218 articles – 619 references  [version française]
 HAL: in2p3-00022282, version 1
 arXiv: astro-ph/0408204
 XXXIXth Rencontres de Moriond "Exploring the Universe", La Thuile : Italie (2004)
 The POINT-AGAPE Microlensing Survey: First Constraint on MACHOs towards M31
 For the AGAPE collaboration(s)
 (2004)
 To reveal the galactic dark matter in the form of MACHOs ("Massive Astrophysical Compact Halo Objects"), the POINT-AGAPE collaboration is carrying out a search for gravitational microlensing towards M31. A clear microlensing signal is detected. The high-threshold analysis of 3-year data leads to 7 bright and short microlensing candidates. The preliminary estimation of the detection efficiency implies that less than 25% (60%) of standard halos can be composed of objects with masses between 10^{-4} and 10^{-1} (10^{-1} and 1) solar mass at the 95% C.L. This result is compatible with previous microlensing results towards the Magellanic Clouds and gives the first constraints on MACHOs for a distant spiral galaxy.
 Subject(s) : Physics/Astrophysics/Cosmology and Extra-Galactic Astrophysics