Search of Dark Matter Annihilation in the Galactic Centre using the ANTARES Neutrino Telescope

TL;DR

This study used the ANTARES neutrino telescope data from 2007-2012 to search for neutrinos from dark matter annihilation in the Galactic Centre, setting upper limits on annihilation cross-sections and finding no excess over background.

Contribution

First to analyze ANTARES data for dark matter annihilation signals from the Galactic Centre, establishing the most stringent neutrino-based limits for WIMP masses between 25 GeV and 10 TeV.

Findings

No excess neutrinos detected from the Galactic Centre.

Set the most stringent limits on WIMP annihilation cross-section for certain mass ranges.

Provided constraints on dark matter models based on neutrino observations.

Abstract

A search for high-energy neutrinos coming from the direction of the Galactic Centre is performed using the data recorded by the ANTARES neutrino telescope from 2007 to 2012. The event selection criteria are chosen to maximise the sensitivity to possible signals produced by the self-annihilation of weakly interacting massive particles accumulated around the centre of the Milky Way with respect to the atmospheric background. After data unblinding, the number of neutrinos observed in the line of sight of the Galactic Centre is found to be compatible with background expectations. The 90% C.L. upper limits in terms of the neutrino+anti-neutrino flux, $\rm \Phi_{\nu_{\mu}+\bar{\nu}_\mu}$, and the velocity averaged annihilation cross-section, $\rm <\sigma_{A}v>$, are derived for the WIMP self-annihilation channels into $\rm b\bar{b},W^{+}W^{-},\tau^{+}\tau^{-},\mu^{+}\mu^{-},\nu\bar{\nu}$. The ANTARES limits for $\rm <\sigma_{A}v>$ are shown to be the most stringent for a neutrino telescope over the WIMP masses $\rm 25\,GeV < M_{WIMP} < 10\,TeV$.