Constraints on the presence of a 3.5 keV dark matter emission line from Chandra observations of the Galactic centre

¹ Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, PO 1029 Blindern, 0315 Oslo, Norway
e-mail: signe.riemer-sorensen@astro.uio.no
² ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO), NSW, 2016, Australia

Received: 31 August 2015
Accepted: 7 April 2016

Abstract

Context. Recent findings of line emission at 3.5 keV in both individual and stacked X-ray spectra of galaxy clusters have been speculated to have dark matter origin.

Aims. If the origin is indeed dark matter, the emission line is expected to be detectable from the Milky Way dark matter halo.

Methods. We perform a line search in public Chandra X-ray observations of the region near Sgr A*. We derive upper limits on the line emission flux for the 2.0−9.0 keV energy interval and discuss their potential physical interpretations including various scenarios of decaying and annihilating dark matter.

Results. While we find no clear evidence for its presence, the upper flux limits are not inconsistent with the recent detections for conservative mass profiles of the Milky Way.

Conclusions. The results depend mildly on the spectral modelling, and strongly on the choice of dark matter profile.