Sandick, Pearl2017-05-242017-05-242017-05https://hdl.handle.net/11299/188231In this talk I’ll discuss a scenario in which a spike in the dark matter density profile in the subparsec region around the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy gives rise to enhanced dark matter annihilations and, consequently, to enhanced gamma-ray emissions. Bounds on these emissions can be used to constrain dark matter models. In particular, I’ll discuss the importance of modeling the spike’s history for these endeavors. Gravitational interactions of the spike with baryons can lead to the depletion of the spike radius over time, and the limits one obtains on the properties of dark matter vary profoundly depending on the depletion. I will discuss these issues in the context of generic particle physics models that allow for velocity-dependent dark matter annihilation cross sections, and also to a class of simplified dark matter models with t-channel mediators. Finally, if the properties of dark matter are known, one can place constraints on the form of the dark matter spike. I’ll present the constraints on the form of the spike under the assumption that the gamma-ray emission from the extended Galactic Center region observed by Fermi is due to dark matter annihilations.enFTPIOLIVEFESTPresentation