Search arXivSearch

arXiv · 0811.3641

The Case for a 700+ GeV WIMP: Cosmic Ray Spectra from PAMELA, Fermi and ATIC

Abstract

Multiple lines of evidence indicate an anomalous injection of high-energy e+- in the Galactic halo. The recent $e^+$ fraction spectrum from the Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA) shows a sharp rise up to 100 GeV. The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has found a significant hardening of the e+e- cosmic ray spectrum above 100 GeV, with a break, confirmed by HESS at around 1 TeV. The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) has also detected detected a similar excess, falling back to the expected spectrum at 1 TeV and above. Excess microwaves towards the galactic center in the WMAP data are consistent with hard synchrotron radiation from a population of 10-100 GeV e+- (the WMAP ``Haze''). We argue that dark matter annihilations can provide a consistent explanation of all of these data, focusing on dominantly leptonic modes, either directly or through a new light boson. Normalizing the signal to the highest energy evidence (Fermi and HESS), we find that similar cross sections provide good fits to PAMELA and the Haze, and that both the required cross section and annihilation modes are achievable in models with Sommerfeld-enhanced annihilation. These models naturally predict significant production of gamma rays in the galactic center via a variety of mechanisms. Most notably, there is a robust inverse-Compton scattered (ICS) gamma-ray signal arising from the energetic electrons and positrons, detectable at Fermi/GLAST energies, which should provide smoking gun evidence for this production.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

BibTeXRIS

Ilias Cholis, Gregory Dobler, Douglas P. Finkbeiner, Lisa Goodenough, Neal Weiner. 2009-08-24. The Case for a 700+ GeV WIMP: Cosmic Ray Spectra from PAMELA, Fermi and ATIC. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.80.123518

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

HX-POL - A Balloon-Borne Hard X-Ray Polarimeter

We report on the design and estimated performance of a balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter called HX-POL. The experiment uses a combination of Si and Cadmium Zinc Telluride detectors to measure the polarization of 50 keV-400 keV X-rays from cosmic sources through the dependence of the angular distribution of Compton scattered photons on the polarization direction. On a one-day balloon flight, HX-POL would allow us to measure the polarization of bright Crab-like sources for polarization degrees well below 10%. On a longer (15-30 day) flight from Australia or Antarctica, HX-POL would be be able to measure the polarization of bright galactic X-ray sources down to polarization degrees of a few percent. Hard X-ray polarization measurements provide unique venues for the study of particle acceleration processes by compact objects and relativistic outflows. In this paper, we discuss the overall instrument design and performance. Furthermore, we present results from laboratory tests of the Si and CZT detectors.

astro-ph

Quintessence models with an oscillating equation of state and their potentials

In this paper, we investigate the quintessence models with an oscillating equation of state (EoS) and their potentials. From the constructed potentials, which have the EoS of $ω_ϕ=ω_0+ω_1\sin z$, we find they are all the oscillating functions of the field $ϕ$, and the oscillating amplitudes are decreasing (or increasing) with $ϕ$. From the evolutive equation of the field $ϕ$, we find this is caused by the expansion of the universe. This also makes that it is very difficult to build a model whose EoS oscillates forever. However one can build a model with EoS oscillating for a period. Then we discuss three quintessence models, which are the combinations of the invert power law functions and the oscillating functions of the field $ϕ$. We find they all follow the oscillating EoS.

astro-ph

Is "Spike" a Reliable Feature in Porb Distribution of AM HER Stars?

Orbital periods in AM Her stars (polars) are synchronized with spin periods of white dwarf by its high magnetic field. Since the last study of Porb distribution of these systems, the number of known objects of such type has more than doubled. This challenged us to compile a new updated catalogue of cataclysmic variables with highly magnetic white dwarfs (polars) and to study their Porb distribution. In this paper we also discus if "spike" is reliable feature in the distribution. ("Spike" is a concentration of polars in the distribution of their orbital periods near Porb = 114 min and was previously discussed by Ritter & Kolb (1992) and Shahbaz & Wood (1996).)

astro-ph