Constraints on dark matter powered stars from the extragalactic background light

Abstract

Recently, it has been proposed that self-annihilating dark matter could have a significant effect on the formation and development of the first stars in the universe. In such a model, the energy released by the self-annihilating dark matter may be the main power source for this class of young stellar objects called Dark Stars. Their features (e.g. luminosity, temperature, lifetime) could differ from normal Population III stars and therefore makes them distinguishable. The contribution from Dark Stars to the extragalactic background light considering multiple initial parameters is calculated. By comparing our results with existing data and limits of the diffuse infrared background we can derive observational constraints on Dark Stars in the early universe. Future observations (e.g. with the forthcoming James Webb Space Telescope) will improve these results. © Copyright owned by the author(s).