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The Characterization of the Gamma-Ray Signal from the Central Milky Way: A Compelling Case for Annihilating Dark Matter
- Source :
- arXiv
- Publication Year :
- 2014
- Publisher :
- arXiv, 2014.
-
Abstract
- Past studies have identified a spatially extended excess of ~1-3 GeV gamma rays from the region surrounding the Galactic Center, consistent with the emission expected from annihilating dark matter. We revisit and scrutinize this signal with the intention of further constraining its characteristics and origin. By applying cuts to the Fermi event parameter CTBCORE, we suppress the tails of the point spread function and generate high resolution gamma-ray maps, enabling us to more easily separate the various gamma-ray components. Within these maps, we find the GeV excess to be robust and highly statistically significant, with a spectrum, angular distribution, and overall normalization that is in good agreement with that predicted by simple annihilating dark matter models. For example, the signal is very well fit by a 36-51 GeV dark matter particle annihilating to bb with an annihilation cross section of σv=(1-3)×10-26cm3/s (normalized to a local dark matter density of 0.4 GeV/cm 3 ). Furthermore, we confirm that the angular distribution of the excess is approximately spherically symmetric and centered around the dynamical center of the Milky Way (within ~0.05 ° of Sgr A * ), showing no sign of elongation along the Galactic Plane. The signal is observed to extend to at least ≃10° from the Galactic Center, which together with its other morphological traits disfavors the possibility that this emission originates from previously known or modeled pulsar populations. Keywords: Dark matter; Indirect detection; Gamma-rays<br />United States. Department of Energy (Contract DE-FG02-05ER41360)
- Subjects :
- High Energy Physics - Theory
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO)
Milky Way
Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Dark matter
FOS: Physical sciences
Astrophysics
Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
01 natural sciences
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
Pulsar
0103 physical sciences
010303 astronomy & astrophysics
Physics
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
Annihilation
010308 nuclear & particles physics
Galactic Center
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Galactic plane
Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
Galaxy
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
Space and Planetary Science
Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
Subjects
Details
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- arXiv
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....d69503c267c15569d7353a1e51791d7d
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1402.6703