Model-independent bound on the dark matter lifetime

If dark matter (DM) is unstable, in order to be present today, its lifetime needs to be longer than the age of the Universe, t(U) similar or equal to 4 x 10(17) s. It is usually assumed that if DM decays it would do it with some strength through a radiative mode. In this case, very constraining limits can be obtained from observations of the diffuse gamma ray background. However, although reasonable, this is a model-dependent assumption. Here our only assumption is that DM decays into, at least, one Standard Model (SM) particle. Among these, neutrinos are the least detectable ones. Hence, if we assume that the only SM decay daughters are neutrinos, a limit on their flux from DM decays in the Milky Way sets a conservative, but stringent and model-independent bound on its lifetime. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.