Signatures of Compact Halos of Sterile-Neutrino Dark Matter

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential observable signals from compact halos of sterile-neutrino dark matter, highlighting the prospects for detection via X-ray, gamma-ray, and neutrino telescopes, especially IceCube.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of detecting sterile-neutrino dark matter through compact halos and assesses their observable signatures across multiple high-energy astrophysical instruments.

Findings

Detection possible with X-ray and gamma-ray telescopes.

IceCube can detect neutrinos above 10 TeV from these halos.

Parameter ranges exist where detection is feasible in the near future.

Abstract

We investigate compact halos of sterile-neutrino dark matter and examine observable signatures with respect to neutrino and photon emission. Primarily, we consider two cases: primordial black-hole halos and ultra-compact mini-halos. In both cases, we find that there exists a broad range of possible parameter choices such that detection in the near future with X-ray and gamma-ray telescopes might be well possible. In fact, for energies above $10\,{\rm TeV}$, the neutrino telescope IceCube would be a splendid detection machine for such macroscopic dark-matter candidates.