Quantum coherence and the invisible Universe: Subradiance as a dark matter mechanism

We investigate the role of quantum entanglement and coherence in suppressing radiation and explore its implications for dark matter. Using Dicke's framework, we demonstrate that entangled states in a gas at thermal equilibrium can lead to subradiance, trapping energy in dark quantum states and reducing radiation intensity. Applying this to the 21 cm line in dark matter halos, we find that quantum coherence renders the gas effectively dark. Moreover, entanglement results in a vanishing collision cross-section, consistent with the collisionless nature of dark matter observed in systems like the bullet cluster. We also show that absorption of incident radiation can exceed levels predicted by Beer's law, which holds only in the absence of coherence. These findings suggest that quantum entanglement and coherence may explain the non-luminous behavior of matter in dark matter halos, offering a novel perspective on dark matter and advancing the understanding of astrophysical radiative processes.
Comment: Main text: 17 pages, Total: 33 pages, 7 figures