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Annihilation vs. Decay: Constraining dark matter properties from a gamma-ray detection
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Submitted 4 Mar 2010
abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review
The authors' main claim We show that by examining the dependence of the intensity and energy spectrum on the angular distribution of the emission, the origin could be identified as decay, annihilation, or both.
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The abstract, sentence by sentence
Most proposed dark matter candidates are stable and are produced thermally in the early Universe. However, there is also the possibility of unstable (but long-lived) dark matter, produced thermally or otherwise. We propose a strategy to distinguish between dark matter annihilation and/or decay in the case that a clear signal is detected in gamma-ray observations of Milky Way dwarf spheroidal galaxies with gamma-ray experiments. The sole measurement of the energy spectrum of an indirect signal would render the discrimination between these cases impossible. We show that by examining the dependence of the intensity and energy spectrum on the angular distribution of the emission, the origin could be identified as decay, annihilation, or both. In addition, once the type of signal is established, we show how these measurements could help to extract information about the dark matter properties, including mass, annihilation cross section, lifetime, dominant annihilation and decay channels, and the presence of substructure. Although an application of the approach presented here would likely be feasible with current experiments only for very optimistic dark matter scenarios, the improved sensitivity of upcoming experiments could enable this technique to be used to study a wider range of dark matter models.
background contribution method result interpretation main claim
| # | sentence | role | the authors' own work | states the main conclusion | strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s0 | Most proposed dark matter candidates are stable and are produced thermally in the early Universe. | background 1.00 | 0.04 | 0.02 | asserted 0.93 |
| s1 | However, there is also the possibility of unstable (but long-lived) dark matter, produced thermally or otherwise. | background 0.99 | 0.04 | 0.02 | hedged possibility 0.98 |
| s2 | We propose a strategy to distinguish between dark matter annihilation and/or decay in the case that a clear signal is detected in gamma-ray observations of Milky Way dwarf spheroidal galaxies with gamma-ray experiments. | contribution 0.99 | 0.58 | 0.17 | asserted 0.49 |
| s3 | The sole measurement of the energy spectrum of an indirect signal would render the discrimination between these cases impossible. | gap 0.83 | 0.20 | 0.09 | asserted 1.00 |
| s4 | We show that by examining the dependence of the intensity and energy spectrum on the angular distribution of the emission, the origin could be identified as decay, annihilation, or both. | method 0.44 | 0.86 | 0.68 | asserted 0.59 |
| s5 | In addition, once the type of signal is established, we show how these measurements could help to extract information about the dark matter properties, including mass, annihilation cross section, lifetime, dominant annihilation and decay channels, and the presence of substructure. | contribution 0.57 | 0.85 | 0.24 | hedged possibility 0.73 |
| s6 | Although an application of the approach presented here would likely be feasible with current experiments only for very optimistic dark matter scenarios, the improved sensitivity of upcoming experiments could enable this technique to be used to study a wider range of dark matter models. | limitation 0.94 | 0.17 | 0.11 | hedged possibility 1.00 |
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The paper
Original abstract
Most proposed dark matter candidates are stable and are produced thermally in the early Universe. However, there is also the possibility of unstable (but long-lived) dark matter, produced thermally or otherwise. We propose a strategy to distinguish between dark matter annihilation and/or decay in the case that a clear signal is detected in gamma-ray observations of Milky Way dwarf spheroidal galaxies with gamma-ray experiments. The sole measurement of the energy spectrum of an indirect signal would render the discrimination between these cases impossible. We show that by examining the dependence of the intensity and energy spectrum on the angular distribution of the emission, the origin could be identified as decay, annihilation, or both. In addition, once the type of signal is established, we show how these measurements could help to extract information about the dark matter properties, including mass, annihilation cross section, lifetime, dominant annihilation and decay channels, and the presence of substructure. Although an application of the approach presented here would likely be feasible with current experiments only for very optimistic dark matter scenarios, the improved sensitivity of upcoming experiments could enable this technique to be used to study a wider range of dark matter models.
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References
How the literature uses it
20 arXiv papers cite this in 27 sentences
Papers whose main result relates to this one's
States the same result 1 paper
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We show that by studying the dependence of the intensity and energy spectrum on the angular distribution of the signal, the origin of the signal could be identified, and some information about the presence of substructure might be extracted.
Papers citing it · 18 sentences without a confident label
Cites it as background 5 papers
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Different approaches have been proposed to determine the DM properties by using indirect or direct measurements or their combination [ref] .
Constraining Dark Matter Properties with Gamma-Rays from the Galactic Center with Fermi-LAT · Introduction · 0.87
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Reconstruction of the DM properties from a spectral analysis of a putative strong signal in dSphs was performed in [ref] .
Reconstructing WIMP properties through an interplay of signal measurements in direct detection, Fermi-LAT, and CTA searches for dark matter · Introduction · 0.89
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Either astrophysical source(s)/process(es) [ref] or the DM annihilation/decay [ref] ) were proposed to account for the data.
Interpretation of the cosmic ray positron and electron excesses with an annihilating-decaying dark matter scenario · Introduction · 0.96
What it cites · 64 sentences without a confident label
Uses the method or tool of 3 papers
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As in prior work (e.g., Ref. [ref] ) based on the results of simulations, $M_sub$ is used here in conjunction with the concentration parameter $c$ to parameterize the density profile of the subhalos and determine a $L_A$-$M_sub$ relation.
The Dark Matter Annihilation Signal from Galactic Substructure: Predictions for GLAST · Substructure · 0.84
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We describe the mass distribution of the smooth dark matter halo of each dwarf galaxy by a Navarro, Frenk and White (NFW) density profile [ref]
Simulations of X-ray Clusters · The smooth halo · 0.85
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We simulate the hadronization, fragmentation and decay of different final states with the event generator PYTHIA 6.4 [ref] .
PYTHIA 6.4 Physics and Manual · Gamma-ray spectra from dark matter annihilation and decay · 1.00
Uses data or values from 2 papers
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The value of $β$ is determined from Eq. [ref] using the subhalo mass-concentration relation from Ref. [ref] , i.e., $c_sub(M_sub) ∝M_sub^δ$ with $δ= -0.06$ (-0.025) for $M$ greater than (less than) $10^6$ M$_⊙$.
The Dark Matter Annihilation Signal from Galactic Substructure: Predictions for GLAST · Substructure · 0.89
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with $α_Ein=0.68$ and $r_-2=0.81 r_vir$, as in Ref. [ref] .
The Aquarius Project: the subhalos of galactic halos · Substructure · 0.98
Cites as background 43 papers
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In particular, targets for indirect searches in gamma-rays include dark matter in extragalactic structures [ref] , the Galactic Center [ref] , the Milky Way halo [ref] , its subhalos [ref] and known dwarf galaxies [ref] .
H.E.S.S. observations of the Galactic Center region and their possible dark matter interpretation · Introduction · 0.95
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In particular, targets for indirect searches in gamma-rays include dark matter in extragalactic structures [ref] , the Galactic Center [ref] , the Milky Way halo [ref] , its subhalos [ref] and known dwarf galaxies [ref] .
A "Baedecker" for the Dark Matter Annihilation Signal · Introduction · 0.95
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In particular, targets for indirect searches in gamma-rays include dark matter in extragalactic structures [ref] , the Galactic Center [ref] , the Milky Way halo [ref] , its subhalos [ref] and known dwarf galaxies [ref] .
Observation of Gamma Rays from the Galactic Center with the MAGIC Telescope · Introduction · 0.95
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