Constraining heavy decaying dark matter with the high energy gamma-ray limits

TL;DR

This paper uses recent ultra-high energy gamma-ray limits to constrain the properties of decaying dark matter with very high masses, and explores a potential dark matter decay origin for a tentative 100 PeV photon flux.

Contribution

It provides new constraints on heavy decaying dark matter parameters using gamma-ray observations and discusses a possible dark matter explanation for a tentative PeV photon flux.

Findings

Limits on dark matter mass and lifetime derived from gamma-ray flux data.

Potential dark matter decay explanation for the 100 PeV photon flux.

Abstract

We consider decaying dark matter with masses $10^{7} \lesssim M \lesssim 10^{16}$ GeV, as a source of ultra-high energy (UHE) gamma rays. Using recent limits on UHE gamma-ray flux for energies $E_\gamma > 2 \cdot 10^{14}$ eV, provided by extensive air shower observatories, we put limits on masses and lifetimes of the dark matter. We also discuss possible dark matter decay origin of tentative 100 PeV photon flux detected with EAS-MSU experiment.