Gamma rays from clusters and groups of galaxies: Cosmic rays versus dark matter
- UCO/Lick Observatories, Santa Cruz, California 95064 (United States)
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064 (United States)
Clusters of galaxies have not yet been detected at gamma-ray frequencies; however, the recently launched Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, formerly known as GLAST, could provide the first detections in the near future. Clusters are expected to emit gamma rays as a result of (1) a population of high-energy cosmic rays fueled by accretion, merger shocks, active galactic nuclei, and supernovae, and (2) particle dark-matter annihilation. In this paper, we ask the question of whether the Fermi telescope will be able to discriminate between the two emission processes. We present data-driven predictions for the gamma-ray emission from cosmic rays and dark matter for a large x-ray-flux-limited sample of galaxy clusters and groups. We point out that the gamma-ray signals from cosmic rays and dark matter can be comparable. In particular, we find that poor clusters and groups are the systems predicted to have the highest dark-matter to cosmic-ray emission ratio at gamma-ray energies. Based on detailed Fermi simulations, we study observational handles that might enable us to distinguish the two emission mechanisms, including the gamma-ray spectra, the spatial distribution of the signal, and the associated multiwavelength emissions. We also propose optimal hardness ratios, which will help us to understand the nature of the gamma-ray emission. Our study indicates that gamma rays from dark-matter annihilation with a high particle mass can be distinguished from a cosmic-ray spectrum even for fairly faint sources. Discriminating a cosmic-ray spectrum from a light dark-matter particle will be, instead, much more difficult, and will require long observations and/or a bright source. While the gamma-ray emission from our simulated clusters is extended, determining the spatial distribution with Fermi will be a challenging task requiring an optimal control of the backgrounds.
- OSTI ID:
- 21316179
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 80, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.80.023005; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Observations of M31 and M33 with the Fermi Large Area Telescope: A Galactic Center Excess in Andromeda?
Can Astrophysical Gamma Ray Sources Mimic Dark Matter Annihilation in Galactic Satellites?