Searching for decaying axionlike dark matter from clusters of galaxies

Phys Rev Lett. 2007 Sep 28;99(13):131301. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.131301. Epub 2007 Sep 28.

Abstract

We constrain the lifetime of radiatively decaying dark matter in clusters of galaxies inspired by generic Kaluza-Klein axions, which have been invoked as a possible explanation for the solar coronal x-ray emission. These particles can be produced inside stars and remain confined by the gravitational potential of clusters. By analyzing x-ray observations of merging clusters, where gravitational lensing observations have identified massive, baryon poor structures, we derive the first cosmological lifetime constraint on this kind of particles of tau > or = 10(23) sec.