DPF - PHENO 2024

Constraining neutrino-DM interactions with Milky Way dwarf spheroidals and supernova neutrinos

15 May 2024, 16:30

15m

Barco Law Building 109 (University of Pittsburgh)

Astro-particle Physics Astro-particle Physics

Speaker

Sean Heston

Description

We constrain the interaction cross-section between neutrinos and dark matter using the inferred dark matter density profiles of Milky Way dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Assuming $\mathrm{\Lambda }$CDM (DM is cold, collisionless, no self-interactions), energy injection into the dark matter sub-halo is needed to transform an initially cusped profile into a cored profile. Using estimates of the core sizes from stellar kinematics, we find an upper limit to the energy injection such that the core sizes do not become too large in comparison to observations assuming there are no other sources of feedback. Under assumptions of the interaction kinematics, this energy injection limit can be turned into a cross-section upper limit. Consideration of other sources of energy injection, e.g., baryonic feedback or host galaxy effects, on the dark matter profile can strengthen this constraint.

Presentation materials

Heston_Pheno2024.pdf