White dwarf constraints on dark matter particles

Abstract

Matter budget in the Universe together with primordial nucleosynthesis bounds on baryonic density suggests that dark matter in galaxies should have non-baryonic nature. On the other hand, considerable agreement of a variety of astrophysical observations with standard physics can serve as a source of constraints on non-standard ideas. In this context we consider G117-B15A pulsating white dwarf for which the rate of period change of its fundamental mode has been accurately measured. This star has been claimed the most stable oscillator ever recorded in the optical band. Here we use this object to derive a bound on theories with large extra dimensions as well as to constrain supersymmetric dark matter.