Search for dark matter from the Galactic halo with the IceCube Neutrino Telescope (original) (raw)

Search for Dark Matter from the Galactic Halo with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

2011

Self-annihilating or decaying dark matter in the Galactic halo might produce high energy neutrinos detectable with neutrino telescopes. We have conducted a search for such a signal using 276 days of data from the IceCube 22-string configuration detector acquired during 2007 and 2008. The effect of halo model choice in the extracted limit is reduced by performing a search that considers the outer halo region and not the Galactic Center. We constrain any large scale neutrino anisotropy and are able to set a limit on the dark matter self-annihilation cross section of σAv ≃ 10 −22 cm 3 s −1 for WIMP masses above 1 TeV, assuming a monochromatic neutrino line spectrum. PACS numbers: 95.35.+d,98.35.Gi,95.85.Ry

Sensitivity of the IceCube neutrino detector to dark matter annihilating in dwarf galaxies

Physical Review D, 2010

In this paper, we compare the relative sensitivities of gamma-ray and neutrino observations to the dark matter annihilation cross section in leptophilic models such as have been designed to explain PAMELA data. We investigate whether the high energy neutrino telescope IceCube will be competitive with current and upcoming searches by gamma-ray telescopes, such as the Atmospheric Ç erenkov Telescopes (HESS, VERITAS and MAGIC), or the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope, in detecting or constraining dark matter particles annihilating in dwarf spheroidal galaxies. We find that after 10 years of observation of the most promising nearby dwarfs, IceCube will have sensitivity comparable to the current sensitivity of gamma-ray telescopes only for very heavy (mX > ∼ 7 TeV) or relatively light (mX < ∼ 200 GeV) dark matter particles which annihilate primarily to µ + µ − . If dark matter particles annihilate primarily to τ + τ − , IceCube will have superior sensitivity only for dark matter particle masses below the 200 GeV threshold of current Atmospheric Ç erenkov Telescopes. If dark matter annihilations proceed directly to neutrino-antineutrino pairs a substantial fraction of the time, IceCube will be competitive with gamma-ray telescopes for a much wider range of dark matter masses. PACS numbers: 95.35.+d;95.30.Cq,98.52.Wz,95.55.Ka UTTG-13-09 TCC-030-09 FERMILAB-PUB-09-589-A

IceCube search for dark matter annihilation in nearby galaxies and galaxy clusters

Physical Review D, 2013

We present the results of a first search for self-annihilating dark matter in nearby galaxies and galaxy clusters using a sample of high energy neutrinos acquired in 339.8 days of livetime during 2009/10 with the IceCube neutrino observatory in its 59-string configuration. The targets of interest include the Virgo and Coma galaxy clusters, the Andromeda galaxy and several dwarf galaxies. We obtain upper limits on the cross section as function of the WIMP mass between 300 GeV and 100 TeV for the annihilation into bb , W + W − , τ + τ − , µ + µ − and νν. A limit derived for the Virgo cluster, when assuming a large effect from subhalos, challenges the WIMP interpretation of a recently observed GeV positron excess in cosmic rays.

Searching for Dark Matter Neutrino Scattering in the Galactic Centre with IceCube

Proceedings of 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference — PoS(ICRC2021)

While there is evidence for the existence of dark matter, its properties have yet to be discovered. Simultaneously, the nature of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos detected by IceCube remains unresolved. If dark matter and neutrinos are coupled to each other, they may exhibit a non-zero elastic scattering cross section. Such an interaction between an isotropic extragalactic neutrino flux and dark matter would be concentrated in the Galactic Centre, where the dark matter column density is greatest. This scattering would attenuate the flux of high-energy neutrinos, which could be observed in IceCube. Using the seven-year Medium Energy Starting Events sample, we perform an unbinned likelihood analysis, searching for a signal based on a possible DM-neutrino interaction scenario. We search for a suppression of the high-energy astrophysical neutrino flux in the direction of the Galactic Centre, and compare these constraints to complementary low-energy information from large scale structure surveys and the cosmic microwave background.

A search for dark matter in the Galactic halo with HAWC

Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2018

The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) gamma-ray observatory is a wide field-of-view observatory sensitive to 500 GeV-100 TeV gamma rays and cosmic rays. With its observations over 2/3 of the sky every day, the HAWC observatory is sensitive to a wide variety of astrophysical sources, including possible gamma rays from dark matter. Dark matter annihilation and decay in the Milky Way Galaxy should produce gamma-ray signals across many degrees on the sky. The HAWC instantaneous field-of-view of 2 sr enables observations of extended regions on the sky, such as those from dark matter in the Galactic halo. Here we show limits on the dark matter annihilation cross-section and decay lifetime from HAWC observations of the Galactic halo with 15 months of data. These are some of the most robust limits on TeV and PeV dark matter, largely insensitive to the dark matter morphology. These limits begin to constrain models in which PeV IceCube neutrinos are explained by dark matter which primarily decays into hadrons.

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory Part IV: Searches for Dark Matter and Exotic Particles

The cubic-kilometer sized IceCube neutrino observatory, constructed in the glacial ice at the South Pole, offers new opportunities for neutrino physics with its in-fill array "DeepCore". In particular, the use of the outer layers of the IceCube detector as a veto allows low-energy neutrino searches to be performed in the southern sky. This makes the Galactic Center, an important target in searches for self-annihilating dark matter, reachable for IceCube. In this contribution we present the results of the first Galactic Center analysis using more than 10 months of data taken with the 79-string configuration of IceCube-DeepCore, with a special focus on low WIMP masses reaching a sensitivity as low as 30 GeV. We also present the status of an analysis extending the sensitivity to WIMP masses up to the TeV scale.

Indirect search for dark matter in the Galactic Centre with IceCube

Journal of Instrumentation, 2021

Even though there are strong astrophysical and cosmological indications to support the existence of dark matter, its exact nature remains unknown. We expect dark matter to produce standard model particles when annihilating or decaying, assuming that it is composed of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). These standard model particles could in turn yield neutrinos that can be detected by the IceCube neutrino telescope. The Milky Way is expected to be permeated by a dark matter halo with an increased density towards its centre. This halo is expected to yield the strongest dark matter annihilation signal at Earth coming from any celestial object, making it an ideal target for indirect searches. In this contribution, we present the sensitivities of an indirect search for dark matter in the Galactic Centre using IceCube data. This low energy dark matter search allows us to cover dark matter masses ranging from 5 GeV to 1 TeV. The sensitivities obtained for this analysis show considerable improvements over previous IceCube results in the considered energy range.