Dark Matter in Draco: new considerations of the expected gamma flux in IACTs

A new revision of the gamma flux that we expect to detect in Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) from SUSY dark matter annihilation in the Draco dSph is presented using the dark matter density profiles compatible with the latest observations. This revision takes also into account the important effect of the Point Spread Function (PSF) of the Cherenkov telescope. We show that this effect is crucial in the way we will observe and interpret a possible signal profile in the telescope. Given these new considerations, some light can be shed on the recent signal excess reported by the CACTUS experiment.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, to appear in the Proceedings of the workshop "The dark side of the Universe", Madrid, June 20-24, 200

Detailed theoretical predictions of the outskirts of dark matter halos

In the present work we describe the formalism necessary to derive the properties of dark matter halos beyond two virial radius using the spherical collapse model (without shell crossing), and provide the framework for the theoretical prediction presented in Prada et al. (2005). We show in detail how to obtain within this model the probability distribution for the spherically-averaged enclosed density at any radii P(delta,r). Using this probability distribution, we compute the most probable and mean density profiles, which turns out to differ considerably from each other. We also show how to obtain the typical profile, as well as the probability distribution and mean profile for the spherically averaged radial velocity. Two probability distributions are obtained: a first one is derived using a simple assumption, that is, if Q is the virial radius in Lagrangian coordinates, then the enclosed linear contrast delta_l(q,Q) must satisfy the condition that delta_l(q=Q) = delta_vir, where delta_vir is the linear density contrast within the virial radius Rvir at the moment of virialization. Then we introduce an additional constraint to obtain a more accurate P(delta,r) which reproduces to a higher degree of precision the distribution of the spherically averaged enclosed density found in the simulations. This new constraint is delta_l(q,Q) < delta_vir for all q > Q, which means that there are no radii larger than Rvir where the density contrast is larger than that used to define the virial radius. Finally, we compare in detail our theoretical predictions for the probability distributions with the results found in the simulations.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, 1 table, replaced to match the published versio

How far do they go? The outer structure of dark matter halos

We study the density profiles of collapsed galaxy-size dark matter halos with masses 1e11-5e12 Msun focusing mostly on the halo outer regions from the formal virial radius Rvir up to 5-7Rvir. We find that isolated halos in this mass range extend well beyond Rvir exhibiting all properties of virialized objects up to 2-3Rvir: relatively smooth density profiles and no systematic infall velocities. The dark matter halos in this mass range do not grow as one naively may expect through a steady accretion of satellites, i.e., on average there is no mass infall. This is strikingly different from more massive halos, which have large infall velocities outside of the virial radius. We provide accurate fit for the density profile of these galaxy-size halos. For a wide range (0.01-2)Rvir of radii the halo density profiles are fit with the approximation rho=rho_s exp(-2n[x^{1/n}-1])+rho_m, where x=r/r_s, rho_m is the mean matter density of the Universe, and the index n is in the range n=6-7.5. These profiles do not show a sudden change of behavior beyond the virial radius. For larger radii we combine the statistics of the initial fluctuations with the spherical collapse model to obtain predictions for the mean and most probable density profiles for halos of several masses. The model give excellent results beyond 2-3 formal virial radii.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Ap

Dark Matter Searches with Cherenkov Telescopes: Nearby Dwarf Galaxies or Local Galaxy Clusters?

In this paper, we compare dwarf galaxies and galaxy clusters in order to elucidate which object class is the best target for gamma-ray DM searches with imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs). We have built a mixed dwarfs+clusters sample containing some of the most promising nearby dwarf galaxies (Draco, Ursa Minor, Wilman 1 and Segue 1) and local galaxy clusters (Perseus, Coma, Ophiuchus, Virgo, Fornax, NGC 5813 and NGC 5846), and then compute their DM annihilation flux profiles by making use of the latest modeling of their DM density profiles. We also include in our calculations the effect of DM substructure. Willman 1 appears as the best candidate in the sample. However, its mass modeling is still rather uncertain, so probably other candidates with less uncertainties and quite similar fluxes, namely Ursa Minor and Segue 1, might be better options. As for galaxy clusters, Virgo represents the one with the highest flux. However, its large spatial extension can be a serious handicap for IACT observations and posterior data analysis. Yet, other local galaxy cluster candidates with more moderate emission regions, such as Perseus, may represent good alternatives. After comparing dwarfs and clusters, we found that the former exhibit annihilation flux profiles that, at the center, are roughly one order of magnitude higher than those of clusters, although galaxy clusters can yield similar, or even higher, integrated fluxes for the whole object once substructure is taken into account. Even when any of these objects are strictly point-like according to the properties of their annihilation signals, we conclude that dwarf galaxies are best suited for observational strategies based on the search of point-like sources, while galaxy clusters represent best targets for analyses that can deal with rather extended emissions. Finally, we study the detection prospects for present and future IACTs in the framework of the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model. We find that the level of the annihilation flux from these targets is below the sensitivities of current IACTs and the future CTA