On the Possible Asymmetry in Gamma Rays from Andromeda Due to Inverse Compton Scattering of Star Light on Electrons from Dark Matter Annihilation

Abstract

Dark matter is a popular candidate to a new source of primary-charged particles, especially positrons in cosmic rays, which are proposed to account for observable anomalies. While this hypothesis of decaying or annihilating DM is mostly applied for our Galaxy, it could possibly lead to some interesting phenomena when applied for the other ones. In this work, we look into the hypothetical asymmetry in gamma radiation from the upper and lower hemisphere of the dark matter halo of the Andromeda galaxy due to inverse Compton scattering of starlight on the DM-produced electrons and positrons. While our 2D toy model raises expectations for the possible effect, a more complex approach gives negligible effect for the dark halo case, but shows some prospects for a dark disk model.