Novel constraints on fifth forces and ultralight dark sector with asteroidal data
Abstract
We study for the first time the possibility of probing long-range fifth forces utilizing asteroid astrometric data, via the fifth force-induced orbital precession. We examine nine Near-Earth Object (NEO) asteroids whose orbital trajectories are accurately determined via optical and radar astrometry. Focusing on a Yukawa-type potential mediated by a new gauge field (dark photon) or a baryon-coupled scalar, we estimate the sensitivity reach for the fifth force coupling strength and mediator mass in the mass range m ≃ (10-21-10-15) eV, near the "fuzzy" dark matter region. Our estimated sensitivity is comparable to leading limits from equivalence principle tests, potentially exceeding these in a specific mass range. The fifth force-induced precession increases with the orbital semi-major axis in the small m limit, motivating the study of objects further away from the Sun. We also demonstrate that precession tests are particularly strong in probing long-range forces which approximately conserve the equivalence principle. We discuss future prospects for extending our study to more than a million asteroids, including NEOs, main-belt asteroids, Hildas, and Jupiter Trojans, as well as trans-Neptunian objects and exoplanets.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
- Pub Date:
- April 2023
- DOI:
- 10.1088/1475-7516/2023/04/031
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2107.04038
- Bibcode:
- 2023JCAP...04..031T
- Keywords:
-
- dark matter detectors;
- dark matter theory;
- High Energy Physics - Phenomenology;
- Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics;
- Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics;
- General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
- E-Print:
- 2 figures, 1 table, 9 pages + references