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2025.8.27
QUP Researchers Show Dark Matter-Powered Early Stars Can Be Probed Using Terrestrial Detectors
A new study, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, demonstrates that faint but persistent neutrino signals—detectable with existing terrestrial experiments—could unveil a previously unknown population of first stars powered by dark matter, known as dark stars. The research was led by Thomas Schwemberger, a graduate student at the University of Oregon (USA), and Volodymyr Takhistov, Principal Investigator at the International Center for Quantum-field Measurement Systems for Studies of the Universe and Particles (WPI-QUP) at the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) in Japan.
Dark stars are hypothetical stellar objects that could have formed in the early Universe even before the first conventional stars, powered by heating from dark matter annihilation rather than nuclear fusion. These objects could have grown to enormous masses—over one million times that of the Sun—before collapsing into black holes, possibly seeding the supermassive black holes (SMBHs) now observed at the centers of galaxies. The study was initiated during Schwemberger’s visit to QUP through the QUPIP internship program to collaborate with Takhistov.
Detecting dark stars is very challenging. However, the new study shows that the diffuse flux of high-energy neutrinos produced by dark matter annihilation within these stars could be observed with existing terrestrial neutrino detectors. By analyzing data from the Super-Kamiokande and IceCube observatories, the international team placed the first neutrino-based constraints on the possible existence of dark stars and the properties of the dark matter particles that could power them. “Neutrino signals of dark stars are particularly exciting since they connect the formation of SMBHs to phenomena which can be observed here on Earth”, says Schwemberger.
Photo: Thomas Schwemberger (Credit: T. Schwemberger)
Looking ahead, next-generation detectors such as Hyper-Kamiokande—Japan’s flagship neutrino experiment in which KEK plays a central role—are expected to further enhance sensitivity to such signals. These findings open a new observational window into the origin of the Universe’s most massive black holes and showcase the powerful synergy between theoretical innovation and experimental capability—central to QUP’s mission to discover new quantum fields and their manifestations.
This work also connects to recent astrophysical observations, including candidate high-redshift galaxies identified by the James Webb Space Telescope, which may contain hints of dark stars. Together, these developments provide an exciting glimpse into the cosmic dawn and a novel path toward understanding the nature of dark matter.
Paper details
Journal: The Astrophysical Journal Letters 989（2025）L44
Title: Diffuse Neutrino Signals from Dark Stars Seeding Super-Massive Black Holes
Authors: Thomas Schwemberger (1), Volodymyr Takhistov (2,3,4,5)
DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ade5a9
Preprint (arXiv.org): https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.18654
Author affiliations:
1 Department of Physics and Institute for Fundamental Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
2 International Center for Quantum-field Measurement Systems for Studies of the Universe and Particles (QUP, WPI), High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Oho 1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan
3 Theory Center, Institute of Particle and Nuclear Studies (IPNS), High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Tsukuba 305-0801, Japan
4 Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan
5 Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (WPI), UTIAS, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8583, Japan
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