X-rays constraints on sub-GeV Dark Matter

TL;DR

This paper derives new constraints on sub-GeV dark matter particles by analyzing X-ray data from multiple space observatories, focusing on their potential to produce detectable X-ray signals via inverse Compton scattering.

Contribution

It provides the strongest existing constraints on light dark matter particles in the 100 MeV to 5 GeV range using diffuse X-ray observations.

Findings

Established new upper limits on annihilating dark matter flux.

Set constraints on decaying dark matter in the 100 MeV to 5 GeV mass range.

Utilized data from XMM-Newton, INTEGRAL, NuSTAR, and Suzaku.

Abstract

We present updated constraints on 'light' Dark Matter (DM) particles with masses between 1 MeV and 5 GeV. In this range, we can expect DM-produced $e^\pm$ pairs to up-scatter low-energy ambient photons in the Milky Way via the Inverse Compton process, and produce a flux of X-rays that can be probed by a range of space observatories. Using diffuse X-ray data from XMM-Newton, INTEGRAL, NuSTAR and Suzaku, we compute the strongest constraints to date on annihilating DM for 200 MeV $< m_{\rm DM} <$ 5 GeV and decaying DM for 100 MeV $< m_{\rm DM} <$ 5 GeV.