The WIMP paradigm: Theme and variations
Jonathan L. Feng
Abstract
WIMPs, weakly-interacting massive particles, have been leading candidates for particle dark matter for decades, and they remain a viable and highly motivated possibility. In these lectures, I describe the basic motivations for WIMPs, beginning with the WIMP miracle and its under-appreciated cousin, the discrete WIMP miracle. I then give an overview of some of the basic features of WIMPs and how to find them. These lectures conclude with some variations on the WIMP theme that have by now become significant topics in their own right and illustrate the richness of the WIMP paradigm.
Topics & Concepts
WIMPWeakly interacting massive particlesPhysicsDark matterMassive particleParticle physicsAstronomyCosmologyScalar field dark matterDark energyDark Matter and Cosmic PhenomenaParticle physics theoretical and experimental studiesCosmology and Gravitation Theories