Gamma-ray bounds from EAS detectors and heavy decaying dark matter constraints
- INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso,Assergi, AQ (Italy)
- LAPTh, Univ. de Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS,B.P. 110, Annecy-le-Vieux, F-74941 (France)
The very high energy Galactic γ-ray sky is partially opaque in the (0.1–10) PeV energy range. In the light of the recently detected high energy neutrino flux by IceCube, a comparable very high energy γ-ray flux is expected in any scenario with a sizable Galactic contribution to the neutrino flux. Here we elaborate on the peculiar energy and anisotropy features imposed upon these very high energy γ-rays by the absorption on the cosmic microwave background photons and Galactic interstellar light. As a notable application of our considerations, we study the prospects of probing the PeV-scale decaying DM scenario, proposed as a possible source of IceCube neutrinos, by extensive air shower (EAS) cosmic ray experiments. In particular, we show that anisotropy measurements at EAS experiments are already sensitive to τ{sub DM}∼O(10{sup 27}) s and future measurements, using better gamma/hadron separation, can improve the limit significantly.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- SCOAP3, CERN, Geneva (Switzerland)
- OSTI ID:
- 22458390
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Vol. 2015, Issue 10; Other Information: PUBLISHER-ID: JCAP10(2015)014; OAI: oai:repo.scoap3.org:12157; Article funded by SCOAP3. Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1475-7516
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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