Gamma-ray bounds from EAS detectors and heavy decaying dark matter constraints

The very high energy Galactic gamma-ray sky is partially opaque in the (0.1-10) PeV energy range. In the light of the recently detected high energy neutrino flux by IceCube, a comparable very high energy gamma-ray flux is expected in any scenario with a sizable Galactic contribution to the neutrino flux. Here we elaborate on the peculiar energy and anisotropy features imposed upon these very high energy gamma-rays by the absorption on the cosmic microwave background photons and Galactic interstellar light. As a notable application of our considerations, we study the prospects of probing the PeV-scale decaying DM scenario, proposed as a possible source of IceCube neutrinos, by extensive air shower (EAS) cosmic ray experiments. In particular, we show that anisotropy measurements at EAS experiments are already sensitive to tau(DM) similar to O(10(27)) s and future measurements, using better gamma/hadron separation, can improve the limit significantly.