Annihilating asymmetric dark matter

Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2012

Asymmetric Dark Matter (ADM) models invoke a particle-antiparticle asymmetry, similar to the one observed in the Baryon sector, to account for the Dark Matter (DM) abundance. Both asymmetries are usually generated by the same mechanism and generally related, thus predicting DM masses around 5 GeV in order to obtain the correct density. The main challenge for successful models is to ensure efficient annihilation of the thermally produced symmetric component of such a light DM candidate without violating constraints from collider or direct searches. A common way to overcome this involves a light mediator, into which DM can efficiently annihilate and which subsequently decays into Standard Model particles. Here we explore the scenario where the light mediator decays instead into lighter degrees of freedom in the dark sector that act as radiation in the early Universe. While this assumption makes indirect DM searches challenging, it leads to signals of extra radiation at BBN and CMB. Under certain conditions, precise measurements of the number of relativistic species, such as those expected from the Planck satellite, can provide information on the structure of the dark sector. We also discuss the constraints of the interactions between DM and Dark Radiation from their imprint in the matter power spectrum.

Journal of High Energy Physics, 2020

We show that a general semi-annihilation scenario, in which a pair of dark matter (DM) particles annihilate to an anti-DM, and an unstable state that can mix with or decay to standard model states, can lead to particle anti-particle asymmetry in the DM sector. The present DM abundance, including the CP-violation in the DM sector and the resulting present asymmetry are determined entirely by a single semi-annihilation process at next-to-leading order. For large CP-violation in this process, we find that a nearly complete asymmetry can be obtained in the DM sector, with the observed DM density being dominated by the (anti-)DM particle. The presence of additional pair-annihilation processes can modify the ratio of DM and anti-DM number densities further, if the pair-annihilation is active subsequent to the decoupling of the semi-annihilation. For such a scenario, the required CP-violation for generating the same present asymmetry is generically much smaller, as compared to the scenario...

Physical Review D, 2008

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, <sigma_A v>_{gamma gamma}, 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(gamma gamma), were known, then <sigma_A v>_{gamma gamma} / Br(gamma gamma) would define an upper limit on the total cross section; we conservatively assume Br(gamma gamma) > 10^{-4}. An upper limit on the total cross section can also be derived by considering the appearance rates of any Standard Model particles; in practice, this limit is defined by neutrinos, which are the least detectable. For intermediate dark matter masses, gamma-ray-based and neutrino-based upper limits on the total cross section are comparable, while the gamma-ray limit is stronger for small masses and the neutrino limit is stronger for large masses. We comment on how these results depend on the assumptions about astrophysical inputs and annihilation final states, and how GLAST and other gamma-ray experiments can improve upon them.

Physical Review D, 2009

We consider a simple class of models in which the relic density of dark matter is determined by the baryon asymmetry of the universe. In these models a B −L asymmetry generated at high temperatures is transfered to the dark matter, which is charged under B − L. The interactions that transfer the asymmetry decouple at temperatures above the dark matter mass, freezing in a dark matter asymmetry of order the baryon asymmetry. This explains the observed relation between the baryon and dark matter densities for dark matter mass in the range 5-15 GeV. The symmetric component of the dark matter can annihilate efficiently to light pseudoscalar Higgs particles a, or via t-channel exchange of new scalar doublets. The first possibility allows for h 0 → aa decays, while the second predicts a light charged Higgs-like scalar decaying to τ ν. Direct detection can arise from Higgs exchange in the first model, or a nonzero magnetic moment in the second. In supersymmetric models, the would-be LSP can decay into pairs of dark matter particles plus standard model particles, possibly with displaced vertices.

We discuss the γ-ray signal to be expected from dark matter (DM) annihilations at the Galactic center. We describe the DM distribution in the Galactic halo, based on the Jeans equation for self-gravitating, anisotropic equilibria. In solving the Jeans equation, we adopted the specific correlation between the density ρ(r) and the velocity dispersion σ^2_r(r) expressed by the powerlaw behavior of the DM “entropy” K≡ σ_r^2/ρ2/3∝ r^α with α ≈ 1.25-1.3. Indicated (among others) by several recent N-body simulations, this correlation is privileged by the form of the radial pressure term in the Jeans equation, and it yields a main-body profile consistent with the classic self-similar development of DM halos. In addition, we required the Jeans solutions to satisfy regular boundary conditions both at the center (finite pressure, round gravitational potential) and on the outskirts (finite overall mass). With these building blocks, we derived physical solutions, dubbed “α-profiles”. We find the one with α = 1.25, suitable for the Galaxy halo, to be intrinsically flatter at the center than the empirical NFW formula, yet steeper than the empirical Einasto profile. On scales of 10-1 deg it yields annihilation fluxes lower by a factor 5 than the former, yet higher by a factor 10 than the latter. Such fluxes will eventually fall within the reach of the Fermi satellite. We show the effectiveness of the α-profile in relieving the astrophysical uncertainties related to the macroscopic DM distribution, and discuss its expected performance as a tool instrumental in interpreting the upcoming γ-ray data in terms of DM annihilation.

Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2010

We analyze the recently published Fermi-LAT diffuse gamma-ray measurements in the context of leptonically annihilating or decaying dark matter (DM) with the aim to explain simultaneously the isotropic diffuse gamma-ray and the PAMELA, Fermi and HESS (PFH) anomalous e ± data. Five different DM annihilation/decay channels 2e, 2µ, 2τ , 4e, or 4µ (the latter two via an intermediate light particle φ) are generated with PYTHIA. We calculate both the Galactic and extragalactic prompt and inverse Compton (IC) contributions to the resulting gamma-ray spectra. To find the Galactic IC spectra we use the interstellar radiation field model from the latest release of GALPROP. For the extragalactic signal we show that the amplitude of the prompt gamma-emission is very sensitive to the assumed model for the extragalactic background light. For our Galaxy we use the Einasto, NFW and cored isothermal DM density profiles and include the effects of DM substructure assuming a simple subhalo model. Our calculations show that for the annihilating DM the extragalactic gamma-ray signal can dominate only if rather extreme power-law concentrationmass relation C(M) is used, while more realistic C(M) relations make the extragalactic component comparable or subdominant to the Galactic signal. For the decaying DM the Galactic signal always exceeds the extragalactic one. In the case of annihilating DM the PFH favored parameters can be ruled out by gamma-ray constraints only if power-law C(M) relation is assumed. For DM decaying into 2µ or 4µ the PFH favored DM parameters are not in conflict with the gamma-ray data. We find that, due to the (almost) featureless Galactic IC spectrum and the DM halo substructure, annihilating DM may give a good simultaneous fit to the isotropic diffuse gamma-ray and to the PFH e ± data without being in clear conflict with the other Fermi-LAT gamma-ray measurements.

Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2009

Context. The PAMELA, Fermi and HESS experiments (PFH) have shown anomalous excesses in the cosmic positron and electron fluxes. A very exciting possibility is that those excesses are due to annihilating dark matter (DM). Aims. In this paper we calculate constraints on leptonically annihilating DM using observational data on diffuse extragalactic γ-ray background and measurements of the optical depth to the last-scattering surface, and compare those with the PFH favored region in the m DM − σ A υ plane. Methods. Having specified the detailed form of the energy input with PYTHIA Monte Carlo tools we solve the radiative transfer equation which allows us to determine the amount of energy being absorbed by the cosmic medium and also the amount left over for the diffuse gamma background. Results. We find that the constraints from the optical depth measurements are able to rule out the PFH favored region fully for the τ − + τ + annihilation channel and almost fully for the μ − + μ + annihilation channel. It turns out that those constraints are quite robust with almost no dependence on low redshift clustering boost. The constraints from the γ-ray background are sensitive to the assumed halo concentration model and, for the power law model, rule out the PFH favored region for all leptonic annihilation channels. We also find that it is possible to have models that fully ionize the Universe at low redshifts. However, those models produce too large free electron fractions at z 100 and are in conflict with the optical depth measurements. Also, the magnitude of the annihilation cross-section in those cases is larger than suggested by the PFH data.

2010

Cold dark matter particles with an intrinsic matter-antimatter asymmetry do not annihilate after gravitational capture by the Sun and can affect its interior structure. The rate of capture is exponentially enhanced when such particles have self-interactions of the right order to explain structure formation on galactic scales. A 'dark baryon' of mass 5 GeV is a natural candidate and has the required relic abundance if its asymmetry is similar to that of ordinary baryons. We show that such particles can solve the 'solar composition problem'. The predicted small decrease in the low energy neutrino fluxes may be measurable by the Borexino and SNO+ experiments.

Physical Review D, 2011

Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2012

We show how cosmic gamma rays can be used to constrain models of asymmetric Dark Matter decaying into lepton pairs by violating flavor. First of all we require the models to explain the anomalies in the charged cosmic rays measured by PAMELA, Fermi and H.E.S.S.; performing combined fits we determine the allowed values of the Dark Matter mass and lifetime. For these models, we then determine the constraints coming from the measurement of the isotropic γ-ray background by Fermi for a complete set of lepton flavor violating primary modes and over a range of DM masses from 100 GeV to 10 TeV. We find that the Fermi constraints rule out the flavor violating asymmetric Dark Matter interpretation of the charged cosmic ray anomalies.