Journal article

Conservative constraints on dark matter annihilation into gamma rays

Gregory D Mack, Thomas D Jacques, John F Beacom, Nicole F Bell, Hasan Yueksel

PHYSICAL REVIEW D | AMER PHYSICAL SOC | Published : 2008

Abstract

Using gamma-ray data from observations of the Milky Way, Andromeda (M31), and the cosmic background, we calculate conservative upper limits on the dark matter self-annihilation cross section to monoenergetic gamma rays, σAv γγ, over a wide range of dark matter masses. (In fact, over most of this range, our results are unchanged if one considers just the branching ratio to gamma rays with energies within a factor of a few of the endpoint at the dark matter mass.) If the final-state branching ratio to gamma rays, Br(γγ), were known, then σAv γγ/Br(γγ) would define an upper limit on the total cross section; we conservatively assume Br(γγ) 10-4. An upper limit on the total cross section can also..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by Department of Energy


Awarded by NSF CAREER


Funding Acknowledgements

We thank Brian Baughman, Matt Kistler, Shmuel Nussinov, Sergio Palomares-Ruiz, and Casey Watson for useful discussions and comments. G. D. M. was supported by the Department of Energy Grant No. DE-FG02-91ER40690, T. D. J. by the Commonwealth of Australia, N. F. B. by the University of Melbourne Early Career Researcher and Melbourne Research Grant Schemes, and J. F. B. and H. Y. by NSF CAREER Grant No. PHY-0547102 to J. F. B.