Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr James Nightingale
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
© 2026 American Physical Society. Self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) represents a compelling alternative to collisionless dark matter, with diverse phenomenological signals from dwarf galaxy to galaxy cluster scales. We present new constraints on the SIDM cross section from the galaxy cluster MACS J0138-2155, host to the strongly lensed supernovae Requiem and Encore. Our analysis combines strong gravitational lensing with spatially resolved stellar kinematics of the central galaxy, employing several methodological advances over previous cluster-scale SIDM studies. The result is a self-consistent measurement of the density profile of MACS J0138-2155 across two orders of magnitude in radius. Our lensing and kinematics analyses individually yield highly consistent results, and from their combination, we report a 95% confidence upper limit on the SIDM cross section of σ/m < 0.613 cm2/g, at an interaction velocity of (vpair) < 2090 km/s. This constraint, derived from the most detailed single-system analysis to date, is competitive with previous cluster-scale limits while demonstrating the power of combining complementary gravitational probes. The methodology developed here advances precision cluster lens modeling and will inform future studies of dark matter physics, as well as time-delay cosmography in this unique strong lensing system. Additionally, our results imply SN Requiem will reappear sooner than previously reported, with a lo CL between January 2027 and November 2028 at H0 = 67.7 kms-1 Mpc-1.
Author(s): O'Donnell JH, Roberts MG, Nightingale J, Flowers A, Aldas D
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Physical Review D
Year: 2026
Volume: 113
Issue: 6
Online publication date: 16/03/2026
Acceptance date: 18/02/2026
ISSN (print): 2470-0010
ISSN (electronic): 2470-0029
Publisher: American Physical Society
URL: https://doi.org/10.1103/hfgd-245k
DOI: 10.1103/hfgd-245k
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
