The effectiveness of exoplanets and Brown Dwarfs as sub-GeV Dark Matter detectors

Abstract

Abstract In this work we demonstrate that Dark Matter (DM) evaporation severely hinders the effectiveness of exoplanets and Brown Dwarfs as sub-GeV DM probes. Moreover, we find useful analytic closed form approximations for DM capture rates for arbitrary astrophysical objects, valid in four distinct regions in the σ-mX parameter space. As expected, in one of those regions the Dark Matter capture saturates to its geometric limit, i.e. the entire flux crossing an object. As a consequence of this region, which for many objects falls within the parameter space not excluded by direct detection experiments, we point out the existence of a DM parameter dependent critical temperature (T crit), above which astrophysical objects lose any sensitivity as Dark Matter probes. For instance, Jupiters at the Galactic Center have a T crit ranging from 700 K (for a 3 MJ Jupiter) to 950 K (for 14 MJ ). This limitation is rarely (if ever) considered in the previous literature of indirect Dark Matter detection based on observable signatures of captured Dark Matter inside celestial bodies.