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Dissecting the Inner Galaxy with γ-Ray Pixel Count Statistics.
F Calore1, F Donato2,3, S Manconi4
1Université Grenoble Alpes, USMB, CNRS, LAPTh, F-74940 Annecy, France.
Physical Review Letters
|November 1, 2021
Summary
We analyzed the Galactic Center excess using Fermi-LAT data, finding that subthreshold point sources may contribute significantly to this excess emission. This suggests a complex origin for the observed gamma-ray signal.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics
- High-Energy Astronomy
- Gamma-Ray Astronomy
Background:
- The Galactic Center excess (GCE) is a persistent gamma-ray emission from the Milky Way's center.
- Its origin remains debated, with proposed sources including dark matter annihilation or astrophysical processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nature of the Galactic Center excess using Fermi-LAT data.
- To determine the contribution of point sources, especially those below the detection threshold, to the GCE.
Main Methods:
- Combined adaptive template fitting and pixel count statistics.
- Reconstructed flux distribution of sub-threshold point sources.
- Measured radial and longitudinal profiles of inner Galaxy emission.
Main Results:
- Point sources and bulge-correlated diffuse emission each contribute approximately 10% to the total inner Galaxy emission.
- Identified a potential contribution from subthreshold point sources to the GCE.
Conclusions:
- The GCE is unlikely to be solely from diffuse emission or known point sources.
- Subthreshold point sources represent a plausible explanation for a significant portion of the GCE.
