2014/10/31 by Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, Ciaran A. J. O'Hare, Anne M. Green · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Computer science #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #Dark matter #Physics #STREAMS #astro-ph.CO #astro-ph.IM #hep-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.90.123511
published as Phys. Rev. D 90, 123511 (2014) · 18 pages, 12 figures, 1st revision, submitted to Phys. Rev. D
arxiv created 2014/11/11 · openalex publication_date 2014/12/08 · arxiv updated 2014/12/11 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Directional detection of weakly interacting massive particles, in which the energies and directions of the recoiling nuclei are measured, currently presents the only prospect for probing the local velocity distribution of Galactic dark matter. We investigate the extent to which future directional detectors would be capable of probing dark matter substructure in the form of streams. We analyze the signal expected from a Sagittarius-like stream and also explore the full parameter space of stream speed, direction, dispersion and density. Using a combination of nonparametric directional statistics, a profile likelihood ratio test and Bayesian parameter inference we find that within acceptable exposure times [O(10) kg yr for cross sections just below the current exclusion limits] future directional detectors will be sensitive to a wide range of stream velocities and densities. We also examine and discuss the importance of the energy window of the detector.