Abstract. Within the standard ΛCDM model of cosmology, the recent Planck measurements have shown discrepancies with other observations, e.g., measurements of the current expansion rate H 0 , the galaxy shear power spectrum and counts of galaxy clusters. We show that if ΛCDM is extended by a hot dark matter component, which could be interpreted as a sterile neutrino, the data sets can be combined consistently. A combination of Planck data, WMAP-9 polarisation data, measurements of the BAO scale, the HST measurement of H 0 , Planck galaxy cluster counts and galaxy shear data from the CFHTLens survey yields ∆N eff = 0.61 ± 0.30 and m eff s = (0.41 ± 0.13) eV at 1σ. The former is driven mainly by the large H 0 of the HST measurement, while the latter is driven by cluster data. CFHTLens galaxy shear data prefer ∆N eff > 0 and a non-zero mass. Taken together, we find hints for the presence of a hot dark matter component at 3σ. A sterile neutrino motivated by the reactor and gallium anomalies appears rejected at even higher significance and an accelerator anomaly sterile neutrino is found in tension at 2σ.

Despite the astonishing success of standard ΛCDM cosmology, there is mounting evidence for a tension with observations at small and intermediate scales. We introduce a simple model where both cold dark matter (DM) and sterile neutrinos are charged under a new U (1) X gauge interaction. The resulting DM self-interactions resolve the tension with the observed abundances and internal density structures of dwarf galaxies. At the same time, the sterile neutrinos can account for both the small hot DM component favored by cosmological observations and the neutrino anomalies found in short-baseline experiments.

Abstract:We study the scenario of gravitino DM with a general neutralino NLSP in a model independent way. We consider all neutralino decay channels and compare them with the most recent BBN constraints. We check how those bounds are relaxed for a Higgsino or a Wino NLSP in comparison to the Bino neutralino case and look for possible loopholes in the general MSSM parameter space. We determine constraints on the gravitino and neutralino NLSP mass and comment on the possibility of detecting these scenarios at colliders.

We study particle decay as the origin of dark radiation. After elaborating general properties and useful parametrisations we provide model-independent and easy-touse constraints from nucleosynthesis, the cosmic microwave background and structure formation. Bounds on branching ratios and mass hierarchies depend in a unique way on the time of decay. We demonstrate their power to exclude well-motivated scenarios taking the example of the lightest ordinary sparticle decaying into the gravitino. We point out signatures and opportunities in cosmological observations and structure formation. For example, if there are two dark decay modes, dark radiation and the observed dark matter with adjustable free-streaming can originate from the same decaying particle, solving small-scale problems of structure formation. Hot dark matter mimicking a neutrino mass scale as deduced from cosmological observations can arise and possibly be distinguished after a discovery. Our results can be used as a guideline for model building.