Gravitational wave probes of particle dark matter: A review

Various theories of dark matter predict distinctive astrophysical signatures in gravitational-wave sources that could be observed by ground- and space-based laser interferometers. Different candidates—including axions, dark photons, macroscopic dark matter, WIMPs and dark-matter spikes—may appear in interferometer data via their coupling to gravity or the Standard Model, altering the measured gravitational-wave strain in distinct ways. Despite their differences, these candidates share two key features: (1) they can be probed through their effects on gravitational waves from inspiraling compact objects, isolated black holes and neutron stars, or via direct interactions with detectors and (2) their signatures likely persist far longer than the seconds-long mergers detected today, necessitating new data analysis methods beyond matched filtering. This review outlines these dark matter candidates, their observational signatures and approaches for their detection.