We compute the sensitivity to dark matter annihilations for the forthcoming large Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) in several primary channels and over a range of dark matter masses from 30 GeV up to 80 TeV. For all channels, we include inverse Compto
n scattering of e$^pm$ by dark matter annihilations on the ambient photon background, which yields substantial contributions to the overall gamma-ray flux. We improve the analysis over previous work by: i) implementing a spectral and morphological analysis of the gamma-ray emission; ii) taking into account the most up-to-date cosmic ray background obtained from a full CTA Monte Carlo simulation and a description of the diffuse astrophysical emission; and iii) including the systematic uncertainties in the rich observational CTA datasets. We find that our spectral and morphological analysis improves the CTA sensitivity by roughly a factor 2. For the hadronic channels, CTA will be able to probe thermal dark matter candidates over a broad range of masses if the systematic uncertainties in the datasets will be controlled better than the percent level. For the leptonic modes, the CTA sensitivity will be well below the thermal value of the annihilation cross-section. In this case, even with larger systematics, thermal dark matter candidates up to masses of a few TeV will be easily studied.
New bounds on decaying Dark Matter are derived from the gamma-ray measurements of (i) the isotropic residual (extragalactic) background by Fermi and (ii) the Fornax galaxy cluster by H.E.S.S. We find that those from (i) are among the most stringent c
onstraints currently available, for a large range of dark matter masses and a variety of decay modes, excluding half-lives up to about 10^26 to few 10^27 seconds. In particular, they rule out the interpretation in terms of decaying dark matter of the e+/- spectral features in PAMELA, Fermi and H.E.S.S., unless very conservative choices are adopted. We also discuss future prospects for CTA bounds from Fornax which, contrary to the present H.E.S.S. constraints of (ii), may allow for an interesting improvement and may become better than those from the current or future extragalactic Fermi data.
Observations of the globular clusters NGC 6388 and M 15 were carried out by the H.E.S.S. array of Cherenkov telescopes for a live time of 27.2 and 15.2 hours respectively. No gamma-ray signal is found at the nominal target position of NGC 6388 and M
15. In the primordial formation scenario, globular clusters are formed in a dark matter halo and dark matter could still be present in the baryon-dominated environment of globular clusters. This opens the possibility of observing a dark matter self-annihilation signal. The dark matter content of the globular clusters NGC 6388 and M 15 is modelled taking into account the astrophysical processes that can be expected to influence the dark matter distribution during the evolution of the globular cluster: the adiabatic contraction of dark matter by baryons, the adiabatic growth of a black hole in the dark matter halo and the kinetic heating of dark matter by stars. 95% confidence level exclusion limits on the dark matter particle velocity-weighted annihilation cross section are derived for these dark matter haloes. In the TeV range, the limits on the velocity-weighted annihilation cross section are derived at the 10-25 cm3 s-1 level and a few 10-24 cm3 s-1 for NGC 6388 and M 15 respectively.
The annihilations of WIMPs produce high energy gamma-rays in the final state. These high energy gamma-rays may be detected by imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs). Amongst the plausible targets are the Galactic Center, the centre of galax
y clusters, dwarf Sphreroidal galaxies and substructures in Galactic haloes. I will review on the recent results from observations of ongoing IACTs.
The H.E.S.S. array of Cherenkov telescopes has performed, from 2004 to 2007, a survey of the inner Galactic plane at photon energies above 100 GeV. About 400 hours of data have been accumulated in the region between -30 and +60 degrees in Galactic lo
ngitude, and between -3 and +3 degrees in Galactic latitude. Assuming that dark matter is composed of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, we calculate here the H.E.S.S. sensitivity map for dark matter annihilations, and derive the first experimental constraints on the mini-spikes scenario, in which a gamma-ray signal arises from dark matter annihilation around Intermediate Mass Black Holes. The data exclude the proposed scenario at a 90% confidence level for dark matter particles with velocity-weighted annihilation cross section sigma v above 10^28 cm3s^-1 and mass between 800 GeV and 10 TeV.
We study the complementarity between the indirect detection of dark matter with gamma-rays in H.E.S.S. and the supersymmetry searches with ATLAS at the Large Hadron Collider in the Focus Point region within the mSUGRA framework. The sensitivity of th
e central telescope of the H.E.S.S. II experiment with an energy threshold of ~ 20 GeV is investigated. We show that the detection of gamma-ray fluxes of O(10^-12) cm-2s-1 with H.E.S.S. II covers a substantial part of the Focus Point region which may be more difficult for LHC experiments. Despite the presence of multi-TeV scalars, we show that LHC will be sensitive to a complementary part of this region through three body NLSP leptonic decays. This interesting complementarity between H.E.S.S. II and LHC searches is further highlighted in terms of the gluino mass and the two lightest neutralino mass difference.
Dwarf Spheroidal galaxies are amongst the best targets to search for a Dark Matter annihilation signal. The annihilation of WIMPs in the center of Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal (Sgr dSph) galaxy would produce high energy gamma-rays in the final state.
Observations carried out with the H.E.S.S. array of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes are presented. A careful modelling of the Dark Matter halo profile of Sgr dwarf was performed using latest measurements on its structural parameters. Constraints on the velocity-weighted cross section of Dark Matter particles are derived in the framework of Supersymmetric and Kaluza-Klein models.
Observations of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal (Sgr dSph) galaxy were carried out with the H.E.S.S. array of four imaging air Cherenkov telescopes in June 2006. A total of 11 hours of high quality data are available after data selection. There is n
o evidence for a very high energy gamma-ray signal above the energy threshold at the target position. A 95% C.L. flux limit of 3.6 x 10-12 cm-2s-1 above 250 GeV has been derived. Constraints on the velocity-weighted cross section <sigma v> are calculated in the framework of Dark Matter particle annihilation using realistic models for the Dark Matter halo profile of Sagittarius dwarf galaxy. Two different models have been investigated encompassing a large class of halo types. A 95% C.L. exclusion limit on <sigma v> of the order of 2 x 10-25 cm3s-1 is obtained for a core profile in the 100 GeV - 1 TeV neutralino mass range.
The annihilations of WIMPs produce high energy gamma-rays in the final state. These high energy gamma-rays may be detected by IACTs such as the H.E.S.S. array of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. Besides the popular targets such as the Galact
ic Center or galaxy clusters such as VIRGO, dwarf spheroidal galaxies are privileged targets for Dark Matter annihilation signal searches. H.E.S.S. observations on the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy are presented. The modelling of the Dark Matter halo profile of Sagittarius dwarf is discussed. Constraints on the velocity-weighted cross section of Dark Matter particles are derived in the framework of Supersymmetric and Kaluza-Klein models. The future of H.E.S.S. will be briefly discussed.
