Constraints on particle dark matter from cosmic-ray antiprotons

Understand

Cosmic-ray antiprotons represent an important channel for dark matter indirect-detection studies.

• Current measurements of the antiproton flux at the top of the atmosphere and theoretical determinations of the secondary antiproton production in the Galaxy are in good agreement, with no manifest deviation which could point to an exotic contribution in this channel.
• Therefore, antiprotons can be used as a powerful tool for constraining particle dark matter properties.
• By using the spectrum of PAMELA data from 50 MV to 180 GV in rigidity, we derive bounds on the dark matter annihilation cross section (or decay rate, for decaying dark matter) for the whole spectrum of dark matter annihilation (decay) channels and under different hypotheses of cosmic-rays transport in the Galaxy and in the heliosphere.