Finding new signature effects on galactic dynamics to constrain Bose-Einstein-condensed cold dark matter

Abstract

If cosmological cold dark matter (CDM) consists of light enough bosonic particles that their phase-space density exceeds unity, they will comprise a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The nature of this BEC-CDM as a quantum fluid may then distinguish it dynamically from the standard form of CDM involving a collisionless gas of non-relativistic particles that interact purely gravitationally. We summarize some of the dynamical properties of BEC-CDM that may lead to observable signatures in galactic halos and present some of the bounds on particle mass and self-interaction coupling strength that result from a comparison with observed galaxies.