Abstract
The direct detection of sub-GeV dark matter interacting with nucleons is hampered by the low recoil energies induced by scatterings in the detectors. This experimental difficulty is avoided in the scenario of boosted dark matter where a component of dark matter particles is endowed with large kinetic energies. In this Letter, we point out that the current evaporation of primordial black holes with masses from $10^{14}$ to $10^{16}$ g is a source of boosted light dark matter with energies of tens to hundreds of MeV. Focusing on the XENON1T experiment, we show that these relativistic dark matter particles could give rise to a signal orders of magnitude larger than the present upper bounds. Therefore, we are able to significantly constrain the combined parameter space of primordial black holes and sub-GeV dark matter. In the presence of primordial black holes with a mass of $10^{15}~\mathrm{g}$ and an abundance compatible with present bounds, the limits on DM-nucleon cross-section are improved by four orders of magnitude.
Highlights
Dark matter (DM) is one of the backbones of the standard cosmological model, its nature is still unknown [1]
This experimental difficulty is avoided in the scenario of boosted dark matter where a component of dark matter particles is endowed with large kinetic energies
Focusing on the XENON1T experiment, we show that these relativistic dark matter particles could give rise to a signal orders of magnitude larger than the present upper bounds
Summary
Dark matter (DM) is one of the backbones of the standard cosmological model, its nature is still unknown [1]. Among the different ways to probe DM properties, direct detection experiments are achieving very stringent constraints on DM-nucleon [4–19] and DM-electron [20–26] interactions We find that even a tiny fraction of evaporating PBHs is enough to give rise to a sizeable flux of boosted light DM particles (see Fig. 1). This translates into a detectable event rate in current experiments such as XENON1T in case DM particles interact with nucleons (see Fig. 2). We remark that our constraints do not require the χ particles to be the dominant DM component
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
