Local dark matter density from recent observations
by
Pablo Fernández de Salas(OKC/Stockholm University)
→
Europe/Stockholm
FB42
FB42
Description
The local density of dark matter (DM) is an important quantity. On the one hand, its value is needed for DM direct detection searches. On the other hand, a precise and robust determination of the local DM density would help us to learn about the shape of the DM halo of our Galaxy, which plays an important role in DM indirect detection searches, as well as in many studies in astrophysics and cosmology. Among the different methods available to determine the local DM density, we can analyse the vertical kinematics of the stars or the rotation curve of the Milky Way. After a brief description of those methods, I will present the results of a study of the Milky Way's rotation curve using data obtained from the second data release (DR2) of the ESA/Gaia mission. Despite the precision of the Gaia DR2 data, I will discuss the limitations of the rotation curve method in order to determine the local DM density, whose estimated value depends on the assumed Galactic distribution of baryons. Finally, I will compare our estimated local DM density, obtained under reasonable assumptions using the rotation curve's method, with other determinations also using Gaia DR2 data but with different methods.