The WIMP-induced Gamma Ray Spectrum of Active Galactic Nuclei

TL;DR

This paper models the gamma ray spectrum from WIMP annihilation in active galactic nuclei, including multiple components, and compares predictions with Fermi telescope data to constrain dark matter models with extra dimensions.

Contribution

It extends previous analyses by incorporating all components of the WIMP-induced gamma ray spectrum in AGN within models of universal extra dimensions.

Findings

Model with two extra dimensions shows potentially observable features.

Gamma ray spectrum can constrain WIMP parameter space.

Comparison with Fermi data provides new limits on dark matter models.

Abstract

As direct and indirect dark matter detection experiments continue to place stringent constraints on WIMP masses and couplings, it becomes imperative to expand the scope of the search for particle dark matter by looking in new and exotic places. One such place may be the core of active galactic nuclei where the density of dark matter is expected to be extremely high. Recently, several groups have explored the possibility of observing signals of dark matter from its interactions with the high-energy jets emanating from these galaxies. In this work, we build upon these analyses by including the other components of the WIMP-induced gamma ray spectrum of active galactic nuclei; namely, (1) the continuum from WIMP annihilation into light standard model states which subsequently radiate and/or decay into photons and (2) the direct (loop-induced) decay into photons. We work in the context of models of universal extra dimensions (in particular, a model with two extra dimensions) and compute all three components of the gamma ray spectrum and compare with current data. We find that the model with two extra dimensions exhibits several interesting features which may be observable with the Fermi gamma ray telescope. We also show that, in conjunction with other measurements, the gamma ray spectrum from AGN can be an invaluable tool for restricting WIMP parameter space.