Neutrino Constraints on the Dark Matter Total Annihilation Cross Section

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that analyzing neutrino signals from the Milky Way halo provides significantly improved constraints on the total dark matter annihilation cross section compared to cosmic signals, highlighting a promising indirect detection method.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel approach focusing on the Milky Way halo neutrino signals to set tighter bounds on dark matter annihilation, surpassing previous cosmic signal constraints.

Findings

Milky Way halo signals yield 10-100 times stronger constraints.

Neutrino-based limits are conservative but more robust.

Potential for further improvements with dedicated experiments.

Abstract

In the indirect detection of dark matter through its annihilation products, the signals depend on the square of the dark matter density, making precise knowledge of the distribution of dark matter in the Universe critical for robust predictions. Many studies have focused on regions where the dark matter density is greatest, e.g., the Galactic Center, as well as on the cosmic signal arising from all halos in the Universe. We focus on the signal arising from the whole Milky Way halo; this is less sensitive to uncertainties in the dark matter distribution, and especially for flatter profiles, this halo signal is larger than the cosmic signal. We illustrate this by considering a dark matter model in which the principal annihilation products are neutrinos. Since neutrinos are the least detectable Standard Model particles, a limit on their flux conservatively bounds the dark matter total self-annihilation cross section from above. By using the Milky Way halo signal, we show that previous constraints using the cosmic signal can be improved on by 1-2 orders of magnitude; dedicated experimental analyses should be able to improve both by an additional 1-2 orders of magnitude.