Constraints on Self-Interacting dark matter from relaxed galaxy groups

TL;DR

This study constrains the self-interacting dark matter cross-section using X-ray observations of galaxy groups, finding some groups favor a non-zero cross-section while others set upper limits, informing dark matter models.

Contribution

First to estimate SIDM cross-section constraints from relaxed galaxy groups using X-ray data and Einasto profile fitting, providing new empirical bounds.

Findings

Most groups favor a non-zero SIDM cross-section around 0.165 cm^2/g.

Some groups set upper limits on SIDM cross-section below 0.16 cm^2/g.

Results vary with dark matter velocity dispersion, informing SIDM models.

Abstract

Self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) has been proposed as an alternative to the standard collisionless cold dark matter to explain the diversity of galactic rotation curves and core-cusp problems seen at small scales. Here, we estimate the constraints on SIDM for a sample of 11 relaxed galaxy groups with X-ray observations from Chandra and XMM-Newton. We fit the dark matter density distribution to the Einasto profile and use the estimated Einasto $\alpha$ parameter to constrain the SIDM cross-section, based on the empirical relation between the two, which was obtained in Eckert et al (2022). We obtain a non-zero central estimate for the cross-section per unit mass ($\sigma/m$) for seven groups, with the most precise estimate obtained for NGC 5044, given by $\sigma/m=0.165 \pm 0.025~\rm{cm^2/g}$, for dark matter velocity dispersion of about 300 km/sec. For the remaining four groups, we obtain 95% c.l. upper limits on $\sigma/m < 0.16-6.61~\rm{cm^2/g}$ with dark matter velocity dispersions between 200-500 km/sec, with the most stringent limit for our sample obtained for the group MKW 4, given by $\sigma/m< 0.16~\rm{cm^2/g}$ for dark matter velocity dispersion of about 350 km/sec.