Dark matter line emission constraints from NuSTAR observations of the bullet cluster

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/810/1/48· OSTI ID:22882727

Riemer-Sørensen, S. ^[1]; Wik, D.; Zhang, W. W. ^[2]; Madejski, G. ^[3]; Molendi, S.; Gastaldello, F. ^[4]; Harrison, F. A. ^[5]; Craig, W. W.; Boggs, S. E. ^[6]; Hailey, C. J. ^[7]; Christensen, F. E.; Hornstrup, A. ^[8]

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1. Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, PO 1029 Blindern, NO-0315 Oslo (Norway)
2. Astrophysics Science Division, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)
3. Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States)
4. INAF, IASF Milano, via E. Bassini 15 I-20133 Milano (Italy)
5. Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
6. Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)
7. Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States)
8. DTU Space, National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Elektrovej 327, DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark)

Some dark matter candidates, e.g., sterile neutrinos, provide observable signatures in the form of mono-energetic line emission. We present the first search for dark matter line emission in the 3−80 keV range in a pointed observation of the Bullet Cluster with NuSTAR. We do not detect any significant line emission and instead we derive upper limits (95% CL) on the flux, and interpret these constraints in the context of sterile neutrinos and more generic dark matter candidates. NuSTAR does not have the sensitivity to constrain the recently claimed line detection at 3.5 keV, but improves on the constraints for energies of 10−25 keV.

• OSTI ID: 22882727
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 810; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
DETECTION
EMISSION
GALAXY CLUSTERS
KEV RANGE
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
STERILE NEUTRINOS
X-RAY GALAXIES