Spectral analysis of the gamma-ray background near the dwarf Milky Way satellite Segue 1: Improved limits on the cross section of neutralino dark matter annihilation

TL;DR

This paper re-analyzes gamma-ray data from the dwarf galaxy Segue 1 to set improved limits on neutralino dark matter annihilation cross sections, accounting for signal extent and profile uncertainties.

Contribution

It introduces a refined spectral analysis method that explicitly considers the spatial extent and profile uncertainties in dark matter searches.

Findings

Stronger upper limits on dark matter annihilation cross section.

Enhanced analysis technique for gamma-ray signals from dwarf galaxies.

Minimal astrophysical background in Segue 1 improves detection sensitivity.

Abstract

The indirect detection of dark matter requires that dark matter annihilation products be discriminated from conventional astrophysical backgrounds. Here, we re-analyze GeV-band gamma-ray observations of the prominent Milky Way dwarf satellite galaxy Segue 1, for which the expected astrophysical background is minimal. We explicitly account for the angular extent of the conservatively expected gamma-ray signal and keep the uncertainty in the dark-matter profile external to the likelihood analysis of the gamma-ray data.