Structure formation models weaken limits on WIMP dark matter from dwarf
spheroidal galaxies
spheroidal galaxies
File(s)2002.11956.pdf (3.27 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Dwarf spheroidal galaxies that form in halo substructures provide stringent
constraints on dark matter annihilation. Many ultrafaint dwarfs discovered with
modern surveys contribute significantly to these constraints. At present,
because of the lack of abundant stellar kinematic data for the ultrafaints,
non-informative prior assumptions are usually made for the parameters of the
density profiles. Based on semi-analytic models of dark matter subhalos and
their connection to satellite galaxies, we present more informative and
realistic satellite priors. We show that our satellite priors lead to
constraints on the annihilation rate that are between a factor of 2 and a
factor of 7 weaker than under non-informative priors. As a result, the thermal
relic cross section can at best only be excluded (with 95% probability) for
dark matter masses of $\lesssim 40$ GeV from dwarf spheroidal data, assuming
annihilation into $b\bar{b}$.
constraints on dark matter annihilation. Many ultrafaint dwarfs discovered with
modern surveys contribute significantly to these constraints. At present,
because of the lack of abundant stellar kinematic data for the ultrafaints,
non-informative prior assumptions are usually made for the parameters of the
density profiles. Based on semi-analytic models of dark matter subhalos and
their connection to satellite galaxies, we present more informative and
realistic satellite priors. We show that our satellite priors lead to
constraints on the annihilation rate that are between a factor of 2 and a
factor of 7 weaker than under non-informative priors. As a result, the thermal
relic cross section can at best only be excluded (with 95% probability) for
dark matter masses of $\lesssim 40$ GeV from dwarf spheroidal data, assuming
annihilation into $b\bar{b}$.
Date Issued
2020-09-17
Date Acceptance
2020-08-25
Citation
Physical Review D: Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, 2020, 102, pp.061302(R) – 1-061302(R) – 8
ISSN
1550-2368
Publisher
American Physical Society
Start Page
061302(R) – 1
End Page
061302(R) – 8
Journal / Book Title
Physical Review D: Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology
Volume
102
Copyright Statement
© 2020 American Physical Society
Identifier
http://arxiv.org/abs/2002.11956v1
Subjects
astro-ph.CO
astro-ph.CO
astro-ph.HE
hep-ph
Notes
8 pages, 4 figures; with supplementary material (19 pages, 13 figures, 4 tables)
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2020-09-17