29 May 2018 to 3 June 2018
Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Conference Center
US/Pacific timezone

Did LIGO Detect Dark Matter?

30 May 2018, 17:50
20m
South Foyer | Ocotillo Room (Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Conference Center)

South Foyer | Ocotillo Room

Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Conference Center

44600 Indian Wells Lane, Indian Wells, CA 92210, USA

Speaker

Prof. Simeon Bird (UCR)

Description

I will discuss the possibility that the black-hole binary detected by LIGO may be a signature of primordial black hole dark matter. If two BHs in a galactic halo pass sufficiently close, they radiate enough energy in gravitational waves to become gravitationally bound. Curiously, the expected merger rate from these objects overlaps with that predicted by LIGO. Although a PBH dark matter fraction of unity is now ruled out, a smaller fraction is still plausible.
E-mail sbird@ucr.edu

Primary author

Prof. Simeon Bird (UCR)

Presentation materials