These tests recover analytical predictions, establish agreement across numerical schemes, and reproduce published benchmarks. Our theory-to-simulation framework serves as a cross-disciplinary reference and a practical bridge between SIDM particle physics and simulations of nonlinear structure formation.
Related
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- Strong-lensing perturber signatures in self-interacting dark matter simulations
- Analysis of wave processes using beam-driven Langmuir/Z-mode waveforms generated in particle-in-cell simulations
- A comparison of particle and fluid approaches for modeling the streaming instability in global patch simulations
- Self-interacting dark matter from radiative bound-state-formation feedback
BibTeX
@misc{rosenlyst2026selfinteracting,
title = {{Self-Interacting Dark Matter: From Particle Physics Theories to Structure Formation Simulations}},
author = {Martin Rosenlyst and Vinh Tran and Oliver Zier and Xuejian Shen and Mark Vogelsberger and Thejs Brinckmann and Mads T. Frandsen and Jesús Zavala and Frederik Holt Dihver Christensen and Mikkel Theiss Kristensen},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.16968},
eprint = {2610.16968},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.16968},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Self-Interacting Dark Matter: From Particle Physics Theories to Structure Formation Simulations
AU - Martin Rosenlyst
AU - Vinh Tran
AU - Oliver Zier
AU - Xuejian Shen
AU - Mark Vogelsberger
AU - Thejs Brinckmann
AU - Mads T. Frandsen
AU - Jesús Zavala
AU - Frederik Holt Dihver Christensen
AU - Mikkel Theiss Kristensen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.16968
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.16968
AB - We establish a unified theory-to-simulation framework for self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) that integrates three components: (i) a comprehensive, self-contained treatment of its particle-physics foundations and a broad range of model classes; (ii) a systematic, quantitative mapping from microscopic dark-sector physics to structure-formation simulation inputs through explicit expressions and numerical prescriptions; and (iii) the development, implementation, and validation of a broad suite of SIDM algorithms and a dedicated DM decay module in the moving-mesh code AREPO-2. Under (i), we detail the particle content, symmetries, interactions, production mechanisms, and constraints of a broad landscape of elementary and composite SIDM models, and present representative viable benchmark models. Under (ii), the mapping specifies cosmological initial conditions, internal-state masses and populations, reaction networks, velocity- and angle-dependent cross sections, dissipative energy loss, and decay rates and recoil kinematics. We then apply this mapping to a broad range of SIDM model classes. Under (iii), we implement and validate SIDM algorithms with constant and velocity-dependent cross sections, covering isotropic and anisotropic scattering, multi-state elastic and inelastic reactions, and dissipative processes, alongside a dedicated DM decay module in AREPO-2. We validate these implementations through beam-lattice deflection experiments, thermalization and uniform-box decay tests, isolated-halo gravothermal core-collapse simulations, and cosmological box and zoom-in simulations. These tests recover analytical predictions, establish agreement across numerical schemes, and reproduce published benchmarks. Our theory-to-simulation framework serves as a cross-disciplinary reference and a practical bridge between SIDM particle physics and simulations of nonlinear structure formation.
ER -