# Hunting for heavy Dark Matter in the Galactic Center with ground-based Cherenkov telescopes

## TL;DR

This paper assesses the potential of the H.E.S.S. Cherenkov telescope array to detect TeV-scale dark matter annihilation signals from the Galactic Center, incorporating detailed spectral calculations and detector effects.

## Contribution

It provides a comprehensive sensitivity forecast for H.E.S.S. to detect TeV dark matter, including spectral modeling and background treatment, for various density profiles and dark matter candidates.

## Key findings

- Forecasted sensitivity limits for H.E.S.S. across TeV mass range.
- Constraints on thermal cross section for WIMP dark matter.
- Evaluation of detection prospects for different dark matter density profiles.

## Abstract

A TeV scale electroweak particle is a well motivated candidate for the dark matter (DM) of our Universe. Yet such a particle may only be detectable using indirect detection instruments sensitive to TeV-scale gamma rays that can result from dark matter annihilations. We present a mock analysis of the sensitivity for the present ground-based Cherenkov telescope array H.E.S.S. (High Energy Spectroscopic System) to detect TeV scale DM in the Galactic Center region. The work combines next-to-leading-logarithmic order calculations for the annihilation photon spectrum, as well as a comprehensive treatment of detector effects and expected backgrounds. Forecast limits on the sensitivity of H.E.S.S. have been derived across the important TeV mass range, assuming different DM density profiles and focusing on the canonical WIMP dark matter candidate Wino.These limits test our present and future ability to probe the predicted thermal cross section for some of the most promising DM candidates that could be discovered in the coming decade.