Direct dark matter searches - Test of the Big Bounce Cosmology
  We consider the possibility of using dark matter particle's mass and its
interaction cross section as a smoking gun signal of the existence of a Big
Bounce at the early stage in the evolution of our currently observed universe.
A study of dark matter production in the pre-bounce contraction and the post
bounce expansion epochs of this universe reveals a new venue for achieving the
observed relic abundance of our present universe. Specifically, it predicts a
characteristic relation governing a dark matter mass and interaction cross
section and a factor of $1/2$ in thermally averaged cross section, as compared
to the non-thermal production in standard cosmology, is needed for creating
enough dark matter particle to satisfy the currently observed relic abundance
because dark matter is being created during the pre-bounce contraction, in
addition to the post-bounce expansion. As the production rate is lower than the
Hubble expansion rate information of the bounce universe evolution is
preserved. Therefore once the value of dark matter mass and interaction cross
section are obtained by direct detection in laboratories, this alternative
route becomes a signature prediction of the bounce universe scenario. This
leads us to consider a scalar dark matter candidate, which if it is light, has
important implications on dark matter searches.
