# Indirect searches of Galactic diffuse dark matter in INO-MagICAL detector

## TL;DR

This paper evaluates the potential of the INO-MagICAL neutrino detector to indirectly detect Galactic diffuse dark matter by setting limits on dark matter annihilation and decay parameters through neutrino observations.

## Contribution

It demonstrates the capability of the proposed 50 kt MagICAL detector to constrain dark matter properties in mass ranges previously unexplored, using neutrino flux measurements.

## Key findings

- Sets competitive limits on dark matter annihilation cross-section.
- Establishes constraints on dark matter decay lifetime.
- Shows MagICAL's potential in indirect dark matter searches.

## Abstract

The signatures for the existence of dark matter are revealed only through its gravitational interaction. Theoretical arguments support that the Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) can be a class of dark matter and it can annihilate and/or decay to Standard Model particles, among which neutrino is a favorable candidate. We show that the proposed 50 kt Magnetized Iron CALorimeter (MagICAL) detector under the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project can play an important role in the indirect searches of Galactic diffuse dark matter in the neutrino and antineutrino mode separately. We present the sensitivity of 500 kt$\cdot$yr MagICAL detector to set limits on the velocity-averaged self-annihilation cross-section ($\langle\sigma v\rangle$) and decay lifetime ($\tau$) of dark matter having mass in the range of 2 GeV $\leq m_\chi \leq $ 90 GeV and 4 GeV $\leq m_\chi \leq $ 180 GeV respectively, assuming no excess over the conventional atmospheric neutrino and antineutrino fluxes at the INO site. Our limits for low mass dark matter constrain the parameter space which has not been explored before. We show that MagICAL will be able to set competitive constraints, $\langle\sigma v\rangle\leq 1.87\,\times\,10^{-24}$ cm$^3$ s$^{-1}$ for $\chi\chi\rightarrow\nu\bar\nu$ and $\tau\geq 4.8\,\times\,10^{24}$ s for $\chi\rightarrow\nu\bar\nu$ at 90$\%$ C.L. (1 d.o.f.) for $m_\chi$ = 10 GeV assuming the NFW as dark matter density profile.