Strong Constraints on Line Signals from Dark Matter Annihilation in a Nearby Subhalo

Abstract

We present a dedicated search for monochromatic gamma-ray emission from a recently proposed nearby dark matter subhalo candidate. Using nearly 15 years of Fermi-LAT Pass 8 data, we perform a sliding-window search for gamma-ray lines between 10 and 300 GeV. We do not find any statistically significant evidence for a line signal. The largest excess occurs at $E_{\gamma }\simeq 28\mathrm{GeV}$ with a local significance of $2.5\sigma$. We therefore derive 95% confidence level upper limits on the annihilation cross section for $\chi \chi \to \gamma \gamma$. Under the assumed NFW subhalo model, the resulting constraints are stronger than existing Galactic Center line limits over much of the explored mass range. We further translate these line constraints into bounds on well-motivated WIMP models, such as Higgs-portal and Wino dark matter scenarios, restricting previously open parameter regions consistent with thermal freeze-out as well as models associated with dark matter interpretations of the Galactic Center Excess.

Comments: 10 pages, 9 figures