How dark matter cares about topological superstrings

TL;DR

This paper explores how topological properties of superstring world-sheets influence dark matter annihilation signals, predicting potential gamma-ray signatures detectable by future observations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel connection between topological superstring effects and dark matter annihilation, predicting observable gamma-ray signals.

Findings

Dark matter annihilation into gamma rays may be detectable soon.

Topological superstring effects can influence dark matter phenomenology.

Predicted gamma-ray flux is close to current observational limits.

Abstract

Non-trivial toplogical properties of string world-sheets with three boundaries can give rise to superpotentials which preserve supersymmetry but violate R-symmetry by two units. This results in four point functions which permit s-wave annihilation of two neutralinos into gauge bosons. If the topological partition function is such as to allow saturation of the WMAP dark matter density for low string scales (M_s ~ 2 TeV), the annihilation into monochromatic gamma rays is predicted to lie about a factor of 2 below the current H.E.S.S. measurement of gamma ray flux from the galactic center. Thus, it may be detectable in the next round of gamma ray observations.