Indirect dark matter searches with current and future gamma-ray telescopes

• Grant number: 21/09744-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2021
• End date: July 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Elementary Particle Physics and Fields
• Principal Investigator: Aion da Escóssia Melo Viana
• Grantee: Micael Jonathan Duarte Andrade
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/14893-3 - Extreme phenomena of the Galactic Center and indirect searches of dark matter with gamma rays, AP.JP

Abstract

Despite mounting evidence that astrophysical dark matter exists in the Universe, its nature remains undetermined. One primary direction for dark matter searches are for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). These are particles with masses in the GeV-TeV range and weak-scale interaction strength. In high density environments of the Universe dark matter may self-annihilate and produce a strong gamma-ray signal. Dwarf galaxies, galaxy clusters and the Galactic Center are compelling candidates to harbour such sizeable high energy gamma-ray signal. This project aims to estimate the sensitivity of present gamma-ray detectors, such as Fermi-LAT and H.E.S.S., as well as future observatories, such as the Southern Wide field-ofview Gamma-ray Observatory (SWGO) and the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), to detect dark matter annihilation signals from the most promising targets in the Universe. Special attention is going to be given to the different distribution models of dark matter in the different targets, in order to select the best objects. Since some regions may have strong astrophysical non-thermal gamma-ray emission, a particular care will be taken to optimize the observation strategy and signal extraction regions in order to increase the sensitivity of these telescopes to an annihilation signal. Eventually, the combination of the observation of all the gamma-ray experiments may be used to improve the sensitivity to a dark matter signal.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

ANDRADE, Micael Jonathan Duarte. Indirect searches of dark matter in dwarf galaxies with the Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory. 2023. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC/BT) São Carlos.