Astrophysical and Cosmological Probes of Boosted Dark Matter

Abstract

We present an in-depth study of two-component cold dark matter via extensive N-body simulations. We examine various cosmological observables including the temperature evolution, power spectrum, density perturbation, maximum circular velocity functions, and galactic density profiles. We find that a significant mass difference between the two components, coupled with the annihilation of the heavier into the lighter component, imparts warm dark matter (WDM)-like characteristics to the latter. This model benefits from the unique features of WDM, such as modifications to the matter power spectrum and density profiles, while avoiding stringent observational constraints on WDM mass. The two-component dark-matter model aligns with observational data and suggests new avenues for dark-matter detection in terrestrial experiments, particularly for light, sub-MeV DM candidates. Our findings provide a framework for understanding the small-scale structures and offer guidance for future particle physics and cosmological studies.