An X-Ray Line from eXciting Dark Matter
Douglas P. Finkbeiner, Neal Weiner

TL;DR
This paper explores a variant of eXciting Dark Matter (XDM) that produces an X-ray line at 3.56 keV, potentially explaining recent observations and connecting to other dark matter signals like gamma rays and DAMA.
Contribution
It introduces a new XDM scenario that explains the 3.56 keV X-ray line through excited state decays and discusses its implications for various astrophysical signals and direct detection.
Findings
XDM can produce the 3.56 keV X-ray line via excited state decay.
The model links the X-ray line to dark matter annihilation and decay processes.
Potential explanations for DAMA and other signals are discussed.
Abstract
The eXciting Dark Matter (XDM) model was proposed as a mechanism to efficiently convert the kinetic energy (in sufficiently hot environments) of dark matter into e+e- pairs. The standard scenario invokes a doublet of nearly degenerate DM states, and a dark force to mediate a large upscattering cross section between the two. For heavy () DM, the kinetic energy of WIMPs in large (galaxy-sized or larger) halos is capable of producing low-energy positrons. For lighter dark matter, this is kinematically impossible, and the unique observable signature becomes an X-ray line, arising from , followed by . This variant of XDM is distinctive from other DM X-ray scenarios in that it tends to be most present in more massive, hotter environments, such as clusters, rather than nearby dwarfs, and has different dependencies…
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Taxonomy
TopicsRelativity and Gravitational Theory · Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena · History and Developments in Astronomy
