A Search for a keV Signature of Radiatively Decaying Dark Matter with Suzaku XIS Observations of the X-ray Diffuse Background

TL;DR

This study conducted a deep search for keV-scale X-ray emission lines from non-baryonic dark matter using Suzaku XIS data, finding no significant signals and setting upper limits on potential dark matter decay signatures.

Contribution

The paper presents the most sensitive search to date for X-ray lines from decaying dark matter in the 0.5-7 keV range using extensive Suzaku data and improved background subtraction techniques.

Findings

No significant dark matter decay line detected.

Set upper limits on line intensity at 3σ confidence.

Constrained sterile neutrino dark matter parameters.

Abstract

We performed the deepest search for an X-ray emission line between 0.5 and 7 keV from non-baryonic dark matter with the Suzaku XIS. Dark matter associated with the Milky Way galaxy was selected as the target to obtain the best signal-to-noise ratio. From the Suzaku archive, we selected 187 data sets of blank sky regions which were dominated by the X-ray diffuse background. The data sets were from 2005 to 2013. Instrumental responses were adjusted by multiple calibration data sets of the Crab Nebula. We also improved the technique of subtracting lines of instrumental origin. These energy spectra were well described by X-ray emission due to charge exchange around the Solar System, hot plasma in and around the Milky Way and superposition of extra-galactic point sources. A signal of a narrow emission line was searched for, and the significance of detection was evaluated in consideration of the blind search method (the Look-elsewhere Effect). Our results exhibited no significant detection of an emission line feature from dark matter. The 3$\sigma$ upper limit for the emission line intensity between 1 and 7 keV was $\sim10^{-2}$ photons cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ sr$^{-1}$, or $\sim 5\times10^{-4}$ photons cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ sr$^{-1}$ per $M_\odot$ pc$^{-2}$, assuming a dark matter distribution with the Galactic rotation curve. The parameters of sterile neutrinos as candidates of dark matter were also constrained.