arXiv subjects

Dan Hooper

Publications and source records attributed to Dan Hooper.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

Possible Evidence For Dark Matter Annihilation In The Inner Milky Way From The Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope

We study the gamma rays observed by the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope from the direction of the Galactic Center and find that their angular distribution and energy spectrum are well described by a dark matter annihilation scenario. In particular, we find a good fit to the data for dark matter particles with a 25-30 GeV mass, an annihilation cross section of ~9x10^-26 cm^3/s, and that are distributed with a cusped halo profile within the inner kiloparsec of the Galaxy. We cannot, however, exclude the possibility that these photons originate from an astrophysical source or sources with a similar morphology and spectral shape to those predicted in an annihilating dark matter scenario.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Deducing the nature of dark matter from direct and indirect detection experiments in the absence of collider signatures of new physics

Despite compelling arguments that significant discoveries of physics beyond the standard model are likely to be made at the Large Hadron Collider, it remains possible that this machine will make no such discoveries, or will make no discoveries directly relevant to the dark matter problem. In this article, we study the ability of astrophysical experiments to deduce the nature of dark matter in such a scenario. In most dark matter studies, the relic abundance and detection prospects are evaluated within the context of some specific particle physics model or models (e.g. supersymmetry). Here, we attempt to develop a model-independent approach toward the phenomenology of weakly interacting massive particles in the absence of any discoveries at the Large Hadron Collider. In particular, we consider generic fermionic or scalar dark matter particles with a variety of interaction forms, and calculate the corresponding constraints from and sensitivity of direct and indirect detection experiments. The results may provide some guidance in disentangling information from future direct and indirect detection experiments.

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arXiv2009

The Indirect Search for Dark Matter with IceCube

We revisit the prospects for IceCube and similar kilometer-scale telescopes to detect neutrinos produced by the annihilation of weakly interacting massive dark matter particles (WIMPs) in the Sun. We emphasize that the astrophysics of the problem is understood; models can be observed or, alternatively, ruled out. In searching for a WIMP with spin-independent interactions with ordinary matter, IceCube is only competitive with direct detection experiments if the WIMP mass is sufficiently large. For spin-dependent interactions IceCube already has improved the best limits on spin-dependent WIMP cross sections by two orders of magnitude. This is largely due to the fact that models with significant spin-dependent couplings to protons are the least constrained and, at the same time, the most promising because of the efficient capture of WIMPs in the Sun. We identify models where dark matter particles are beyond the reach of any planned direct detection experiments while being within reach of neutrino telescopes. In summary, we find that, even when contemplating recent direct detection results, neutrino telescopes have the opportunity to play an important as well as complementary role in the search for particle dark matter.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

Pamela, FGST and Sub-Tev Dark Matter

PAMELA's observation that the cosmic ray positron fraction increases rapidly with energy implies the presence of primary sources of energetic electron-positron pairs. Of particular interest is the possibility that dark matter annihilations in the halo of the Milky Way provide this anomalous flux of antimatter. The recent measurement of the cosmic ray electron spectrum by the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope, however, can be used to constrain the nature of any such dark matter particle. In particular, it has been argued that in order to accommodate the observations of Fermi and provide the PAMELA positron excess, annihilating dark matter particles must be as massive as ~1 TeV or heavier. In this article, we revisit Fermi's electron spectrum measurement within the context of annihilating dark matter, focusing on masses in the range of 100-1000 GeV, and considering effects such as variations in the astrophysical backgrounds from the presence of local cosmic ray accelerators, and the finite energy resolution of the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope. When these factors are taken into account, we find that dark matter particles as light as ~300 GeV can be capable of generating the positron fraction observed by PAMELA.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Kaluza-Klein Dark Matter And Neutrinos From Annihilation In The Sun

In models with one universal extra dimension (UED), the first Kaluza-Klein excitations of the hypercharge gauge boson, B^(1), and the neutral component of isospin gauge boson, W^3(1), are each viable dark matter candidates. In either case, such particles are predicted to accumulate in the core of the Sun, where they annihilate to generate a potentially observable flux of high energy neutrinos. In this article, we calculate the flux of neutrinos produced in this model and determine the constraints that can be placed on the UED parameter space from current IceCube data. For the case of B^(1) dark matter, we find that the present limits from IceCube are stronger than those from direct dark matter detection experiments such as CDMS and XENON10. For W^3(1) dark matter, the present IceCube data provides a constraint slightly weaker than direct detection experiments. In addition, we also present the projected regions of UED parameter space that can be probed by IceCube/DeepCore in the near future and compare them to the prospects for future direct detection experiments.

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arXiv2009

High-Energy Neutrino Signatures of Dark Matter Decaying into Leptons

Decaying dark matter has previously been proposed as a possible explanation for the excess high energy cosmic ray electrons and positrons seen by PAMELA and the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope (FGST). To accommodate these signals however, the decays must be predominantly leptonic, to muons or taus, and therefore produce neutrinos, potentially detectable with the IceCube neutrino observatory. We find that, with five years of data, IceCube (supplemented by DeepCore) will be able to significantly constrain the relevant parameter space of decaying dark matter, and may even be capable of discovering dark matter decaying in the halo of the Milky Way.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

A Natural Supersymmetric Model with MeV Dark Matter

It has previously been proposed that annihilating dark matter particles with MeV-scale masses could be responsible for the flux of 511 keV photons observed from the region of the Galactic Bulge. The conventional wisdom, however, is that it is very challenging to construct a viable particle physics model containing MeV dark matter. In this letter, we challenge this conclusion by describing a simple and natural supersymmetric model in which the lightest supersymmetric particle naturally has a MeV-scale mass and the other phenomenological properties required to generate the 511 keV emission. In particular, the small ($\sim$ $10^{-5}$) effective couplings between dark matter and the Standard Model fermions required in this scenario naturally lead to radiative corrections that generate MeV-scale masses for both the dark matter candidate and the mediator particle.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Extended MSSM Neutralinos as the Source of the PAMELA Positron Excess

We consider a scenario within the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model extended by a singlet chiral superfield, in which neutralino dark matter annihilates to light singlet-like Higgs bosons, which proceed to decay to either electron-positron or muon-antimuon pairs. Unlike neutralino annihilations in the MSSM, this model can provide a good fit to the PAMELA cosmic ray positron fraction excess. Furthermore, the singlet-like scalar Higgs can induce a large Sommerfeld enhancement and provide an annihilation rate sufficient to accommodate the observed positron excess.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

High Energy Neutrinos As A Test of Leptophilic Dark Matter

Recently, observations by PAMELA, the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope, and other cosmic ray experiments have generated a great deal of interest in dark matter (DM) particles which annihilate at a high rate to leptons. In this letter, we explore the possibility of using large volume neutrino telescopes, such as IceCube, to constrain such models; specifically we consider signals due to DM annihilation in the inner Milky Way. We find that, if Dark Matter annihilations are responsible for the signals observed by PAMELA and FGST, then IceCube (in conjunction with the planned low threshold extension, DeepCore) should detect or exclude the corresponding neutrino signal from the inner Milky Way with a few years of observation.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Astrophysical Uncertainties in the Cosmic Ray Electron and Positron Spectrum From Annihilating Dark Matter

In recent years, a number of experiments have been conducted with the goal of studying cosmic rays at GeV to TeV energies. This is a particularly interesting regime from the perspective of indirect dark matter detection. To draw reliable conclusions regarding dark matter from cosmic ray measurements, however, it is important to first understand the propagation of cosmic rays through the magnetic and radiation fields of the Milky Way. In this paper, we constrain the characteristics of the cosmic ray propagation model through comparison with observational inputs, including recent data from the CREAM experiment, and use these constraints to estimate the corresponding uncertainties in the spectrum of cosmic ray electrons and positrons from dark matter particles annihilating in the halo of the Milky Way.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

How Dark Matter Reionized The Universe

Although empirical evidence indicates that that the universe's gas had become ionized by redshift z ~ 6, the mechanism by which this transition occurred remains unclear. In this article, we explore the possibility that dark matter annihilations may have played the dominant role in this process. Energetic electrons produced in these annihilations can scatter with the cosmic microwave background to generate relatively low energy gamma rays, which ionize and heat gas far more efficiently than higher energy prompt photons. In contrast to previous studies, we find that viable dark matter candidates with electroweak scale masses can naturally provide the dominant contribution to the reionization of the universe. Intriguingly, we find that dark matter candidates capable of producing the recent cosmic ray excesses observed by PAMELA and/or ATIC are also predicted to lead to the full reionization of the universe by z ~ 6.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

The PAMELA and ATIC Signals From Kaluza-Klein Dark Matter

In this letter, we study the possibility that Kaluza-Klein dark matter in a model with one universal extra dimension is responsible for the recent observations of the PAMELA and ATIC experiments. In this model, the dark matter particles annihilate largely to charged leptons, which enables them to produce a spectrum of cosmic ray electrons and positrons consistent with the PAMELA and ATIC measurements. To normalize to the observed signal, however, large boost factors (~10^3) are required. Despite these large boost factors and significant annihilation to hadronic modes (35%), we find that the constraints from cosmic ray antiproton measurements can be satisfied. Relic abundance considerations in this model force us to consider a rather specific range of masses (approximately 600-900 GeV) which is very similar to the range required to generate the ATIC spectral feature. The results presented here can also be used as a benchmark for model-independent constraints on dark matter annihilation to hadronic modes.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

TASI 2008 Lectures on Dark Matter

Based on lectures given at the 2008 Theoretical Advanced Study Institute (TASI), I review here some aspects of the phenomenology of particle dark matter, including the process of thermal freeze-out in the early universe, and the direct and indirect detection of WIMPs. I also describe some of the most popular particle candidates for dark matter and summarize the current status of the quest to discover dark matter's particle identity.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Pulsars as the Sources of High Energy Cosmic Ray Positrons

Recent results from the PAMELA satellite indicate the presence of a large flux of positrons (relative to electrons) in the cosmic ray spectrum between approximately 10 and 100 GeV. As annihilating dark matter particles in many models are predicted to contribute to the cosmic ray positron spectrum in this energy range, a great deal of interest has resulted from this observation. Here, we consider pulsars (rapidly spinning, magnetized neutron stars) as an alternative source of this signal. After calculating the contribution to the cosmic ray positron and electron spectra from pulsars, we find that the spectrum observed by PAMELA could plausibly originate from such sources. In particular, a significant contribution is expected from the sum of all mature pulsars throughout the Milky Way, as well as from the most nearby mature pulsars (such as Geminga and B0656+14). The signal from nearby pulsars is expected to generate a small but significant dipole anisotropy in the cosmic ray electron spectrum, potentially providing a method by which the Fermi gamma-ray space telescope would be capable of discriminating between the pulsar and dark matter origins of the observed high energy positrons.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

The PAMELA and ATIC Excesses From a Nearby Clump of Neutralino Dark Matter

In this letter, we suggest that a nearby clump of 600-1000 GeV neutralinos may be responsible for the excesses recently observed in the cosmic ray positron and electron spectra by the PAMELA and ATIC experiments. Although neutralino dark matter annihilating throughout the halo of the Milky Way is predicted to produce a softer spectrum than is observed, and violate constraints from cosmic ray antiproton measurements, a large nearby (within 1-2 kiloparsecs of the Solar System) clump of annihilating neutralinos can lead to a spectrum which is consistent with PAMELA and ATIC, while also producing an acceptable antiproton flux. Furthermore, the presence of a large dark matter clump can potentially accommodate the very large annihilation rate required to produce the PAMELA and ATIC signals.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Distinguishing Between Dark Matter and Pulsar Origins of the ATIC Electron Spectrum With Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes

Recent results from the Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) balloon experiment have identified the presence of a spectral feature between approximately 300 and 800 GeV in the cosmic ray electron spectrum. This spectral feature appears to imply the existence of a local (within about 1 kpc) source of high energy electrons. Emission from a local pulsar and dark matter annihilations have each been put forth as possible origins of this signal. In this letter, we consider the sensitivity of ground based atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes to electrons and show that observatories such as HESS and VERITAS should be able to resolve this feature with sufficient precision to discriminate between the dark matter and pulsar hypotheses with considerably greater than 5 sigma significance, even for conservative assumptions regarding their performance. In addition, this feature provides an opportunity to perform an absolute calibration of the energy scale of ground based, gamma ray telescopes.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

The Intergalactic Propagation of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Ray Nuclei: An Analytic Approach

It is likely that ultra-high energy cosmic rays contain a significant component of heavy or intermediate mass nuclei. The propagation of ultra-high energy nuclei through cosmic radiation backgrounds is more complicated than that of protons and its study has required the use of Monte Carlo techniques. We present an analytic method for calculating the spectrum and the composition at Earth of ultra-high energy cosmic rays which start out as heavy nuclei from their extragalactic sources. The results obtained are in good agreement with those obtained using numerical methods.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Panglossian Prospects for Detecting Neutralino Dark Matter in Light of Natural Priors

In most global fits of the constrained minimal supersymmetric model (CMSSM) to indirect data, the a priori likelihoods of any two points in tan beta are treated as equal, and the more fundamental mu and B Higgs potential parameters are fixed by potential minimization conditions. We find that, if instead a flat ("natural")prior measure on mu and B is placed, a strong preference exists for the focus point region from fits to particle physics and cosmological data. In particular, we find that the lightest neutralino is strongly favored to be a mixed bino-higgsino (~10% higgsino). Such mixed neutralinos have large elastic scattering cross sections with nuclei, leading to extremely promising prospects for both underground direct detection experiments and neutrino telescopes. In particular, the majority of the posterior probability distribution falls within parameter space within an order of magnitude of current direct detection constraints. Furthermore, neutralino annihilations in the sun are predicted to generate thousands of neutrino induced muon events per years at IceCube. Thus, assuming the framework of the CMSSM and using the natural prior measure, modulo caveats regarding astrophysical uncertainties, we are likely to be living in a world with good prospects for the direct and indirect detection of neutralino dark matter.

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