6533b839fe1ef96bd12a5b85
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Cold positrons from decaying dark matter
Lotfi BoubekeurLotfi BoubekeurOscar VivesOscar VivesScott DodelsonScott Dodelsonsubject
PhysicsNuclear and High Energy PhysicsParticle physicsCosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO)Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical PhenomenaHot dark matterDark matterScalar field dark matterFOS: Physical sciencesAstrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic AstrophysicsAstrophysicsHigh Energy Physics - PhenomenologyHigh Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)Weakly interacting massive particlesMixed dark matterWarm dark matterLight dark matterDark fluidAstrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysicsdescription
Many models of dark matter contain more than one new particle beyond those in the Standard Model. Often heavier particles decay into the lightest dark matter particle as the Universe evolves. Here we explore the possibilities that arise if one of the products in a (Heavy Particle) $\rightarrow$ (Dark Matter) decay is a positron, and the lifetime is shorter than the age of the Universe. The positrons cool down by scattering off the cosmic microwave background and eventually annihilate when they fall into Galactic potential wells. The resulting 511 keV flux not only places constraints on this class of models but might even be consistent with that observed by the INTEGRAL satellite.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-06-14 | Physical Review D |