Gamma-Ray Signatures of Thermal Misalignment Dark Matter

TL;DR

This paper investigates gamma-ray signatures from a thermal misalignment dark matter scalar coupled to photons, establishing current bounds and future detection prospects in the MeV–GeV energy range.

Contribution

It analyzes the observational signatures of a metastable scalar dark matter candidate coupled to photons, providing current constraints and future detection prospects.

Findings

Current gamma-ray data constrain the scalar mass to around 1 GeV.

Future gamma-ray observatories can probe the MeV–GeV parameter space.

The scalar decay produces observable gamma-ray signatures in the specified energy range.

Abstract

Thermal misalignment is a viable dark matter scenario where the misalignment of a dark matter scalar, feebly coupled to the Standard Model particles, is generated through thermal effects from the primordial plasma. In this framework, the scalar is generically metastable, and its decay can leave observable signatures. In this work, we focus on the case in which the scalar $\phi$ is coupled to photons through $\phi F^{\mu\nu} F_{\mu\nu}$, and examine its observational signatures. We find that current gamma-ray constraints place a robust upper bound on the scalar mass of $\mathcal O(1)\,\mathrm{GeV}$. We also find that future observations can further probe the parameter region, particularly in the MeV--GeV range, an energy band expected to be explored by various gamma-ray observatories in the coming decades.