Decaying dark matter search with NuSTAR deep sky observations

Abstract

We present the results of the search for decaying dark matter with particle mass in the 6-40 keV range with NuSTAR deep observations of COSMOS and ECDFS empty sky fields. We show that main contribution to the decaying dark matter signal from the Milky Way galaxy comes through the aperture of the NuSTAR detector, rather than through the focusing optics. High sensitivity of the NuSTAR detector, combined with the large aperture and large exposure times of the two observation fields allow us to improve previously existing constraints on the dark matter decay time by up to an order of magnitude in the mass range 10-30 keV. In the particular case of the nuMSM sterile neutrino dark matter, our constraints impose an upper bound m<20 keV on the dark matter particle mass. We report detection of four unidentified spectral lines in our data set. These line detections are either due to the systematic effects (uncertainties of calibrations of the NuSTAR detectors) or have an astrophysical origin. We discuss different possibilities for testing the nature of the detected lines.

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Cited by in corpus (8)

• New Constraints on Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter from $NuSTAR$ M31 Observations
• Thermalizing sterile neutrino dark matter
• 7.1 keV sterile neutrino dark matter constraints from a deep Chandra X-ray observation of the Galactic bulge Limiting Window
• A Search for the 3.5 keV Line from the Milky Way's Dark Matter Halo with HaloSat
• Neutrinos in Astrophysics and Cosmology: Theoretical Advanced Study Institute (TASI) 2020 Lectures
• Note on Thermalization of Non-resonantly Produced Sterile Neutrinos
• Signatures of relic quantum nonequilibrium
• Freeze-in Leptogenesis via Dark-Matter Oscillations