Limits on Galactic dark matter with 5 years of EROS SMC data
Abstract
Five years of EROS data towards the Small Magellanic Cloud have been searched for gravitational microlensing events, using a new, more accurate method to assess the impact of stellar blending on the efficiency. Four long-duration candidates have been found which, if they are microlensing events, hint at a non-halo population of lenses. Combined with results from other EROS observation programs, this analysis yields strong limits on the amount of Galactic dark matter made of compact objects. Less than 25% of a standard halo can be composed of objects with a mass between 2*E-7 Msun and 1 Msun at the 95% C.L.
Based on observations made at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile.- Publication:
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Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- March 2003
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361:20030087
- Bibcode:
- 2003A&A...400..951A
- Keywords:
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- Galaxy: halo;
- Galaxy: kinematics and dynamics;
- Galaxy: stellar content;
- cosmology: dark matter;
- gravitational lensing