GLAST sensitivity to Point Sources of Dark Matter Annihilation

TL;DR

This paper evaluates GLAST's ability to detect gamma-ray point sources from Dark Matter annihilation, providing sensitivity maps and applying them to the mini-spikes scenario, predicting detection prospects and constraints.

Contribution

It introduces comprehensive sensitivity maps for detecting Dark Matter point sources with GLAST and applies them to the mini-spikes scenario to assess detection and parameter estimation capabilities.

Findings

GLAST can detect mini-spikes within 2 months if they exist.

Sensitivity maps help distinguish Dark Matter sources from astrophysical ones.

Null results can constrain Dark Matter scenarios.

Abstract

We study the prospects for detecting gamma-rays from point sources of Dark Matter annihilation with the space satellite GLAST. We simulate the instrument response to the gamma-ray spectrum arising from the annihilation of common Dark Matter candidates, and derive full-sky sensitivity maps for the {\it detection} of point sources and for the {\it identification} of the Dark Matter (as opposed to astrophysical) origin of the gamma-ray emission. These maps represent a powerful tool to assess the detectability of point sources, i.e. sources with angular size smaller than the angular resolution of GLAST, ~ 0.1 degrees, in {\it any} DM scenario. As an example, we apply the obtained results to the so-called 'mini-spikes' scenario, where the annihilation signal originates from large Dark Matter overdensities around Intermediate Mass Black Holes. We find that if these objects exist in the Galaxy, not only GLAST should be able to detect them over a timescale as short as 2 months, but in many cases it should be possible to determine with good accuracy the mass of the annihilating Dark Matter particles, while null searches would place stringent constraints on this scenario.