Description
Describing localized particle wavefunctions as the superposition of quantum states of gravitational wells shows that interaction cross sections (Compton scattering etc.) can vary with the speed and position of the particle in the gravitational well (i.e. the functional form of the wavefunction). Significantly these wavepacket cross sections can be much reduced compared to those calculated in field-free regions of space. These low-cross-section wavepackets generally contain many high angular momentum eigenstates that are in some ways analogous to Rydberg states in atoms. The effect is so dramatic that the wavepackets of ordinary particles can have cross sections that enable them to function as dark matter candidates under certain conditions.
Quantum theory makes many predictions about the expected classical behaviour and composition of gravitational halos formed from wavepackets that have variable degrees of visibility. These include halo temperatures, halo composition and visibility, and halo evolution. Some of these predictions are observable with existing instruments such as the James Webb Space Telescope. In this talk we present the predictions that arise from considering particles as quantum wavepackets in gravitational wells.
| I am the presenting author | Yes |
|---|