Probing lepton flavor violating dark matter scenarios via astrophysical photons and positrons

TL;DR

This paper investigates constraints on lepton flavor violating dark matter models using astrophysical photon and positron data, providing new bounds on annihilation and decay processes that complement terrestrial experiments.

Contribution

It introduces the first constraints on LFV dark matter scenarios via astrophysical observations, incorporating multiple photon production mechanisms and analyzing data from several space telescopes.

Findings

INTEGRAL sets the strongest bounds for DM below 20 GeV.

AMS-02 provides the tightest constraints for DM above 20 GeV.

Bounds are comparable to lepton flavor conserving cases.

Abstract

In this Letter we explore, for the first time, the constraints on lepton flavor violating (LFV) dark matter (DM) scenarios via the astrophysical photons and positrons, including both the annihilation and decay modes, ${\tt DM(+DM)}\to e^\pm \mu^\mp, e^\pm \tau^\mp, \mu^\pm \tau^\mp$. Given the presence of LFV interactions in various DM models and the challenge of probing such interactions at terrestrial facilities, such as DM direct detection and collider experiments, indirect detection offers a unique approach to investigating them. We utilize the currently available photon datasets from the XMM-Newton, INTEGRAL, and Fermi-LAT telescopes, along with the positron datasets from the AMS-02 satellite, to establish stringent bounds on the relevant annihilation cross sections or decay widths. In particular, we include contributions to the photon spectrum from final state radiation, radiative decays, and inverse Compton scattering. We find that the INTEGRAL (AMS-02) provides the most stringent bound on the annihilation cross sections and decay widths for DM mass below (above) approximately 20 GeV, which are comparable to those of their lepton flavor conserving counterparts.