A new signature of dark matter annihilations: gamma-rays from intermediate-mass black holes
We study the prospects for detecting gamma-rays from Dark Matter (DM) annihilations in enhancements of the DM density (mini-spikes) around intermediate-mass black holes with masses in the range 10{sup 2} {approx}< M/M{sub {circle_dot}} {approx}< 10{sup 6}. Focusing on two different IMBH formation scenarios, we show that, for typical values of mass and cross section of common DM candidates, mini-spikes, produced by the adiabatic growth of DM around pregalactic IMBHs, would be bright sources of gamma-rays, which could be easily detected with large field-of-view gamma-ray experiments such as GLAST, and further studied with smaller field-of-view, larger-area experiments like Air Cherenkov Telescopes CANGAROO, HESS, MAGIC and VERITAS. The detection of many gamma-ray sources not associated with a luminous component of the Local Group, and with identical cut-offs in their energy spectra at the mass of the DM particle, would provide a potential smoking-gun signature of DM annihilations and shed new light on the nature of intermediate and supermassive Black Holes.
- Research Organization:
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH03000
- OSTI ID:
- 15020356
- Report Number(s):
- FERMILAB-PUB-05-408-A; arXiv eprint number astro-ph/0509565; TRN: US200702%%230
- Journal Information:
- Phys.Rev.D72:103517,2005, Journal Name: Phys.Rev.D72:103517,2005
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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