Limits on Magnetized Quark-Nugget Dark Matter from Episodic Natural Events

Abstract

A quark nugget is a hypothetical dark-matter candidate composed of approximately equal numbers of up, down, and strange quarks. Most models of quark nuggets do not include effects of their intrinsic magnetic field. However, Tatsumi used a mathematically tractable approximation of the Standard Model of Particle Physics and found that the cores of magnetar pulsars may be quark nuggets in a ferromagnetic liquid state with surface magnetic field Bo = 1012±1 T. We have applied that result to quark-nugget dark matter. Previous work addressed the formation and aggregation of magnetized quark nuggets (MQNs) into a broad and magnetically stabilized mass distribution before they could decay and addressed their interaction with normal matter through their magnetopause, losing translational velocity while gaining rotational velocity and radiating electromagnetic energy. The two orders of magnitude uncertainty in Tatsumi’s estimate for Bo precludes the practical design of systematic experiments to detect MQNs through their predicted interaction with matter. In this paper, we examine episodic events consistent with a unique signature of MQNs. If they are indeed caused by MQNs, they constrain the most likely values of Bo to 1.65 × 1012 T +/− 21% and support the design of definitive tests of the MQN dark-matter hypothesis.

Results of Search for Magnetized Quark-Nugget Dark Matter from Radial Impacts on Earth

“…Reference [17] describes an extremely rare episodic observation and supporting simulations of the third method. That method is too rare to provide enough data to measure the mass distribution and it provides sufficient statistics for discovery of MQNs.…”

“…This is the second event found to be consistent with MQNs. The first is described in reference [17]. However, many additional non-meteorite impacts with a similar effect on deeply buried rock and/or additional tests that stress different aspects of the MQN hypothesis are needed in order to conclude whether or not MQNs exist and contribute to dark matter.…”

“…The previously published MQN papers, especially the observational paper [17], narrowed the allowed range of B o from Tatsumi's~10 12+/− 1 T to 1.65 × 10 12 T +/− 21% to be consistent with the maximum mass of MQNs that is allowed for a given value of B o . The integrated MQN number flux for MQN mass ≥M MQN has been derived from the mass distribution assuming a constant velocity of 230 km/s, the velocity of the solar system through the galactic halo.…”

“…(3) magnetic levitation of rotating MQN magnetic dipole after transit through matter [17] by induced currents in adjacent conducting material or magnetic levitation of static magnetic dipole above a superconductor.…”

Origins and Natures of Inflation, Dark Matter and Dark Energy

“…Secondly, both theoretical and experimental studies of dark matter are described. In particular, quark-nugget dark matter [65][66][67] and axion-like particles [68][69][70] are investigated. After that, the subjects of dark energy [71,72] and modified gravity theories [73] are explored.…”