| Name | 065281 |
| Title | Solving the Mystery of Dark Matter with XMM-Newton |
| URL | https://nxsa.esac.esa.int/nxsa-sl/servlet/data-action-aio?obsno=0652810101 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-cm07j5a |
| Author | Dr Michael Loewenstein |
| Description | The sterile neutrino is a dark matter candidate that emits an X-ray through radiative decay. We initiated the first dedicated X-ray search for dark matter, deriving new constraints on sterile neutrinos from Suzaku data on the Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal galaxy, and a marginal detection of a sterile neutrino line at 2.5 keV in the extreme dark matter dwarf spheroidal Willman 1. This tentative detection can only be tested with XMM-Newton EPIC. We propose 75-100 ksec observations (including offset pointings) of Willman 1, as well as Segue 1 and Ursa Major II. Confirmation by XMM-Newton would be of incomparable astrophysical importance, pointing the way to new physics, and implying that future X-ray spectroscopic missions will directly map the dark distribution and its evolution. |
| Publication | No observations found associated with the current proposal |
| 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 Agency's (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESA's 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 Earth's 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. |
| Creator Contact | https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/xmm-newton-helpdesk |
| Date Published | 2011-12-23T00:00:00Z |
| Publisher And Registrant | European Space Agency |
| Credit Guidelines | European Space Agency, 2011-12-23T00:00:00Z, 065281, 17.56_20190403_1200. https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-cm07j5a |