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Updated: May 18, 2026
07:46
Setting Limits on Supersymmetry Using Simplified Models
Published on: November 15, 2013
High energy neutrinos from the Fermi bubbles
Cecilia Lunardini1, Soebur Razzaque
1Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1504, USA. Cecilia.Lunardini@asu.edu
Physical Review Letters
|September 26, 2012
Summary
High-energy neutrinos may originate from the Galactic center's Fermi bubbles if gamma rays are from proton collisions. Detecting these neutrinos with detectors like KM3NeT or IceCube will reveal the bubbles' origins.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics
- Particle Physics
- Cosmic Ray Physics
Background:
- Fermi-LAT satellite data revealed two gamma-ray emitting bubble-shaped structures in the Galactic center.
- These structures' gamma-ray emission may stem from hadronic processes involving accelerated protons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential high-energy neutrino emission from the Fermi bubbles.
- To determine if neutrino detection can distinguish between hadronic and leptonic models for the bubbles' origin.
- To constrain the formation timescale of these enigmatic structures.
Main Methods:
- Analyzing Fermi-LAT data for gamma-ray signatures.
- Modeling the expected neutrino flux based on hadronic interaction scenarios.
- Proposing detection strategies using kilometer-scale neutrino observatories (e.g., KM3NeT) and existing facilities (e.g., IceCube).
Main Results:
- A new Galactic neutrino flux is predicted to correlate with gamma-ray emission in spectrum and spatial extent.
- The highest energy neutrinos (above 20-50 TeV) are potentially detectable by northern hemisphere observatories.
- IceCube can provide significant constraints on this neutrino flux.
Conclusions:
- Neutrino detection or exclusion from the Fermi bubbles will be crucial for discriminating between hadronic and leptonic emission models.
- This research offers a pathway to unique insights into the origin and formation timescale of the Fermi bubbles.
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