87 research outputs found
Kaluza-Klein Dark Matter, Electrons and Gamma Ray Telescopes
Kaluza-Klein dark matter particles can annihilate efficiently into
electron-positron pairs, providing a discrete feature (a sharp edge) in the
cosmic spectrum at an energy equal to the particle's mass (typically
several hundred GeV to one TeV). Although this feature is probably beyond the
reach of satellite or balloon-based cosmic ray experiments (those that
distinguish the charge and mass of the primary particle), gamma ray telescopes
may provide an alternative detection method. Designed to observe very
high-energy gamma-rays, ACTs also observe the diffuse flux of electron-induced
electromagnetic showers. The GLAST satellite, designed for gamma ray astronomy,
will also observe any high energy showers (several hundred GeV and above) in
its calorimeter. We show that high-significance detections of an
electron-positron feature from Kaluza-Klein dark matter annihilations are
possible with GLAST, and also with ACTs such as HESS, VERITAS or MAGIC.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure
Probing Neutralino Resonance Annihilation via Indirect Detection of Dark Matter
The lightest neutralino of R-parity conserving supersymmetric models serves
as a compelling candidate to account for the presence of cold dark matter in
the universe. In the minimal supergravity (mSUGRA) model, a relic density can
be found in accord with recent WMAP data for large values of the parameter
, where neutralino annihilation in the early universe occurs via the
broad s-channel resonance of the pseudoscalar Higgs boson . We map out rates
for indirect detection of neutralinos via 1. detection of neutrinos arising
from neutralino annihilation in the core of the earth or sun and 2. detection
of gamma rays, antiprotons and positrons arising from neutralino annihilation
in the galactic halo. If indeed -resonance annihilation is the main sink for
neutralinos in the early universe, then signals may occur in the gamma ray,
antiproton and positron channels, while a signal in the neutrino channel would
likely be absent. This is in contrast to the hyperbolic branch/focus point
(HB/FP) region where {\it all} indirect detection signals are likely to occur,
and also in contrast to the stau co-annihilation region, where {\it none} of
the indirect signals are likely to occur.Comment: 12 pages including 4 eps figure
Spinless photon dark matter from two universal extra dimensions
We explore the properties of dark matter in theories with two universal extra
dimensions, where the lightest Kaluza-Klein state is a spin-0 neutral particle,
representing a six-dimensional photon polarized along the extra dimensions.
Annihilation of this 'spinless photon' proceeds predominantly through Higgs
boson exchange, and is largely independent of other Kaluza-Klein particles. The
measured relic abundance sets an upper limit on the spinless photon mass of 500
GeV, which decreases to almost 200 GeV if the Higgs boson is light. The
phenomenology of this dark matter candidate is strikingly different from
Kaluza-Klein dark matter in theories with one universal extra dimension.
Elastic scattering of the spinless photon with quarks is helicity suppressed,
making its direct detection challenging, although possible at upcoming
experiments. The prospects for indirect detection with gamma rays and
antimatter are similar to those of neutralinos. The rates predicted at neutrino
telescopes are below the sensitivity of next-generation experiments.Comment: 22 pages. Figure 7 corrected, leading to improved prospects for
direct detection. Some clarifying remarks include
New Constraints from PAMELA anti-proton data on Annihilating and Decaying Dark Matter
Recently the PAMELA experiment has released its updated anti-proton flux and
anti-proton to proton flux ratio data up to energies of ~200GeV. With no clear
excess of cosmic ray anti-protons at high energies, one can extend constraints
on the production of anti-protons from dark matter. In this letter, we consider
both the cases of dark matter annihilating and decaying into standard model
particles that produce significant numbers of anti-protons. We provide two sets
of constraints on the annihilation cross-sections/decay lifetimes. In the one
set of constraints we ignore any source of anti-protons other than dark matter,
which give the highest allowed cross-sections/inverse lifetimes. In the other
set we include also anti-protons produced in collisions of cosmic rays with
interstellar medium nuclei, getting tighter but more realistic constraints on
the annihilation cross-sections/decay lifetimes.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 3 table
Gamma Lines without a Continuum: Thermal Models for the Fermi-LAT 130 GeV Gamma Line
Recent claims of a line in the Fermi-LAT photon spectrum at 130 GeV are
suggestive of dark matter annihilation in the galactic center and other dark
matter-dominated regions. If the Fermi feature is indeed due to dark matter
annihilation, the best-fit line cross-section, together with the lack of any
corresponding excess in continuum photons, poses an interesting puzzle for
models of thermal dark matter: the line cross-section is too large to be
generated radiatively from open Standard Model annihilation modes, and too
small to provide efficient dark matter annihilation in the early universe. We
discuss two mechanisms to solve this puzzle and illustrate each with a simple
reference model in which the dominant dark matter annihilation channel is
photonic final states. The first mechanism we employ is resonant annihilation,
which enhances the annihilation cross-section during freezeout and allows for a
sufficiently large present-day annihilation cross section. Second, we consider
cascade annihilation, with a hierarchy between p-wave and s-wave processes.
Both mechanisms require mass near-degeneracies and predict states with masses
closely related to the dark matter mass; resonant freezeout in addition
requires new charged particles at the TeV scale.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figure
Astrophysical Uncertainties in the Cosmic Ray Electron and Positron Spectrum From Annihilating Dark Matter
In recent years, a number of experiments have been conducted with the goal of
studying cosmic rays at GeV to TeV energies. This is a particularly interesting
regime from the perspective of indirect dark matter detection. To draw reliable
conclusions regarding dark matter from cosmic ray measurements, however, it is
important to first understand the propagation of cosmic rays through the
magnetic and radiation fields of the Milky Way. In this paper, we constrain the
characteristics of the cosmic ray propagation model through comparison with
observational inputs, including recent data from the CREAM experiment, and use
these constraints to estimate the corresponding uncertainties in the spectrum
of cosmic ray electrons and positrons from dark matter particles annihilating
in the halo of the Milky Way.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figure
Determining Supersymmetric Parameters With Dark Matter Experiments
In this article, we explore the ability of direct and indirect dark matter
experiments to not only detect neutralino dark matter, but to constrain and
measure the parameters of supersymmetry. In particular, we explore the
relationship between the phenomenological quantities relevant to dark matter
experiments, such as the neutralino annihilation and elastic scattering cross
sections, and the underlying characteristics of the supersymmetric model, such
as the values of mu (and the composition of the lightest neutralino), m_A and
tan beta. We explore a broad range of supersymmetric models and then focus on a
smaller set of benchmark models. We find that by combining astrophysical
observations with collider measurements, mu can often be constrained far more
tightly than it can be from LHC data alone. In models in the A-funnel region of
parameter space, we find that dark matter experiments can potentially determine
m_A to roughly +/-100 GeV, even when heavy neutral MSSM Higgs bosons (A, H_1)
cannot be observed at the LHC. The information provided by astrophysical
experiments is often highly complementary to the information most easily
ascertained at colliders.Comment: 46 pages, 76 figure
Absolute electron and positron fluxes from PAMELA/Fermi and Dark Matter
We extract the positron and electron fluxes in the energy range 10 - 100 GeV
by combining the recent data from PAMELA and Fermi LAT. The {\it absolute
positron and electron} fluxes thus obtained are found to obey the power laws:
and respectively, which can be confirmed by the
upcoming data from PAMELA. The positron flux appears to indicate an excess at
energies E\gsim 50 GeV even if the uncertainty in the secondary positron flux
is added to the Galactic positron background. This leaves enough motivation for
considering new physics, such as annihilation or decay of dark matter, as the
origin of positron excess in the cosmic rays.Comment: Accepted by JCA
Slightly Non-Minimal Dark Matter in PAMELA and ATIC
We present a simple model in which dark matter couples to the standard model
through a light scalar intermediary that is itself unstable. We find this model
has several notable features, and allows a natural explanation for a surplus of
positrons, but no surplus of anti-protons, as has been suggested by early data
from PAMELA and ATIC. Moreover, this model yields a very small nucleon
coupling, well below the direct detection limits. In this paper we explore the
effect of this model in both the early universe and in the galaxy.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, v3: updated for new data, added discussion of
Ferm
Probing Kaluza-Klein Dark Matter with Neutrino Telescopes
In models in which all of the Standard Model fields live in extra universal
dimensions, the lightest Kaluza-Klein (KK) particle can be stable. Calculations
of the one-loop radiative corrections to the masses of the KK modes suggest
that the identity of the lightest KK particle (LKP) is mostly the first KK
excitation of the hypercharge gauge boson. This LKP is a viable dark matter
candidate with an ideal present-day relic abundance if its mass is moderately
large, between 600 to 1200 GeV. Such weakly interacting dark matter particles
are expected to become gravitationally trapped in large bodies, such as the
Sun, and annihilate into neutrinos or other particles that decay into
neutrinos. We calculate the annihilation rate, neutrino flux and the resulting
event rate in present and future neutrino telescopes. The relatively large mass
implies that the neutrino energy spectrum is expected to be well above the
energy threshold of AMANDA and IceCube. We find that the event rate in IceCube
is between a few to tens of events per year.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, LaTeX; typos fixed, version to appear in PR
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