The sterile neutrino is a dark matter candidate that emits an X-ray throughradiative decay. We initiated the first dedicated X-ray search for dark matter,deriving new constraints on sterile neutrinos from Suzaku data on the Ursa Minordwarf spheroidal galaxy, and a marginal detection of a sterile neutrino line at2.5 keV in the extreme dark matter dwarf spheroidal Willman 1. This tentativedetection can only be tested with XMM-Newton EPIC. We propose 75-100 ksecobservations (including offset pointings) of Willman 1, as well as Segue 1 andUrsa Major II. Confirmation by XMM-Newton would be of incomparable astrophysicalimportance, pointing the way to new physics, and implying that future X-rayspectroscopic missions will directly map the dark distribution and its evolution.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2010-10-22T02:02:05Z/2010-11-01T09:35:04Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr Michael Loewenstein, 2011, 'Solving the Mystery of Dark Matter with XMM-Newton', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-cm07j5a
