Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation

    Gamma-ray observations of galaxy clusters strongly constrain dark matter annihilation in prompt cusps

    Milena Crnogorčević1,*, M. Sten Delos2,†, Nadia Kuritzén1,3,‡, and Tim Linden1,4,§

    • 1Stockholm University and The Oskar Klein Centre for Cosmoparticle Physics, Alba Nova, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
    • 2Carnegie Observatories, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, California 91101, USA
    • 3The Viktor Rydberg Schools Foundation and Viktor Rydberg Gymnasium Odenplan, Frejgatan 30, 11349 Stockholm, Sweden
    • 4Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics (ECAP), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 2, 91058 Erlangen, Germany

    • *Contact author: milena.crnogorcevic@fysik.su.se
    • †Contact author: mdelos@carnegiescience.edu
    • ‡Contact author: nadia.kuritzen@gmail.com
    • §Contact author: linden@fysik.su.se

    Phys. Rev. D 112, 103001 – Published 3 November, 2025

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/wtkl-nkdw

    Abstract

    Thermal dark matter models generically include the prompt creation of highly concentrated dark matter cusps in the early Universe. Recent studies find that these cusps can survive to the present day, as long as they do not fall into extremely dense regions of baryonic structure. In this work, we build models of dark matter annihilation within the prompt cusps that reside in galaxy clusters, showing that they dominate the total γ-ray annihilation signal. Using 15 years of Fermi Large Area Telescope data, we find no evidence for a γ-ray excess from these sources, and set strong constraints on annihilating dark matter. These constraints generically rule out the thermal annihilation cross section to the bb¯ channel for dark matter masses below ∼200  GeV.

    Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

    Authorization Required

    We need you to provide your credentials before accessing this content.

    References (Subscription Required)

    Outline

    Information

    Sign In to Your Journals Account

    Filter

    Filter

    Article Lookup

    Enter a citation