Constraining superheavy decaying dark matter with directional ultra-high energy gamma-ray limits

Abstract

Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are compact stellar objects with small or negligible astrophysical backgrounds, widely considered as promising targets to search for a signal from the dark matter decay and annihilation. We present constraints on the lifetime of the superheavy decaying dark matter branching to the $q\bar{q}$ channel in the mass range $10^{19}-10^{25}$ eV based on the directional limits on the ultra-high-energy (UHE) gamma rays obtained by the Pierre Auger Observatory and the Telescope Array experiment. Attenuation effects during the propagation of UHE photons towards Earth are taken into account, with the strongest constraints derived for the Ursa Major II, Coma Berenices and Segue I galaxies.

7 pages, 4 figures

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• Computation of Gravitational Particle Production Using Adiabatic Invariants
• Constraints on dark matter annihilation from the FAST observation of the Coma Berenices dwarf galaxy
• Constraining Axion-Like Particles Dark Matter in Coma Berenices with FAST