Indirect Searches for Dark Matter with the Fermi Large Area Telescope
Title | Indirect Searches for Dark Matter with the Fermi Large Area Telescope PDF eBook |
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Pages | 7 |
Release | 2015 |
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There is overwhelming evidence that non-baryonic dark matter constitutes ~ 27% of the energy density of the Universe. Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) are promising dark matter candidates that may produce [gamma] rays via annihilation or decay detectable by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). A detection of WIMPs would also indicate the existence of physics beyond the Standard Model. We present recent results from the two cleanest indirect WIMP searches by the Fermi-LAT Collaboration: searches for [gamma]-ray spectral lines and [gamma]-ray emission associated with Milky Way dwarf spheroidal satellite galaxies.
The Search for Dark Matter with the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope
Title | The Search for Dark Matter with the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope PDF eBook |
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Release | 2011 |
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The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope has been scanning the gamma ray sky since it was launched by NASA in June 2008 and has a mission lifetime goal of 10 years. Largely due to our particle physics heritage, one of the main physics topics being studied by the Fermi LAT Collaboration is the search for dark matter via indirect detection. My talk will review the progress of these studies, something on how the LAT detector enables them, and expectations for the future. I will discuss both gamma-ray and (electron + positron) searches for dark matter, and some resulting theoretical implications.
Optimized Dark Matter Searches in Deep Observations of Segue 1 with MAGIC
Title | Optimized Dark Matter Searches in Deep Observations of Segue 1 with MAGIC PDF eBook |
Author | Jelena Aleksić |
Publisher | Springer |
Pages | 213 |
Release | 2015-11-06 |
Genre | Science |
ISBN | 3319231235 |
This thesis presents the results of indirect dark matter searches in the gamma-ray sky of the near Universe, as seen by the MAGIC Telescopes. The author has proposed and led the 160 hours long observations of the dwarf spheroidal galaxy Segue 1, which is the deepest survey of any such object by any Cherenkov telescope so far. Furthermore, she developed and completely characterized a new method, dubbed “Full Likelihood”, that optimizes the sensitivity of Cherenkov instruments for detection of gamma-ray signals of dark matter origin. Compared to the standard analysis techniques, this novel approach introduces a sensitivity improvement of a factor of two (i.e. it requires 4 times less observation time to achieve the same result). In addition, it allows a straightforward merger of results from different targets and/or detectors. By selecting the optimal observational target and combining its very deep exposure with the Full Likelihood analysis of the acquired data, the author has improved the existing MAGIC bounds to the dark matter properties by more than one order of magnitude. Furthermore, for particles more massive than a few hundred GeV, those are the strongest constraints from dwarf galaxies achieved by any gamma-ray instrument, both ground-based or space-borne alike.
Searching for Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies and Other Galactic Dark Matter Substructures with the Fermi Large Area Telescope
Title | Searching for Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies and Other Galactic Dark Matter Substructures with the Fermi Large Area Telescope PDF eBook |
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Pages | 176 |
Release | 2013 |
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Over the past century, it has become clear that about a quarter of the known universe is composed of an invisible, massive component termed ''dark matter''. Some of the most popular theories of physics beyond the Standard Model suggest that dark matter may be a new fundamental particle that could self-annihilate to produce [gamma] rays. Nearby over-densities in the dark matter halo of our Milky Way present some of the most promising targets for detecting the annihilation of dark matter. We used the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on-board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to search for [gamma] rays produced by dark matter annihilation in Galactic dark matter substructures. We searched for [gamma]-ray emission coincident with Milky Way dwarf spheroidal satellite galaxies, which trace the most massive Galactic dark matter substructures. We also sought to identify nearby dark matter substructures that lack all astrophysical tracers and would be detectable only through [gamma]-ray emission from dark matter annihilation. We found no conclusive evidence for [gamma]-ray emission from dark matter annihilation, and we set stringent and robust constraints on the dark matter annihilation cross section. While [gamma]-ray searches for dark matter substructure are currently the most sensitive and robust probes of dark matter annihilation, they are just beginning to intersect the theoretically preferred region of dark matter parameter space. Thus, we consider future prospects for increasing the sensitivity of [gamma]-ray searches through improvements to the LAT instrument performance and through upcoming wide- field optical surveys.
Dark Matter Searches with the Fermi-LAT in the Direction of Dwarf Spheroidals
Title | Dark Matter Searches with the Fermi-LAT in the Direction of Dwarf Spheroidals PDF eBook |
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Pages | 8 |
Release | 2015 |
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Search for Gamma-ray Emission from Dark Matter Annihilation in the Large Magellanic Cloud with the Fermi Large Area Telescope
Title | Search for Gamma-ray Emission from Dark Matter Annihilation in the Large Magellanic Cloud with the Fermi Large Area Telescope PDF eBook |
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Release | 2015 |
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Particle Dark Matter
Title | Particle Dark Matter PDF eBook |
Author | Gianfranco Bertone |
Publisher | Cambridge University Press |
Pages | 763 |
Release | 2010-01-07 |
Genre | Science |
ISBN | 0521763681 |
Describes the dark matter problem in particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology for graduate students and researchers.