Can Astrophysical Gamma Ray Sources Mimic Dark Matter Annihilation in Galactic Satellites?

Journal Article · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

OSTI ID:894566

Baltz, Edward A; Taylor, James E; Wai, Lawrence L

The nature of the cosmic dark matter is unknown. The most compelling hypothesis is that dark matter consists of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) in the 100 GeV mass range. Such particles would annihilate in the galactic halo, producing high-energy gamma rays which might be detectable in gamma ray telescopes such as the GLAST satellite. We investigate the ability of GLAST to distinguish between the WIMP annihilation spectrum and the spectrum of known astrophysical source classes. Focusing on the emission from the galactic satellite halos predicted by the cold dark matter model, we find that the WIMP gamma-ray spectrum is unique; the separation from known source classes can be done in a convincing way. We discuss the follow-up of possible WIMP sources with Imaging Atmospheric Cerenkov Telescopes. Finally we discuss the impact that Large Hadron Collider data might have on the study of galactic dark matter.

• Research Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76SF00515
• OSTI ID: 894566
• Report Number(s): SLAC-PUB-12173; astro-ph/0610731
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ANNIHILATION
Astrophysics
ASTRO
HEPPH
FOCUSING
HADRONS
HYPOTHESIS
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
SATELLITES
TELESCOPES