Detecting Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter at MeV Gamma-Ray Observatories
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| author | Fujisawa, Subaru Hayashi, Tatsuya Matsumoto, Shigeki Watanabe, Yuki |
| author_facet | Fujisawa, Subaru Hayashi, Tatsuya Matsumoto, Shigeki Watanabe, Yuki |
| contents | We explore the indirect detection of sterile neutrino dark matter within the gauged $U(1)_{B-L}$ extension of the Standard Model, in which three right-handed neutrinos account for neutrino masses, the baryon asymmetry, and dark matter. Focusing on the MeV mass range, we investigate two decay channels: the radiative decay $N \to νγ$, which produces a monochromatic photon, and the three-body decay $N \to e^- e^+ ν$, which leads to a 511 keV photon signal from positronium decay. Taking the upcoming COSI mission as a case study, we show that both signals are experimentally accessible and complementary, with the 511 keV channel extending the sensitivity reach up to $O(100)$ MeV. We propose a novel analysis strategy in Compton data space to isolate the diffuse 511 keV emission. Furthermore, we incorporate, for the first time, the Sommerfeld enhancement in the decay width of $N \to e^- e^+ ν$, enabling more accurate predictions of the signal near the kinematic threshold. The combined observation of both channels would provide a distinctive and testable signature of the sterile neutrino dark matter hypothesis. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_08695 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Detecting Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter at MeV Gamma-Ray Observatories Fujisawa, Subaru Hayashi, Tatsuya Matsumoto, Shigeki Watanabe, Yuki High Energy Physics - Phenomenology We explore the indirect detection of sterile neutrino dark matter within the gauged $U(1)_{B-L}$ extension of the Standard Model, in which three right-handed neutrinos account for neutrino masses, the baryon asymmetry, and dark matter. Focusing on the MeV mass range, we investigate two decay channels: the radiative decay $N \to νγ$, which produces a monochromatic photon, and the three-body decay $N \to e^- e^+ ν$, which leads to a 511 keV photon signal from positronium decay. Taking the upcoming COSI mission as a case study, we show that both signals are experimentally accessible and complementary, with the 511 keV channel extending the sensitivity reach up to $O(100)$ MeV. We propose a novel analysis strategy in Compton data space to isolate the diffuse 511 keV emission. Furthermore, we incorporate, for the first time, the Sommerfeld enhancement in the decay width of $N \to e^- e^+ ν$, enabling more accurate predictions of the signal near the kinematic threshold. The combined observation of both channels would provide a distinctive and testable signature of the sterile neutrino dark matter hypothesis. |
| title | Detecting Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter at MeV Gamma-Ray Observatories |
| topic | High Energy Physics - Phenomenology |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.08695 |