Taming astrophysical bias in direct dark matter searches
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Pato, M
Strigari, LE
Trotta, R
Bertone, G
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We explore systematic biases in the identification of dark matter in future direct detection experiments and compare the reconstructed dark matter properties when assuming a self-consistent dark matter distribution function and the standard Maxwellian velocity distribution. We find that the systematic bias on the dark matter mass and cross-section determination arising from wrong assumptions for its distribution function is of order ~ 1σ. A much larger systematic bias can arise if wrong assumptions are made on the underlying Milky Way mass model. However, in both cases the bias is substantially mitigated by marginalizing over galactic model parameters. We additionally show that the velocity distribution can be reconstructed in an unbiased manner for typical dark matter parameters. Our results highlight both the robustness of the dark matter mass and cross-section determination using the standard Maxwellian velocity distribution and the importance of accounting for astrophysical uncertainties in a statistically consistent fashion.
Date Issued
2013-02-26
Date Acceptance
2013-02-06
Citation
Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2013, 2013 (2)
ISSN
1475-7516
Publisher
IOP Publishing: Hybrid Open Access
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Volume
2013
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
©2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Physics, Particles & Fields
Physics
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
PHYSICS, PARTICLES & FIELDS
dark matter theory
dark matter experiments
galaxy dynamics
CIRCULAR VELOCITY
DAMA/LIBRA
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
041