Solar gamma ray constraints on dark matter annihilation to secluded mediators

2021/03/31 by Nicole F. Bell, James B. Dent, Isaac W. Sanderson
Physics and Astronomy · #Annihilation #Astrophysics #Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research #Bremsstrahlung #Cosmology #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #Dark energy #Dark matter #Dark photon #Gamma ray #Light dark matter #Mixed dark matter #Parameter space #Particle physics #Photon #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Scalar field dark matter #Warm dark matter #Weakly interacting massive particles #astro-ph.HE #astro-ph.SR #hep-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.104.023024

published as Phys. Rev. D 104, 023024 (2021) · 12 pages, 5 figures; updated to match published version

openalex publication_date 2021/07/28 · arxiv created 2021/09/19 · arxiv updated 2021/09/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06

Abstract

We consider the indirect detection of dark matter that is captured in the Sun and subsequently annihilates to long-lived dark mediators. If these mediators escape the Sun before decaying, they can produce striking gamma ray signals, either via the decay of the mediators directly to photons or via bremsstrahlung and hadronization of the mediator decay products. Using recent measurements from the HAWC Observatory, we determine model-independent limits on heavy dark matter that are orders of magnitude more powerful than direct detection experiments, for both spin-dependent and spin-independent scattering. We also consider a well-motivated model in which fermionic dark matter annihilates to dark photons. For such a realistic scenario, the strength of the solar gamma ray constraints are reduced, compared to the idealistic case, because the dark matter capture cross section and mediator lifetime are related. Nonetheless, solar gamma ray constraints enable us to exclude a previously unconstrained region of dark photon parameter space.

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