MADHAT: Model-Agnostic Dark Halo Analysis Tool

We present the Model-Agnostic Dark Halo Analysis Tool (MADHAT), a numerical tool which implements a Fermi-LAT data-driven, model-independent analysis of gamma-ray emission from dwarf satellite galaxies and dwarf galaxy candidates due to dark matter annihilation, dark matter decay, or other nonstandard or unknown astrophysics. This tool efficiently provides statistical upper bounds on the number of observed photons in excess of the number expected, based on empirical determinations of foregrounds and backgrounds, using a stacked analysis of any selected set of dwarf targets. It also calculates the resulting bounds on the properties of dark matter under any assumptions the user makes regarding dark sector particle physics or astrophysics. As an application, we determine new bounds on Sommerfeld-enhanced dark matter annihilation in a set of eight dwarfs. MADHAT v1.0 includes 58 dwarfs and dwarf candidate targets, and we discuss future planned developments. MADHAT is available and will be maintained at https://github.com/MADHATdm.

我们提出了模型无关暗晕分析工具（Model-Agnostic Dark Halo Analysis Tool，简称MADHAT）——一款数值分析工具，可基于费米大面积望远镜（Fermi-LAT）的数据驱动方式，针对矮卫星星系、矮星系候选体因暗物质湮灭、暗物质衰变或其他非标准、未知天体物理过程产生的伽马射线辐射开展模型无关分析。该工具可通过对任意选定的矮星系目标进行堆叠分析，结合前景与背景的经验估算值，高效给出超出预期光子数的统计上限。同时，该工具还可基于用户针对暗区粒子物理或天体物理提出的任意假设，计算暗物质属性对应的约束范围。作为应用案例，我们针对8个矮星系样本中的索末菲增强型暗物质湮灭过程给出了全新的约束结果。MADHAT v1.0版本涵盖58个矮星系及矮星系候选体目标，本文同时讨论了该工具未来的规划发展方向。MADHAT现已开源并将持续维护，其托管地址为https://github.com/MADHATdm。