arXiv subjects

Charles Thorpe-Morgan

Publications and source records attributed to Charles Thorpe-Morgan.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

Annihilating Dark Matter Search with 12 Years of Fermi LAT Data in Nearby Galaxy Clusters

Galaxy clusters are the largest virialised objects in the Universe, and as such, have a high dark matter (DM) concentration. This abundance of dark matter makes them promising targets for indirect DM searches. Here we report the details of a search, utilising almost 12~years of Fermi/LAT data, for gamma ray signatures from the pair annihilation of WIMP dark matter in the GeV energy band. From this, we present the constraints on the annihilation cross section for the bb-bar, W+W- and gamma-gamma channels, derived from the non-detection of a characteristic signal from five nearby high galactic latitude galaxy clusters (Centaurus, Coma, Virgo, Perseus and Fornax). We discuss the potential of a boost to the signal due the presence of substructures in the DM halos of selected objects, as well as the impact of uncertainties in DM profiles on the presented results. We assert that the obtained limits are, within a small factor, comparable to the best available limits of those based on Fermi/LAT observations of dwarf spheroidal galaxies.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

THESEUS Insights into ALP, Dark Photon and Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter

Through a series of simulated observations, we investigate the capability of the instruments aboard the forthcoming THESEUS mission for the detection of a characteristic signal from decaying dark matter (DM) in the keV-MeV energy range. We focus our studies on three well studied Standard Model extensions hosting axion-like particle, dark photon, and sterile neutrino DM candidates. We show that, due to the sensitivity of THESEUS' X and Gamma Imaging Spectrometer (XGIS) instrument, existing constraints on dark matter parameters can be improved by a factor of up to ~300, depending on the considered DM model and assuming a zero level of systematic uncertainty. We also show that even a minimal level of systematic uncertainty of 1% can impair potential constraints by one to two orders of magnitude. We argue that nonetheless, the constraints imposed by THESEUS will be substantially better than existing ones and will well complement the constraints of upcoming missions such as eXTP and Athena. Ultimately, the limits imposed by THESEUS and future missions will ensure a robust and thorough coverage of the parameter space for decaying DM models, enabling either a detection of dark matter or a significant improvement of relevant limits.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

eXTP perspectives for the $ν$MSM sterile neutrino dark matter model

We discuss the potential of the eXTP X-ray telescope, in particular its Spectroscopic Focusing Array (SFA), Large Area Detector (LAD) and Wide Field Monitor (WFM) for the detection of a signal from keV-scale decaying dark matter. We show that the sensitivity of the eXTP is sufficient to improve existing constraints on the mixing angle of the neutrino Minimal extension of the Standard Model ($ν$MSM) by a factor of 5-10 within the dark matter mass range 2-50 keV, assuming 1% level of systematic uncertainty. We assert that the eXTP will be able to probe previously inaccessible range of $ν$MSM parameters and serve as a precursor for the Athena mission in decaying dark matter searches.

astro-ph.HE↗