Dr. Divya Singh

In this talk, I will explore how gravitational-wave (GW) observations of compact binary mergers can provide insight into properties of dark matter through examples of specific models which predict the formation of compact objects detectable by current and future GW detectors. GW signals from black hole binaries that form from the cooling and gravitational collapse of dissipative dark matter halos constrain the mass spectrum of such objects. On the other hand, if asymmetric dark matter accumulation in the cores of neutron stars could cause their implosion to form solar-mass black hole's, and if present in binary systems, will produce detectable GW signals. In particular, the detection of a sub-solar mass black hole will provide decisive evidence for new physics, and possibly formation channels involving dark matter. Searches for GW signals from sub-solar mass compact objects have been conducted in data from LIGO-Virgo detectors with no detections so far. However, they constrain the merger rates of such binaries which in turn provide useful constraints for dark matter candidates like primordial black holes.