The signature of the scattering between dark sectors in large scale cosmic microwave background anisotropies

Abstract

We study the interaction between dark sectors by considering the momentum transfer caused by the dark matter scattering elastically within the dark energy fluid. Describing the dark scattering analogy to the Thomson scattering which couples baryons and photons, we examine the impact of the dark scattering in CMB observations. Performing global fitting with the latest observational data, we find that for a dark energy equation of state $w<-1$, the CMB gives tight constraints on dark matter-dark energy elastic scattering. Assuming a dark matter particle of proton mass, we derive an elastic scattering cross section of $σ_D < 3.295 \times 10^{-10} σ_T$ where $σ_T$ is the cross section of Thomson scattering. For $w>-1$, however, the constraints are poor. For $w=-1$, $σ_D$ can formally take any value.

9 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in PRD