Gamma-ray Excess Research Articles

NMSSM explanations of the Galactic center gamma ray excess and promising LHC searches

The Galactic Center Excess (GCE) is explained in the framework of the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM) with a $Z_3$ discrete symmetry. We show that a resonant CP-odd Higgs boson with mass twice that of the Dark Matter (DM) candidate is favoured. Meanwhile, the DM candidate is required to have relatively large coupling with the $Z$ boson through its Higgsino component in order to obtain correct DM relic density. Its LHC discovery potential via four signatures is discussed in detail. We find that the most sensitive signals are provided by the Higgsino-like chargino and neutralino pair production with their subsequent decays into $W$ bosons, $Z$ bosons, and DM. The majority of the relevant parameter space can be probed at the Large Hadron Collider with a centre-of-mass energy of 14 TeV and an integrated luminosity 1000 fb$^{-1}$.

WIMPs at the galactic center

Simple models of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) predict dark matter annihilations into pairs of electroweak gauge bosons, Higgses or tops, which through their subsequent cascade decays produce a spectrum of gamma rays. Intriguingly, an excess in gamma rays coming from near the Galactic center has been consistently observed in Fermi data. A recent analysis by the Fermi collaboration confirms these earlier results. Taking into account the systematic uncertainties in the modelling of the gamma ray backgrounds, we show for the first time that this excess can be well fit by these final states. In particular, for annihilations to (WW, ZZ, hh, tt̄), dark matter with mass between threshold and approximately (165, 190, 280, 310) GeV gives an acceptable fit. The fit range for bb̄ is also enlarged to 35 GeV ≲ mχ ≲ 165 GeV. These are to be compared to previous fits that concluded only much lighter dark matter annihilating into b, τ, and light quark final states could describe the excess. We demonstrate that simple, well-motivated models of WIMP dark matter including a thermal-relic neutralino of the MSSM, Higgs portal models, as well as other simplified models can explain the excess.

Non-abelian dark matter solutions for Galactic gamma-ray excess and Perseus 3.5 keV X-ray line

We attempt to explain simultaneously the Galactic center gamma-ray excess and the 3.5 keV X-ray line from the Perseus cluster based on a class of non-abelian SU(2) DM models, in which the dark matter and an excited state comprise a ``dark'' SU(2) doublet. The non-abelian group kinetically mixes with the standard model gauge group via dimensions-5 operators. The dark matter particles annihilate into standard model fermions, followed by fragmentation and bremsstrahlung, and thus producing a continuous spectrum of gamma-rays. On the other hand, the dark matter particles can annihilate into a pair of excited states, each of which decays back into the dark matter particle and an X-ray photon, which has an energy equal to the mass difference between the dark matter and the excited state, which is set to be 3.5 keV. The large hierarchy between the required X-ray and γ-ray annihilation cross-sections can be achieved by a very small kinetic mixing between the SM and dark sector, which effectively suppresses the annihilation into the standard model fermions but not into the excited state.

Two-loop snail diagrams: relating neutrino masses to dark matter

Various mechanisms have been developed to explain the origin of neutrino masses. One of them is radiative mass generation. Two-loop mass generation is of particular interest because the masses and couplings of new particles propagating in the loop can be in the range testable by other experiments and observations. In order for the radiative mass suppression to be reliable, it should be guaranteed that lower loop contributions are suppressed. Based on loop topology and the form of electroweak presentation of the particles propagating in the loop, one can determine whether a lower — and therefore dominant — loop contribution is possible. We present a model based on these general considerations which leads to neutrino masses via a two-loop diagram which we dub as “snail-diagram”. The model has two natural candidates for dark matter one of them being a neutral Dirac fermion which can satisfy the conditions of the thermal freeze-out scenario by annihilation to lepton pairs. We comment on the possibility of explaining the GeV gamma ray excess observed by Fermi-LAT from the region close to the Galaxy Center. We also discuss possible signals at the LHC and at experiments searching for lepton flavor violating rare decays.

3.55 keV line from exciting dark matter without a hidden sector

Models in which dark matter particles can scatter into a slightly heavier state which promptly decays to the lighter state and a photon (known as eXciting Dark Matter, or XDM) have been shown to be capable of generating the 3.55 keV line observed from galaxy clusters, while suppressing the flux of such a line from smaller halos, including dwarf galaxies. In most of the XDM models discussed in the literature, this up-scattering is mediated by a new light particle, and dark matter annihilations proceed into pairs of this same light state. In these models, the dark matter and mediator effectively reside within a hidden sector, without sizable couplings to the Standard Model. In this paper, we explore a model of XDM that does not include a hidden sector. Instead, the dark matter both up-scatters and annihilates through the near resonant exchange of a $\mathcal{O}(10^2)$ GeV pseudoscalar with large Yukawa couplings to the dark matter and smaller, but non-neglibile, couplings to Standard Model fermions. The dark matter and the mediator are each mixtures of Standard Model singlets and $SU(2)_W$ doublets. We identify parameter space in which this model can simultaneously generate the 3.55 keV line and the gamma-ray excess observed from the Galactic Center, without conflicting with constraints from colliders, direct detection experiments, or observations of dwarf galaxies.

Boosted dark matter in IceCube and at the galactic center

We show that the event excess observed by the IceCube collaboration at TeV--PeV energies, usually interpreted as evidence for astrophysical neutrinos, can be explained alternatively by the scattering of highly boosted dark matter particles. Specifically, we consider a scenario where a $\sim 4$ PeV scalar dark matter particle $\phi$ can decay to a much lighter dark fermion $\chi$, which in turn scatters off nuclei in the IceCube detector. Besides these events, which are exclusively shower-like, the model also predicts a secondary population of events at $\mathcal{O}(100 \text{TeV})$ originating from the 3-body decay $\phi \to \chi \bar\chi a$, where $a$ is a pseudoscalar which mediates dark matter--Standard Model interactions and whose decay products include neutrinos. This secondary population also includes track-like events, and both populations together provide an excellent fit to the IceCube data. We then argue that a relic abundance of light Dark Matter particles $\chi$, which may constitute a subdominant component of the Dark Matter in the Universe, can have exactly the right properties to explain the observed excess in GeV gamma rays from the galactic center region. Our boosted Dark Matter scenario also predicts fluxes of $\mathcal{O}(10)$ TeV positrons and $\mathcal{O}(100 \text{TeV})$ photons from 3-body cascade decays of the heavy Dark Matter particle $\phi$, and we show how these can be used to constrain parts of the viable parameter space of the model. Direct detection limits are weak due to the pseudoscalar couplings of $\chi$. Accelerator constraints on the pseudoscalar mediator $a$ lead to the conclusion that the preferred mass of $a$ is $\gtrsim 10$ GeV and that large coupling to $b$ quarks but suppressed or vanishing coupling to leptons are preferred.

Extending LHC coverage to light pseudoscalar mediators and coy dark sectors

Many dark matter models involving weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) feature new, relatively light pseudoscalars that mediate dark matter pair annihilation into Standard Model fermions. In particular, simple models of this type can explain the gamma ray excess originating in the Galactic Center as observed by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. In many cases the pseudoscalar's branching ratio into WIMPs is suppressed, making these states challenging to detect at colliders through standard dark matter searches. Here, we study the prospects for observing these light mediator states at the LHC without exploiting missing energy techniques. While existing searches effectively probe pseudoscalars with masses between 5 - 14 GeV and above 90 GeV, the LHC reach can be extended to cover much of the interesting parameter space in the intermediate 20 - 80 GeV mass range in which the mediator can have appreciable Yukawa-like couplings to Standard Model fermions but would have escaped detection by LEP and other experiments. Models explaining the Galactic Center excess via a light pseudoscalar mediator can give rise to a promising signal in this regime through the associated production of the mediator with bottom quarks while satisfying all other existing constraints. We perform an analysis of the backgrounds and trigger efficiencies, detailing the cuts that can be used to extract the signal. A significant portion of the otherwise unconstrained parameter space of these models can be conclusively tested at the 13 TeV LHC with 100 fb$^{-1}$, and we encourage the ATLAS and CMS collaborations to extend their existing searches to this mass range.

Class of Higgs-portal dark matter models in the light of gamma-ray excess from galactic center

Recently the study of anomalous gamma-ray emission in the regions surrounding the galactic center has drawn a lot of attention as it points out that the excess of ∼1–3 GeV gamma-ray in the low latitude is consistent with the emission expected from annihilating dark matter. The best-fit to the gamma-ray spectrum corresponds to dark matter (DM) candidate having mass in the range ∼31–40 GeV annihilating into bb¯-pair with cross-section 〈σv〉=(1.4–2.0)×10−26 cm3s−1. We have shown that the Higgs-portal dark matter models in presence of scalar resonance (in the annihilation channel) are well-suited for explaining these phenomena. In addition, the parameter space of these models also satisfies constraints from the LHC Higgs searches, relic abundance and direct detection experiments. We also comment on real singlet scalar Higgs-portal DM model which is found to be incompatible with the recent analysis.

A tale of tails: Dark matter interpretations of the Fermi GeV excess in light of background model systematics

Several groups have identified an extended excess of gamma rays over the modeled foreground and background emissions towards the Galactic center (GC) based on observations with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. This excess emission is compatible in morphology and spectrum with a telltale sign from dark matter (DM) annihilation. Here, we present a critical reassessment of DM interpretations of the GC signal in light of the foreground and background uncertainties that some of us recently outlaid in Calore et al. 2014. We find that a much larger number of DM models fits the gamma-ray data than previously noted. In particular: (1) In the case of DM annihilation into $\bar{b}b$, we find that even large DM masses up to $m_\chi \simeq$ 74 GeV are allowed with a $p$-value $> 0.05$. (2) Surprisingly, annihilation into non-relativistic hh gives a good fit to the data. (3) The inverse Compton emission from $\mu^+\mu^-$ with $m_\chi\sim$ 60-70 GeV can also account for the excess at higher latitudes, $|b|>2^\circ$, both in its spectrum and morphology. We also present novel constraints on a large number of mixed annihilation channels, including cascade annihilation involving hidden sector mediators. Finally, we show that the current limits from dwarf spheroidal observations are not in tension with a DM interpretation when uncertainties on the DM halo profile are accounted for.

Low energy gamma ray excess confronting a singlet scalar extended inert doublet dark matter model

Recent study of gamma rays originating from the region of galactic centre has confirmed an anomalous γ-ray excess within the energy range 1–3 GeV. This can be explained as the consequence of pair annihilation of a 31–40 GeV dark matter into bb¯ with thermal annihilation cross-section σv∼1.4–2.0×10−26 cm3/s. In this work we revisit the Inert Doublet Model (IDM) in order to explain this gamma ray excess. Taking the lightest inert particle (LIP) as a stable DM candidate we show that a 31–40 GeV dark matter derived from IDM will fail to satisfy experimental limits on dark matter direct detection cross-section obtained from ongoing direct detection experiments and is also inconsistent with LHC findings. We show that a singlet extended inert doublet model can easily explain the reported γ-ray excess which is as well in agreement with Higgs search results at LHC and other observed results like DM relic density and direct detection constraints.

Background model systematics for the Fermi GeV excess

The possible gamma-ray excess in the inner Galaxy and the Galactic center (GC) suggested by Fermi-LAT observations has triggered a large number of studies. It has been interpreted as a variety of different phenomena such as a signal from WIMP dark matter annihilation, gamma-ray emission from a population of millisecond pulsars, or emission from cosmic rays injected in a sequence of burst-like events or continuously at the GC. We present the first comprehensive study of model systematics coming from the Galactic diffuse emission in the inner part of our Galaxy and their impact on the inferred properties of the excess emission at Galactic latitudes 2° < |b| < 20° and 300 MeV to 500 GeV. We study both theoretical and empirical model systematics, which we deduce from a large range of Galactic diffuse emission models and a principal component analysis of residuals in numerous test regions along the Galactic plane. We show that the hypothesis of an extended spherical excess emission with a uniform energy spectrum is compatible with the Fermi-LAT data in our region of interest at 95% CL. Assuming that this excess is the extended counterpart of the one seen in the inner few degrees of the Galaxy, we derive a lower limit of 10.0° (95% CL) on its extension away from the GC. We show that, in light of the large correlated uncertainties that affect the subtraction of the Galactic diffuse emission in the relevant regions, the energy spectrum of the excess is equally compatible with both a simple broken power-law of break energy Ebreak = 2.1 ± 0.2 GeV, and with spectra predicted by the self-annihilation of dark matter, implying in the case of b̄b final states a dark matter mass of mχ=49+6.4−5.4 GeV.

What does the PAMELA antiproton spectrum tell us about dark matter?

Measurements of the cosmic ray antiproton spectrum can be used to search for contributions from annihilating dark matter and to constrain the dark matter annihilation cross section. Depending on the assumptions made regarding cosmic ray propagation in the Galaxy, such constraints can be quite stringent. We revisit this topic, utilizing a set of propagation models fit to the cosmic ray boron, carbon, oxygen and beryllium data. We derive upper limits on the dark matter annihilation cross section and find that when the cosmic ray propagation parameters are treated as nuisance parameters (as we argue is appropriate), the resulting limits are significantly less stringent than have been previously reported. We also note (as have several previous groups) that simple GALPROP-like diffusion-reacceleration models predict a spectrum of cosmic ray antiprotons that is in good agreement with PAMELA's observations above ∼ 5 GeV, but that significantly underpredict the flux at lower energies. Although the complexity of modeling cosmic ray propagation at GeV-scale energies makes it difficult to determine the origin of this discrepancy, we consider the possibility that the excess antiprotons are the result of annihilating dark matter. Suggestively, we find that this excess is best fit for mDM ∼ 35 GeV and σ v ∼ 10−26 cm3/s (to bb̄), in good agreement with the mass and cross section previously shown to be required to generate the gamma-ray excess observed from the Galactic Center.

Lining up the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess

Dark matter particles annihilating into Standard Model fermions may be able to explain the recent observation of a gamma-ray excess in the direction of the Galactic Center. Recently, a hidden photon model has been proposed to explain this signal. Supplementing this model with a dipole moment operator and a small dark sector mass splitting allows a large cross section to a photon line while avoiding direct detection and other constraints. Comparing the line and continuum cross sections, we find that the line is suppressed only by the relative scales and couplings. Given current constraints on this ratio, a line discovery in the near future could point to a new scale Lambda ~ O(1 TeV), where we would expect to discover new charged particles. Moreover, such a line would also imply that dark matter can be visible in near-future direct detection experiments.

Galactic center gamma-ray excess through a dark shower

The reported excess of $\gamma$-rays, emitted from an extended region around the galactic center, has a distribution and rate suggestive of an origin in dark matter (DM) annihilations. The conventional annihilation channels into standard model (SM) $b$ quarks or $\tau$ leptons may, however, be in tension with various experimental constraints on antiproton and positron fluxes. We present a framework that is free from such constraints. The key idea is that the mediators between the dark matter and the SM are themselves part of a strongly coupled sector: a hidden valley. In this scenario, the dark matter particles annihilate only into hidden quarks that subsequently shower and hadronize. Hidden quark effective couplings to SM hypercharge allow the lightest hidden bound states to subsequently decay into SM photons, producing the observed photon energy spectrum. Associated production of SM fermions is, in contrast, suppressed by electroweak, loop or helicity effects. We find that, generically, $\sim$ 10 GeV DM and a confinement scale $\sim$ 1 GeV provide a good fit to the observed spectrum. An $SU(2)$ hidden confining group is preferred over $SU(3)$ or higher rank gauge groups, up to uncertainties in the extraction of the astrophysical background. An explicit realization of this framework is also presented, and its phenomenology is discussed in detail, along with pertinent cosmological, astrophysical and collider bounds. This framework may be probed by model-independent searches, including future beam-dump experiments.

Z′mediated dark matter models for the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess

With the goal of generating the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess, we revisit models in which the dark matter interacts with the Standard Model through the exchange of a new neutral gauge boson, Z'. We find several scenarios that can account for this signal, while respecting all existing constraints from colliders and direct detection experiments. In such models, the Z' either 1) couples axially to light quarks and is leptophobic, 2) couples dominantly to the third generation, or 3) is near resonance, m_Z' ~ 2 m_DM. We identify an example of an anomaly-free U(1)' that leads to an axial and leptophobic Z'. Many of the models presented here are within the reach of near future direct detection experiments, such as LUX and XENON1T.

Tau portal dark matter models at the LHC

Motivated by the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess in the Fermi-LAT data, we study the signatures of a class of tau portal dark matter (DM) models where DM particles preferentially couple to tau leptons at the LHC. We consider the constraints from the DM direct detection and investigate the sensitivity of the LHC to di-tau plus missing energy signatures. We find that the LHC with a high luminosity of 3000 fb$^{-1}$ can test the tau portal DM models with fermionic mediators in the mass range of $120\sim450$ GeV.

Millisecond pulsars and the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess: the importance of luminosity function and secondary emission

Several groups of authors have analyzed Fermi LAT data in a region around the Galactic Center finding an unaccounted gamma-ray excess over diffuse backgrounds in the GeV energy range. It has been argued that it is difficult or even impossible to explain this diffuse emission by the leading astrophysical candidates—millisecond pulsars (MSPs). Here we provide a new estimate of the contribution to the excess by a population of yet unresolved MSP located in the bulge of the Milky Way. We simulate this population with the GALPLOT package by adopting a parametric approach, with the range of free parameters gauged on the MSP characteristics reported by the second pulsar catalogue (2PC). We find that the conclusions strongly depend on the details of the MSP luminosity function (in particular, its high luminosity end) and other explicit or tacit assumptions on the MSP statistical properties, which we discuss. Notably, for the first time we study the importance of the possible secondary emission of the MSPs in the Galactic Center, i.e. the emission via inverse Compton losses of electrons injected in the interstellar medium. Differently from a majority of other authors, we find that within current uncertainties a large if not dominant contribution of MSPs to the excess cannot be excluded. We also show that the sensitivities of future instruments or possibly already of the latest LAT data analysis (Pass 8) provide good perspectives to test this scenario by resolving a significant number of MSPs.

Confronting the galactic center gamma-ray excess with a light scalar dark matter

The Fermi Large Area Telescope observed an excess in gamma-ray emission spectrum coming from the center of the Milky Way galaxy. This data reveals that a light dark matter (DM) candidate of mass in the range 31–40 GeV, dominantly decaying into bb̄ final state, can explain the presence of the observed bump in photon energy. We try to interpret this observed phenomena by sneutrino DM annihilation into pair of fermions in the Supersymmetric Inverse Seesaw Model (SISM). This model can also account for tiny non-zero neutrino masses satisfying existing neutrino oscillation data. We show that a Higgs portal DM in this model is in perfect agreement with this new interpretation besides satisfying all other existing collider, cosmological and low energy experimental constraints.

Towards a supersymmetric description of the Fermi Galactic center excess

We attempt to build a model that describes the {\it Fermi} galactic gamma-ray excess (FGCE) within a UV-complete Supersymmetric framework; we find this to be highly non-trivial. At the very least a successful Supersymmetric explanation must have several important ingredients in order to fit the data and satisfy other theoretical and experimental constraints. Under the assumption that a {\it single} annihilation mediator is responsible for both the observed relic density as well as the FGCE, we show that the requirements are not easily satisfied in many TeV-scale SUSY models, but can be met with some model building effort in the general NMSSM with $\sim 10$ parameters beyond the MSSM. We find that the data selects a particular region of the parameter space with a mostly singlino lightest Supersymmetric particle and a relatively light CP-odd Higgs boson that acts as the mediator for dark matter annihilation. We study the predictions for various observables within this parameter space, and find that searches for this light CP-odd state at the LHC, as well as searches for the direct detection of dark matter, are likely to be quite challenging. It is possible that a signature could be observed in the flavor sector; however, indirect detection remains the best probe of this scenario.

Dark matter with pseudoscalar-mediated interactions explains the DAMA signal and the galactic center excess.

We study a Dirac dark matter particle interacting with ordinary matter via the exchange of a light pseudoscalar, and analyze its impact on both direct and indirect detection experiments. We show that this candidate can accommodate the long-standing DAMA modulated signal and yet be compatible with all exclusion limits at 99(S)% C.L. This result holds for natural choices of the pseudoscalar-quark couplings (e.g., flavor universal), which give rise to a significant enhancement of the dark matter-proton coupling with respect to the coupling to neutrons. We also find that this candidate can accommodate the observed 1-3 GeV gamma-ray excess at the Galactic center and at the same time have the correct relic density today. The model could be tested with measurements of rare meson decays, flavor changing processes, and searches for axionlike particles with mass in the MeV range.