
Visinelli and Gondolo [Phys. Rev. D 91, 083526 (2015).PRVDAQ1550-799810.1103/PhysRevD.91.083526, hereafter VG15] derived analytic expressions for the evolution of the dark matter temperature in a generic cosmological model. They then calculated the dark matter kinetic decoupling temperature Tkd and compared their results to the Gelmini and Gondolo [J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 10 (2008) 002.JCAPBP1475-751610.1088/1475-7516/2008/10/002, hereafter GG08] calculation of Tkd in an early matter-dominated era (EMDE), which occurs when the Universe is dominated by either a decaying oscillating scalar field or a semistable massive particle before Big Bang nucleosynthesis. VG15 found that dark matter decouples at a lower temperature in an EMDE than it would in a radiation-dominated era, while GG08 found that dark matter decouples at a higher temperature in an EMDE than it would in a radiation-dominated era. VG15 attributed this discrepancy to the presence of a matching constant that ensures that the dark matter temperature is continuous during the transition from the EMDE to the subsequent radiation-dominated era and concluded that the GG08 result is incorrect. We show that the disparity is due to the fact that VG15 compared Tkd in an EMDE to the decoupling temperature in a radiation-dominated universe that would result in the same dark matter temperature at late times. Since decoupling during an EMDE leaves the dark matter colder than it would be if it decoupled during radiation domination, this temperature is much higher than Tkd in a standard thermal history, which is indeed lower than Tkd in an EMDE, as stated by GG08.
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO), FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO), FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 5 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
