Abstract
We report a weak line at in x-ray spectra of the Andromeda galaxy and the Perseus galaxy cluster observed by the metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) and - (PN) CCD cameras of the XMM-Newton telescope. This line is not known as an atomic line in the spectra of galaxies or clusters. It becomes stronger towards the centers of the objects; is stronger for Perseus than for M31; is absent in the spectrum of a deep “blank sky” data set. Although for each object it is hard to exclude that the feature is due to an instrumental effect or an atomic line, it is consistent with the behavior of a dark matter decay line. Future (non-)detections of this line in multiple objects may help to reveal its nature.
- Received 28 February 2014
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.251301
© 2014 American Physical Society
Viewpoint
X-Ray Line May Have Dark Matter Origin
Published 15 December 2014
An x-ray feature recently detected by different astronomy groups may be the long-awaited signature of dark matter.
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