Neutralino Annihilation into a Photon and a Z boson

Abstract

A full one-loop calculation of neutralino S-wave annihilation into the $Zγ$ final state is performed in the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model. This process, like the similar one with two photons in the final state, may be of importance for the indirect detection of supersymmetric dark matter through the very narrow $γ$ ray line that would result from neutralino annihilations in the galactic halo. We give the complete analytical formulas for this loop-induced process and treat the case of a pure Higgsino as a first application of our expressions. Predictions for the gamma line flux are given for the halo model which is of the form suggested by Kravtsov et al. and for the profile proposed by Navarro, Frenk and White. For heavy neutralinos, the lines from $2γ$ and $Zγ$ would have indistiguishable energy in a realistic detector, making the fluxes add and facilitating discovery. For lighter neutralinos, the positions and relative strengths of the two lines would give valuable information on the nature of the supersymmetric dark matter particles.