The Experimental Limits on Q-ball Flux with the Baikal Deep Underwater Array "Gyrlyanda"

TL;DR

This paper uses data from the Baikal deep underwater array to set upper limits on the flux of Q-balls, hypothetical dark matter candidates, by analyzing their potential signatures similar to magnetic monopoles.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental upper limit on Q-ball flux based on deep underwater Cherenkov array data, extending constraints on dark matter models.

Findings

Q-ball flux upper limit: 3.9 x 10^{-16} cm^{-2} sr^{-1} s^{-1} (90% CL)

No detection of Q-balls in the Baikal array data

Comparison with other experimental restrictions

Abstract

Supersymmetric models allow for stable non-topological solitons, Q-balls, which can be produced in the early Universe and contribute to dark matter. Experimental signature of electrically neutral Q-balls is, in fact, the same as is expected for superheavy magnetic monopoles catalyzing baryon decay. Here we use the upper limits on monopole flux obtained with deep underwater Cherenkov array "Gyrlyanda" which operated in the Baikal lake in 1984-90 with 267 days of live time to obtain the limit on Q-ball flux. The last has been found to be equal to 3.9 x 10^{-16} cm^{-2} sr^{-1} s^{-1} (90% CL). This result is discussed and compared with other restrictions.