A puzzling gamma-ray glow is coming from the center of our Milky Way galaxy. This mysterious light might be a sign of dark matter particles smashing together, according to new research.
Scientists have been studying this gamma-ray glow, known as the Galactic Center GeV Excess (GCE), since it was discovered in 2009. Using data from NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, they discovered something unusual at the galactic core. It’s unclear what causes this glow, but researchers are narrowing it down to two main candidates: dark matter and millisecond pulsars.
Astrophysicist Joseph Silk from Johns Hopkins University explains, “Dark matter is crucial. It holds galaxies together. We’re constantly searching for ways to detect it.” He believes that the gamma rays might offer a clue.
Dark matter is a mysterious force that accounts for about 27% of the universe. It’s invisible and doesn’t interact with light, making it hard to study. One popular theory suggests that dark matter consists of weakly interacting massive particles, or WIMPs. When these particles collide, they annihilate, producing gamma rays.
The second candidate is millisecond pulsars, which are rapidly spinning neutron stars that emit beams of radiation. These stars are at the end of their life cycle and can create gamma rays as they spin.
Research has shown that the gamma-ray glow has a distinct shape. A recent study led by cosmologist Moorits Mihkel Muru used simulations of the Milky Way to analyze this glow’s characteristics. They found that the dark matter halo isn’t perfectly round but slightly flattened. This means the gamma rays could come from dark matter annihilation, not just millisecond pulsars.
The study’s findings indicate that both dark matter and pulsars could be responsible for the GCE. However, research suggests that the evidence leans a bit toward dark matter as the source.
Interestingly, as scientists delve deeper, they discover that the GCE’s texture appears uneven. This unevenness is consistent with point sources like pulsars, while dark matter annihilation would result in a smoother glow. Future telescopes, like the Cherenkov Telescope Array, may help clarify which source is correct.
In short, the mystery of the gamma-ray glow is far from solved. Ongoing research and upcoming observatories may help shed light on this cosmic puzzle.
For further reading on dark matter and its implications, check out the research published in Physical Review Letters.
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