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frazzle
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WIMPs as a DM candidate - Some questions about detection.
Hello everyone, I am new here, so sorry if this has already been covered. I ran a search on 'WIMP' for the forum, and it seems I'm in the clear here..
So, I am writing a report on dark matter at the moment, but there are a few things that have me confused. At the moment, I am trying to figure out some aspects of detection of the WIMP.
1) I have been reading about indirect detection of WIMPs via their annihilation products. It suggests that WIMPs may cluster at the centre of bodies such as galaxies (due to their gravitational pull) and annihilate, as particles such as the Neutralino are their own anti-particle. However, I was previously under the impression that the majority of the dark matter present in galaxies was supposed to be located within the outer regions? i.e. a dark matter 'halo'? I am also confused as to why the WIMPs would be located in the halo at all. Would gravity not pull them into the centre, in much the same way the luminous matter is largely concentrated at the centre of the galaxy?
2) Another detection method involves the annual modulation of the WIMP flux signal in ground based detectors. As I understand it, this is due to the addition and subtraction of the Earth velocity to that of the WIMPs as the Earth orbits the sun, which is in turn orbiting the galaxy centre. My confusion here, is why would the WIMPs all move in one direction, like a 'wind'? Is this due to the fact that they too are in orbit around the galaxy centre?
3) Finally, I have been reading about possible indirect WIMP detection in the form of high energy gamma-rays. They suggest that the WIMPs that have annihilated to cause this signal might be TeV in magnitude. I was under the impression that this sort of mass is well outside the 'allowed' mass boundary of such a particle?
Sorry if I have rambled a bit here. Hope I'm not imposing at all. If you've read far enough to have reached this point, thanks very much![Smile :smile: :smile:](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Hello everyone, I am new here, so sorry if this has already been covered. I ran a search on 'WIMP' for the forum, and it seems I'm in the clear here..
So, I am writing a report on dark matter at the moment, but there are a few things that have me confused. At the moment, I am trying to figure out some aspects of detection of the WIMP.
1) I have been reading about indirect detection of WIMPs via their annihilation products. It suggests that WIMPs may cluster at the centre of bodies such as galaxies (due to their gravitational pull) and annihilate, as particles such as the Neutralino are their own anti-particle. However, I was previously under the impression that the majority of the dark matter present in galaxies was supposed to be located within the outer regions? i.e. a dark matter 'halo'? I am also confused as to why the WIMPs would be located in the halo at all. Would gravity not pull them into the centre, in much the same way the luminous matter is largely concentrated at the centre of the galaxy?
2) Another detection method involves the annual modulation of the WIMP flux signal in ground based detectors. As I understand it, this is due to the addition and subtraction of the Earth velocity to that of the WIMPs as the Earth orbits the sun, which is in turn orbiting the galaxy centre. My confusion here, is why would the WIMPs all move in one direction, like a 'wind'? Is this due to the fact that they too are in orbit around the galaxy centre?
3) Finally, I have been reading about possible indirect WIMP detection in the form of high energy gamma-rays. They suggest that the WIMPs that have annihilated to cause this signal might be TeV in magnitude. I was under the impression that this sort of mass is well outside the 'allowed' mass boundary of such a particle?
Sorry if I have rambled a bit here. Hope I'm not imposing at all. If you've read far enough to have reached this point, thanks very much
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