Neutrinos from captured dark matter annihilation in a galactic population of neutron stars

TL;DR

This paper explores how neutrinos from dark matter annihilation in neutron stars could be detected by large neutrino observatories, providing new constraints on dark matter properties in the TeV-PeV mass range.

Contribution

It introduces an improved method to probe dark matter-neutron interactions via neutrino signals from neutron stars, surpassing current experimental limits.

Findings

Enhanced sensitivity to dark matter interactions in neutrino detectors.

Potential to constrain dark matter properties in the TeV-PeV mass range.

Feasible detection prospects with existing and upcoming neutrino observatories.

Abstract

Particulate dark matter captured by a population of neutron stars distributed around the galactic center while annihilating through long-lived mediators can give rise to an observable neutrino flux. We examine the prospect of an idealised gigaton detector like IceCube/KM3NeT in probing such scenarios. Within this framework, we report an improved reach in spin-dependent and spin-independent dark matter nucleon cross-section below the current limits for dark matter masses in the TeV-PeV range.