Detection of Bosenova With Quantum Sensing Experiments

Ultralight Scalar Dark Matter (ULDM) is a compelling candidate for dark matter due to the ubiquity of scalar fields in theories beyond the Standard Model. Such fields can aggregate to form stable bound boson star configurations. ULDM self-interactions in such stars can result in explosive bosenova emission of highly relativistic bosons carrying enormous amounts of energy. Interactions of ULDM coupled to electrons, photons and gluons can lead to observable variations in fundamental constants that are within the reach of current and future experiments. A bosenova event in the vicinity of the Earth would lead to a transient increase in signal compared to cold dark matter by many orders of magnitude. We show that critical screening due to the Earth for quadratic ULDM couplings calls for space-based searches of ULDM.