Particle Dark Matter constraints: the effect of Galactic uncertainties

Author(s)

Benito, Maria ; Bernal, Nicolas ; Bozorgnia, Nassim ; Calore, Francesca ; Locco, Fabio

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics; v. N/A, n. 2, p. 26-pg., 2017-02-01.

Abstract

Collider, space, and Earth based experiments are now able to probe several extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics which provide viable dark matter candidates. Direct and indirect dark matter searches rely on inputs of astrophysical nature, such as the local dark matter density or the shape of the dark matter profile in the target in object. The determination of these quantities is highly affected by astrophysical uncertainties. The latter, especially those for our own Galaxy, are ill-known, and often not fully accounted for when analyzing the phenomenology of particle physics models. In this paper we present a systematic, quantitative estimate of how astrophysical uncertainties on Galactic quantities (such as the local galactocentric distance, circular velocity, or the morphology of the stellar disk and bulge) propagate to the determination of the phenomenology of particle physics models, thus eventually affecting the determination of new physics parameters. We present results in the context of two specific extensions of the Standard Model (the Singlet Scalar and the Inert Doublet) that we adopt as case studies for their simplicity in illustrating the magnitude and impact of such uncertainties on the parameter space of the particle physics model itself. Our findings point toward very relevant effects of current Galactic uncertainties on the determination of particle physics parameters, and urge a systematic estimate of such uncertainties in more complex scenarios, in order to achieve constraints on the determination of new physics that realistically include all known uncertainties. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/11973-4 - ICTP South American Institute for Fundamental Research: a regional center for theoretical physics
• Grantee: Nathan Jacob Berkovits
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/11070-2 - Dark matter in the Milky Way: a precision era
• Grantee: Fabio Iocco
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/50073-0 - Multichannel particle searches in the precision era of dark matter astronomy
• Grantee: Fabio Iocco
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants