Seventeenth Marcel Grossmann Meeting

An Overview of Dark Stars

8 Jul 2024, 15:00

30m

Lab. C (Palazzo Micara of the ‘Gabriele d’Annunzio’ University)

Invited talk in a parallel session First stars and their remnants as dark matter probes First stars and their remnants as dark matter probes

Speaker

Prof. Paolo Gondolo (University of Utah)

Description

"Dark stars" are a theoretical class of celestial objects powered by dark matter annihilation rather than nuclear fusion. I will review the conditions in the early universe conducive to the formation of dark stars, covering the theoretical basis of dark matter annihilation as an energy source. I will discuss the expected properties of dark stars, including their size, luminosity, lifespan, and spectral signatures. I will also address the observational challenges and opportunities for detecting dark stars, including possible candidates identified by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).