Microlensing and halo cold dark matter

Journal Article · Mon May 08 00:00:00 EDT 1995 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.74.3724· OSTI ID:55259

Gates, E I; Gyuk, G; Turner, M S ^[1]

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1. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Enrico Fermi Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637-1433 (United States)

We discuss the implications of the more than 50 microlensing events seen for the composition of the dark halo of our galaxy. Though firm conclusions are not yet possible due to small-number statistics and modeling uncertainties, in most viable models of the galaxy the fraction of massive compact objects in the halo (MACHOs) is between 5% and 30%, consistent with expectations for a universe whose primary component is cold dark matter. An all-MACHO halo cannot yet be excluded; we discuss future measurements that could exclude this possibility.

• OSTI ID: 55259
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 74, Issue 19; Other Information: PBD: 8 May 1995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
GALAXIES
LENSES
UNIVERSE
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
MASS
DENSITY
DISTRIBUTION