An Ultimate Target for Dark Matter Searches

TL;DR

This paper establishes fundamental lower bounds on dark matter detection signals based on WIMP physics, guiding future experimental efforts across multiple detection methods.

Contribution

It derives universal lower limits on dark matter signals from WIMP annihilation and interactions, informing the potential of various detection techniques.

Findings

Lower limits on gamma-ray flux from Galactic center WIMP annihilation

Minimum expected signals for direct WIMP detection experiments

Constraints on neutrino fluxes from WIMP annihilation in the Sun

Abstract

The combination of S-matrix unitarity and the dynamics of thermal freeze-out for massive relic particles (denoted here simply by WIMPs) implies a lower limit on the density of such particles, that provide a (potentially sub-dominant) contribution to dark matter. This then translates to lower limits to the signal rates for a variety of techniques for direct and indirect detection of dark matter. For illustration, we focus on models where annihilation is s-wave dominated. We derive lower limits to the flux of gamma-rays from WIMP annihilation at the Galactic center; direct detection of WIMPs; energetic neutrinos from WIMP annihilation in the Sun; and the effects of WIMPs on the angular power spectrum and frequency spectrum of the cosmic microwave background radiation. The results suggest that a variety of dark-matter-search techniques may provide interesting avenues to seek new physics, even if WIMPs do not constitute all the dark matter. While the limits are quantitatively some distance from the reach of current measurements, they may be interesting for long-range planning exercises.