Dark matter in the Milky Way
Fabio Iocco (ICTP and IFT UNESP)
The presence of dark matter on a wide range of astrophysical scales is one of the observational pillars of the current LambdaCDM cosmological model. In particular, spiral galaxies are known to be dark matter dominated systems, and one of the most outstanding astrophysical proofs of its existence. Yet, retrieving information about the the dark matter distribution in our very own spiral Galaxy, the Milky Way, is quite challenging. This quantity is crucial for both testing the paradigm of the LambdaCDM Universe, and as input for many of the experiments, both ground- and space-based, that are engaged in the search of the very nature of dark matter. In this talk I will present the results of recent analysis that prove evidence of dark matter in the inner region of the Milky Way, a remarkable confirmation of what expected from simulations of Galaxy Formation within the LambdaCDM Universe. I will also show how different analysis of the dataset assembled, permit to derive new and critical information on the dark matter profile of the Milky Way. I will finally comment on the prospects for the future of this field.