Indirect searches in the PAMELA and Fermi era

The detection of γ -rays, antiprotons and positrons due to pair annihilation of dark matter particles in the Milky Way halo is a viable indirect technique to search for signatures of supersymmetric dark matter where the major challenge is the discrimination of the signal from the background generated by standard production mechanisms. The new PAMELA antiproton data are consistent with the standard secondary production and this allows us to constrain exotic contribution to the spectrum due to neutralino annihilations. In particular, we show that in the framework of minimal supergravity (mSUGRA), in a clumpy halo scenario (with clumpiness factor ⩾10) and for large values of tan ( β ) ⩾ 55 , almost all the parameter space allowed by WMAP is excluded. Instead the PAMELA positron fraction data exhibit an excess that it is very difficult to explain with secondary production. The Fermi-LAT experiment recently reported high precision measurements of the spectrum of cosmicray electrons-plus-positrons (CRE) between 20 GeV and 1 TeV. The spectrum shows no prominent spectral features, and is significantly harder than that inferred from several previous experiments. The PAMELA excess in positron fraction combined with the new Fermi results on the electron+positron spectrum unavoidably testifies the presence of primary positrons in cosmic rays because it is not possible to explain the PAMELA ratio with a deficit of electrons at high energies. Here we discuss the status of indirect dark matter searches and a perspective for PAMELA and Fermi γ -ray space telescope experiments

Constraints on dark matter and future observational strategies with gamma-ray space experiments

Abstract Detection of gamma rays and cosmic rays from the annihilation or decay of dark matter particles is a promising method for identifying dark matter, understanding its intrinsic properties, and mapping its distribution in the universe. I will review recent results from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and other space-based experiments, and highlight the constraints these currently place on particle dark matter models. I will also discuss the prospects for indirect searches to robustly identify or exclude a dark matter signal using upcoming data and the comparison with LHC searches

Indirect detection of dark matter, current status and recent results

a b s t r a c t Since its launch in 2008, the Large Area Telescope, onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, has detected the largest amount of gamma rays, in the 20 MeV 300 GeV energy range and electrons + positrons in the 7 GeV–1 TeV range. These impressive statistics allow one to perform a very sensitive indirect experimental search for dark matter. I will present the latest results on these searches

Latest Results from the Fermi Gamma-Ray Telescope

Can we learn about New Physics with astronomical and astro-particle data? Since its launch in 2008, the Large Area Telescope, onboard of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, has detected the largest amount of gamma rays in the 20 MeV - 300 GeV energy range and electrons + positrons in the 7 GeV- 1 TeV range, opening a new observational window on a wide variety of astrophysical objects

Gamma ray astronomy

Abstract The energy domain between 10 MeV and hundreds of GeV is an essential one for the multifrequency study of extreme astrophysical sources. The understanding of spectra of detected gamma rays is necessary for developing models for acceleration, emission, absorption and propagation of very high-energy particles at their sources and in space. After the end of EGRET on board the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory this energy region is not covered by any other experiment, at least up to 50 GeV where ground Cerenkov telescopes are beginning to take data. Here we will review the status of the space experiments that will fill this energy region: AGILE and GLAST, with particular emphasis at the connection with all the other ground planned experiments and at the contribution of these experiments to particle physics

Search for supersymmetric Dark Matter with the space experiments GLAST and PAMELA

Abstract The direct detection of annihilation products in cosmic rays offers an alternative way to search for supersymmetric dark matter particles candidates. The study of the spectrum of gamma-rays, antiprotons and positrons offers good possibilities to perform this search in a significant portion of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model parameters space. We will review the achievable limits with the experiments GLAST and PAMELA taking into accounts the LEP results and we will compare this method with the direct underground detection and with future experiments beafore LHC

SEARCH FOR DARK MATTER WITH GAMMA-RAYS: A REVIEW

Successfully launched in June 2008, the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, formerly named GLAST, has been observing the high-energy gamma-ray sky with unprecedented sensitivity inthe 20MeV ÷ 300 GeV energy range and electrons + positrons in the 7 GeV ÷ 1TeV range, opening a new observational window on a wide variety of astrophysical objects