A no-go theorem for the dark matter interpretation of the positron anomaly

TL;DR

Recent gamma-ray background measurements severely constrain dark matter explanations for the observed excess of high-energy cosmic positrons, challenging their viability.

Contribution

This paper demonstrates that gamma-ray observations impose strong constraints that make dark matter interpretations of the positron anomaly highly unlikely.

Findings

Gamma-ray data conflicts with dark matter decay or annihilation models.

Dark matter explanations are practically ruled out by gamma-ray constraints.

Abstract

The overabundance of high-energy cosmic positrons, observed by PAMELA and AMS-02, can be considered as the consequence of dark matter decays or annihilations. We show that recent FERMI/LAT measurements of the isotropic diffuse gamma-ray background impose severe constraints on dark matter explanations and make them practically inconsistent.