Cosmological implications of photon-flux upper limits at ultrahigh energies in scenarios of Planckian-interacting massive particles for dark matter

ABREU, P.; AGLIETTA, M.; ALBURY, J.M.; ALLEKOTTE, I.; ALMEIDA CHEMINANT, K.; ALMELA, A.; ALOISIO, R.; ALVAREZ-MUNIZ, J.; ALVES BATISTA, R.; AMMERMAN YEBRA, J.; ANASTASI, G.A.; ANCHORDOQUI, L.; ANDRADA, B.; ANDRINGA, S.; ARAMO, C.; ARAÚJO FERREIRA, P.R.; ARNONE, E.; ARTEAGA VELÁZQUEZ, J.C.; ASOREY, H.; ASSIS, P.; AVILA, G.; AVOCONE, E.; BADESCU, A.M.; BAKALOVA, A.; BALACEANU, A.; BARBATO, F.; BELLIDO, J.A.; BERAT, C.; BERTAINA, M.E.; BHATTA, G.; BIERMANN, P.L.; BINET, V.; BISMARK, K.; BISTER, T.; BITEAU, J.; BLAZEK, J.; BLEVE, C.; BLÜMER, J.; BOHÁ?OVÁ, M.; BONCIOLI, D.; BONIFAZI, C.; BONNEAU ARBELETCHE, L.; BORODAI, N.; BOTTI, A.M.; BRACK, J.; BRETZ, T.; BRICHETTO ORCHERA, P.G.; BRIECHLE, F.L.; BUCHHOLZ, P.; BUENO, A.; BUITINK, S.; BUSCEMI, M.; BÜSKEN, M.; CABALLERO-MORA, K.S.; CACCIANIGA, L.; CANFORA, F.; CARACAS, I.; CARUSO, R.; CASTELLINA, A.; CATALANI, F.; CATALDI, G.; CAZON, L.; CERDA, M.; CHINELLATO, J.A.; CHUDOBA, J.; CHYTKA, L.; CLAY, R.W.; COBOS CERUTTI, A.C.; COLALILLO, R.; COLEMAN, A.; COLUCCIA, M.R

Physical Review D

American Physical Society

Año: 2023 vol. 107

2470-0010

Using the data of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we report on a search for signatures that would be suggestive of super-heavy particles decaying in the Galactic halo. From the lack of signal, we present upper limits for different energy thresholds above ≳108 GeV on the secondary by-product fluxes expected from the decay of the particles. Assuming that the energy density of these super-heavy particles matches that of dark matter observed today, we translate the upper bounds on the particle fluxes into tight constraints on the couplings governing the decay process as a function of the particle mass. Instantons, which are nonperturbative solutions to Yang-Mills equations, can give rise to decay channels otherwise forbidden and transform stable particles into metastable ones. Assuming such instanton-induced decay processes, we derive a bound on the reduced coupling constant of gauge interactions in the dark sector: αX0.09, for 109 MX/GeV