Self-interacting dark matter and the GRB221009A event

TL;DR

This paper proposes a model linking self-interacting dark matter with the observed gamma-ray burst GRB221009A, suggesting that a light scalar mediator explains high-energy photons and enables detection in terrestrial experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a minimal SIDM model with a scalar mediator that connects gamma-ray burst observations to dark matter phenomenology and detection prospects.

Findings

Scalar mediator can produce high-energy photons at GRB site

Model's parameter space satisfies observational and experimental constraints

Potential for future direct detection of SIDM via this mechanism

Abstract

In this work, we explore the intriguing possibility of connecting self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) with the recently observed exceptionally bright and long-duration Gamma Ray Burst (GRB221009A). The proposed minimal scenario involves a light scalar mediator, simultaneously enabling dark matter (DM) self-interaction and explaining the observed very high energy (VHE) photons from GRB221009A reported by LHAASO's data. The scalar's mixing with the standard model (SM) Higgs boson allows for its production at the GRB site, which will then propagate escaping attenuation by the extra-galactic background light (EBL). These scalars, if highly boosted, have the potential to explain LHAASO's data. Moreover, the same mixing also facilitates DM-nucleon or DM-electron scatterings at terrestrial detectors, linking SIDM phenomenology to the GRB221009A events. This manuscript presents the parameter space meeting all constraints and offers an exciting opportunity to explore SIDM in future direct search experiments using insights from the GRB observation.