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

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 - m X 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 M J Jupiter) to 950 K (for 14 M J ). 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.