Constraining Effective Field Theories for dark matter candidates annihilating into gamma-ray lines with CTAO

Abstract

Gamma-ray lines constitute a smoking gun signature for annihilating dark matter particles. Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes and satellites have searched for such signals but null results have been reported thus far. We take advantage of the expected gamma-ray flux sensitivity of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) toward the direction of the Galactic Centre and Dwarf Galaxies and its exquisite energy resolution to derive upper limits on fermionic and scalar dark matter annihilations into gamma-ray lines. We consider the lowest-order effective operators for scalar and fermion dark matter, and derive limits on the energy scale using the recent CTAO projected sensitivity. Putting our findings into perspective with existing limits from direct and indirect detection experiments, we conclude that CTAO will either play a complementary role or be a discovery channel for dark matter signals.