The signal of decaying dark matter with hydrodynamical simulations

TL;DR

This study uses hydrodynamical simulations to analyze the potential X-ray signals from decaying dark matter, assessing uncertainties and comparing predictions with observations to support the dark matter interpretation of the 3.55 keV line.

Contribution

It provides the first systematic analysis of decay flux uncertainties across galaxy types using hydrodynamic simulations, including specific observational predictions.

Findings

Non-detections are consistent with dark matter decay models.

Predicted line widths for galaxy clusters are 1300-1700 km/s.

Simulations match observed fluxes and line widths, supporting dark matter origin.

Abstract

Dark matter particles may decay, emitting photons. Drawing on the EAGLE family of hydrodynamic simulations of galaxy formation -- including the APOSTLE and C-EAGLE simulations -- we assess the systematic uncertainties and scatter on the decay flux from different galaxy classes, from Milky Way satellites to galaxy clusters, and compare our results to studies of the 3.55~keV line. We demonstrate that previous detections and non-detections of this line are consistent with a dark matter interpretation. For example, in our simulations the width of the the dark matter decay line for Perseus-analogue galaxy clusters lies in the range 1300-1700~\kms. Therefore, the non-detection of the 3.55~keV line in the centre of the Perseus cluster by the {\it Hitomi} collaboration is consistent with detections by other instruments. We also consider trends with stellar and halo mass and evaluate the scatter in the expected fluxes arising from the anisotropic halo mass distribution and from object-to-object variations. We provide specific predictions for observations with {\it XMM-Newton} and with the planned X-ray telescopes {\it XRISM} and {\it ATHENA}. If future detections of unexplained X-ray lines match our predictions, including line widths, we will have strong evidence that we have discovered the dark matter.