Gamma-ray probes of dark matter substructure
- Department of Physics and Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics (CCAPP), The Ohio State University, 191 W. Woodruff Ave., Columbus, OH 43210 (United States)
The substructure content of dark matter halos is interesting because it can be affected by complex galaxy physics and dark matter particle physics. However, observing the small scale structure of dark matter is a challenge. The subhalo abundance (mass function, minimum mass) and morphology (density profile, subhalo shape, subsubstructure) contain information about complex astrophysics (halo formation processes) and new exotic fundamental physics (dark matter interactions). Indirect detection of dark matter annihilation radiation (DMAR) in gamma rays may be the most direct method for observing small scale structure. I outline the ways in which gamma rays may probe halo substructure. If substructure is bountiful, it may be responsible for the eventual discovery of DMAR, for instance in galaxy clusters or the diffuse gamma-ray background. Otherwise, the observation of DMAR in places without much substructure, such as the Galactic center, would lead to strict limits on the properties of small scale structure. Properties of the gamma-ray angular power spectrum will also provide information or constraints on Milky Way halo substructure.
- OSTI ID:
- 22306233
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1604, Issue 1; Conference: PPC 2013: 7. international conference on interconnections between particle physics and cosmology, Lead-Deadwood, SD (United States), 24 Jun - 6 Jul 2013; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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