Combined search for neutrinos from dark matter self-annihilation in the Galactic Center with ANTARES and IceCube

Abstract

We present the results of the first combined dark matter search targeting the Galactic Center using the ANTARES and IceCube neutrino telescopes. For dark matter particles with masses from 50 to 1000 GeV, the sensitivities on the self-annihilation cross section set by ANTARES and IceCube are comparable, making this mass range particularly interesting for a joint analysis. Dark matter self-annihilation through the τ þ τ − , μ þ μ − , bb, and W þ W − channels is considered for both the Navarro-Frenk-White and Burkert halo profiles. In the combination of 2101.6 days of ANTARES data and 1007 days of IceCube data, no excess over the expected background is observed. Limits on the thermally averaged dark matter annihilation cross section hσ A υi are set. These limits present an improvement of up to a factor of 2 in the studied dark matter mass range with respect to the individual limits published by both collaborations. When considering dark matter particles with a mass of 200 GeV annihilating through the τ þ τ − channel, the value obtained for the limit is 7.44 × 10 −24 cm 3 s −1 for the Navarro-Frenk-White halo profile. For the purpose of this joint analysis, the model parameters and the likelihood are unified, providing a benchmark for forthcoming dark matter searches performed by neutrino telescopes.

Dark matter spectra from the electroweak to the Planck scale

“…Independent of UV motivations, there is a clear reason to consider searching for such DM: the robust experimental program to probe astrophysical messengers at higher energies. Many instruments can probe heavy DM, including HAWC [32], IceCube [5,[33][34][35][36][37][38], ANTARES [39,40], Pierre Auger Observatory [41][42][43][44], Telescope Array [45,46], and in the future CTA [47,48], LHAASO [49,50], IceCube-Gen2 [51], and KM3NET [52,53]. Taken together, these experiments demonstrate that in the coming years we will continue to probe the universe at higher energies and to greater sensitivities.…”

Dark matter neutrino scattering in the galactic centre with IceCube

“…Neutral particle (neutrino and gamma) searches are typically done by searching for signals from sources with higher DM concentrations [84], while cosmic ray antiparticles can also provide insight into dark matter [85]. Sources that would be expected to provide a strong DM signal include the galactic DM halo [86], the Galactic Centre [87], dwarf spheroidal galaxies [88], the CMB as well as signals from…”

“…(4.2)This neutrino flux depends on the annihilation cross section σ A v , the DM mass m χ , the final state energy spectrum dNν dEν , as well as the DM density distribution along the l.o.s, ρ χ . In the case of IceCube, a DM annihilation search has been performed for the Galactic Centre, where limits down to 7.44 × 10 −24 cm 3 s −1 were found for a 200 GeV DM particle annihilating through the τ + τ − channel[87,93,94]. Better limits can also be achieved with gamma ray studies which have placed upper limits on the thermally averaged cross section at σ A v 10 −26 cm 3 s −1 for a 200 GeV dark matter through annihilation to τ + τ −[84].…”

χaroν: a tool for neutrino flux generation from WIMPs

“…The currently widely used fluxes in neutrino experiments such as ANTARES, IceCube, Super-Kamiokande (See e.g. [1][2][3][4]) are from DarkSUSY [5], PPPC [6,7], WimpSim [8,9], and direct PYTHIA [10] generation. There similarities and differences of different computations will not be discussed in this proceeding.…”