Indirect dark matter searches with gamma-ray observatories

• Grant number: 24/07827-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Elementary Particle Physics and Fields
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Vitor de Souza Filho
• Grantee: Lorenzo Mendes Vasconcellos de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/01089-1 - Cherenkov Telescope Array: construction and first discoveries, AP.ESP

Abstract

It is generally accepted nowadays that the matter density of the Universe mainly consists of an unknown component, called Dark Matter (DM). It isalso believed that DM is formed of a new neutral, stable and non-baryonic elementary particle. In high density environments of the Universe DM mayself-annihilate and produce a strong gamma-ray signal. Among all possible targets, dwarf galaxies of the Local Group are among the most promising for discoveries due to their large DM content, with up to O(10 3 ) times more mass in DM than in visible matter, and the lack of astrophysical background noise. No dark matter signal has ever been detected and the data has been used toshrink the allowed parameter space for dark matter particles. In this project we will study particle physics models beyond the standard model includingsecluded models and new dublets of scalars. At the same time, new gamma-ray observatories are becoming operational. The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is going to improve the sensitivity of ground telescopes by a factor of 10 allowing the study of fainter sources. The international community is also proposing the construction of a wide field of view gamma-ray observatory complementary to CTA in South America. Finally the FERMI satellite is going to continue to take data of the full sky for the next 5-10 years. Thisproject aims at using models and simulations to improve the detection sensitivity to a dark matter signal that will be achieved by the future gamma-ray observatories.