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Evidence for Unresolved gamma-Ray Point Sources in the Inner Galaxy

Author(s): Lee, Samuel K; Lisanti, Mariangela; Safdi, Benjamin R; Slatyer, Tracy R; Xue, Wei

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Abstract: We present a new method to characterize unresolved point sources (PSs) generalizing traditional template fits to account for non-Poissonian photon statistics. We apply this method to Fermi Large Area Telescope gamma-ray data to characterize PS populations at high latitudes and in the Inner Galaxy. We find that PSs (resolved and unresolved) account for similar to 50% of the total extragalactic gamma-ray background in the energy range similar to 1.9 to 11.9 GeV. Within 10 degrees of the Galactic Center with vertical bar b vertical bar >= 2 degrees, we find that similar to 5%-10% of the flux can be accounted for by a population of unresolved PSs distributed consistently with the observed similar to GeV gamma-ray excess in this region. The excess is fully absorbed by such a population, in preference to dark-matter annihilation. The inferred source population is dominated by near-threshold sources, which may be detectable in future searches.
Publication Date: 4-Feb-2016
Electronic Publication Date: 4-Feb-2016
Citation: Lee, Samuel K, Lisanti, Mariangela, Safdi, Benjamin R, Slatyer, Tracy R, Xue, Wei. (2016). Evidence for Unresolved gamma-Ray Point Sources in the Inner Galaxy. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 116 (10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.051103
DOI: doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.051103
ISSN: 0031-9007
EISSN: 1079-7114
Type of Material: Journal Article
Journal/Proceeding Title: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
Version: Final published version. This is an open access article.



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