RECORD
Ruling Out Spiky WIMP Dark Matter using Indirect Searches
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology · Submitted 26 Feb 2026
abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review
The authors' main claim We find that, for DM annihilation to photons, existing \emph{Fermi}-LAT and MAGIC data place strong constraints on spike profiles at the GC over a broad range of WIMP DM masses, from 10 GeV to 100 TeV, for photon branching fractions down to $\sim 10^{-2}$, and remain sensitive to values as small as $\sim 10^{-4}$ in parts of the parameter space.
The compiled record
The paper's own sentences, arranged. Each label is drawn from a closed vocabulary; the number beside it is the probability the classifier gave that label. Numbers in the tables are the authors', checked by code. No sentence in this record was written by a model.
Open the compiled record
The abstract, sentence by sentence
The dark matter (DM) density profile in the innermost region of the Galaxy remains an open question. In particular, while adiabatic growth of the supermassive black hole Sgr A$^\ast$ at the Galactic Center (GC) can induce a 'spike' in central DM density, the existence of such a spike is still under debate. Here we present new constraints on the spike slope $\gamma_{\rm sp}$ using conventional DM indirect detection searches. We first recast existing photon and neutrino line searches, which include the contribution from the GC region, into constraints on the thermally-averaged DM annihilation cross section $\langle\sigma v\rangle$ in the presence of a DM spike. We then derive new bounds on the spike profile for a generic Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) DM scenario, where the thermal freeze-out mechanism fixes the annihilation cross-section at $\langle\sigma v\rangle\sim (2-3) \times 10^{-26}~{\rm cm}^3~{\rm s}^{-1}$. We find that, for DM annihilation to photons, existing \emph{Fermi}-LAT and MAGIC data place strong constraints on spike profiles at the GC over a broad range of WIMP DM masses, from 10 GeV to 100 TeV, for photon branching fractions down to $\sim 10^{-2}$, and remain sensitive to values as small as $\sim 10^{-4}$ in parts of the parameter space. For the neutrino channel, we use the recent IceCube data to constrain the existence of an extremely steep spike in the $\mathscr{O}(1-10)$~TeV DM mass range. Our analysis can be easily extended to other annihilation channels.
background contribution method result interpretation main claim
| # | sentence | role | the authors' own work | states the main conclusion | strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s0 | The dark matter (DM) density profile in the innermost region of the Galaxy remains an open question. | background 0.69 | 0.03 | 0.02 | asserted 0.96 |
| s1 | In particular, while adiabatic growth of the supermassive black hole Sgr A$^\ast$ at the Galactic Center (GC) can induce a 'spike' in central DM density, the existence of such a spike is still under debate. | background 0.53 | 0.03 | 0.02 | hedged possibility 0.57 |
| s2 | Here we present new constraints on the spike slope $\gamma_{\rm sp}$ using conventional DM indirect detection searches. | contribution 1.00 | 0.89 | 0.08 | asserted 0.98 |
| s3 | We first recast existing photon and neutrino line searches, which include the contribution from the GC region, into constraints on the thermally-averaged DM annihilation cross section $\langle\sigma v\rangle$ in the presence of a DM spike. | method 0.94 | 0.88 | 0.03 | asserted 0.98 |
| s4 | We then derive new bounds on the spike profile for a generic Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) DM scenario, where the thermal freeze-out mechanism fixes the annihilation cross-section at $\langle\sigma v\rangle\sim (2-3) \times 10^{-26}~{\rm cm}^3~{\rm s}^{-1}$. | method 0.60 | 0.94 | 0.12 | asserted 0.98 |
| s5 | We find that, for DM annihilation to photons, existing \emph{Fermi}-LAT and MAGIC data place strong constraints on spike profiles at the GC over a broad range of WIMP DM masses, from 10 GeV to 100 TeV, for photon branching fractions down to $\sim 10^{-2}$, and remain sensitive to values as small as $\sim 10^{-4}$ in parts of the parameter space. | result 1.00 | 0.87 | 0.62 | asserted 1.00 |
| s6 | For the neutrino channel, we use the recent IceCube data to constrain the existence of an extremely steep spike in the $\mathscr{O}(1-10)$~TeV DM mass range. | method 0.71 | 0.88 | 0.07 | asserted 0.98 |
| s7 | Our analysis can be easily extended to other annihilation channels. | future work 0.87 | 0.41 | 0.03 | asserted 0.57 |
What was examined, and what was not
- arXiv listing abstract v2
- full text
- figures and tables
- references and citing sentences
- relations to other papers
- P abstract
- S sections
- T body sentences
- C citations
- R cross-paper relations
The paper
Original abstract
The dark matter (DM) density profile in the innermost region of the Galaxy remains an open question. In particular, while adiabatic growth of the supermassive black hole Sgr A$^\ast$ at the Galactic Center (GC) can induce a 'spike' in central DM density, the existence of such a spike is still under debate. Here we present new constraints on the spike slope $\gamma_{\rm sp}$ using conventional DM indirect detection searches. We first recast existing photon and neutrino line searches, which include the contribution from the GC region, into constraints on the thermally-averaged DM annihilation cross section $\langle\sigma v\rangle$ in the presence of a DM spike. We then derive new bounds on the spike profile for a generic Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) DM scenario, where the thermal freeze-out mechanism fixes the annihilation cross-section at $\langle\sigma v\rangle\sim (2-3) \times 10^{-26}~{\rm cm}^3~{\rm s}^{-1}$. We find that, for DM annihilation to photons, existing \emph{Fermi}-LAT and MAGIC data place strong constraints on spike profiles at the GC over a broad range of WIMP DM masses, from 10 GeV to 100 TeV, for photon branching fractions down to $\sim 10^{-2}$, and remain sensitive to values as small as $\sim 10^{-4}$ in parts of the parameter space. For the neutrino channel, we use the recent IceCube data to constrain the existence of an extremely steep spike in the $\mathscr{O}(1-10)$~TeV DM mass range. Our analysis can be easily extended to other annihilation channels.
Human review
References
How the literature uses it
3 arXiv papers cite this in 3 sentences
What it cites · 75 sentences without a confident label
Uses data or values from 7 papers
-
In this section, we first recast the constraints obtained from Fermi-LAT [ref] and MAGIC [ref] observations of the GC.
A Search for Dark Matter Lines at the Galactic Center with 14 Years of Fermi Data · Gamma-ray line searches and constraints on the spike · 0.86
-
In this section, we first recast the constraints obtained from Fermi-LAT [ref] and MAGIC [ref] observations of the GC.
Search for Gamma-ray Spectral Lines from Dark Matter Annihilation up to 100 TeV towards the Galactic Center with MAGIC · Gamma-ray line searches and constraints on the spike · 0.86
-
Although Ref. [ref] does not quote the NFW halo parameters used, we assume that these are inherited from a previous IceCube analysis [ref] where the mean values used are as follows: [equation] corresponding to a local DM density of $ρ_⊙ =0.471 GeV cm^-3$.
2303.13663 · Neutrino line searches and constraints on the spike · 0.99
Compares with 4 papers
-
Note that the NFW reference profiles used by Ref. [ref] and Ref. [ref] employ slightly different numerical parameters.
Search for Gamma-ray Spectral Lines from Dark Matter Annihilation up to 100 TeV towards the Galactic Center with MAGIC · MAGIC constraints · 0.80
-
Note that the NFW reference profiles used by Ref. [ref] and Ref. [ref] employ slightly different numerical parameters.
A Search for Dark Matter Lines at the Galactic Center with 14 Years of Fermi Data · MAGIC constraints · 0.80
-
On the other hand, using an unsaturated spiky profile (as e.g. in Ref. [ref] ) would result in a much stronger constraint than those derived here.
Dark Matter spikes around Sgr A* in $\gamma$-rays · DM density profile · 0.91
Cites as background 63 papers
-
A DM density spike may form via the adiabatic growth of the SMBH at the center of a pre-existing halo cusp [ref] .
Dark matter annihilation at the galactic center · DM density profile · 0.90
-
The spike hypothesis has been widely explored in the indirect-detection literature for the Milky Way and for other galaxies hosting SMBHs, including early studies of annihilation radiation [ref] , synchrotron-based probes [ref] , and applications to gamma-ray [ref] , neutrino [ref] and boosted DM [ref] signals coming from SMBH environments (like AGNs), as well as future supernova neutrino signals [ref] .
Multi-wavelength signals of dark matter annihilations at the Galactic center · Introduction · 0.92
-
The spike hypothesis has been widely explored in the indirect-detection literature for the Milky Way and for other galaxies hosting SMBHs, including early studies of annihilation radiation [ref] , synchrotron-based probes [ref] , and applications to gamma-ray [ref] , neutrino [ref] and boosted DM [ref] signals coming from SMBH environments (like AGNs), as well as future supernova neutrino signals [ref] .
Probing a dark matter density spike at the Galactic Center · Introduction · 0.92
Discussion
Know something about this paper? Leave a comment, or highlight any passage above to comment on it.