Why does the inner Galaxy glow in gamma-rays and radio emission?: dark matter, ancient pulsars, neither or both?
In this project you will use some combination of theoretical population synthesis calculations and/or analysis of public data from the Fermi telescope to examine the question: what is the real origin of the Galactic Centre Gamma-Ray Excess?
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About
Astronomers have discovered an anomalous, gamma-ray signal from the Inner Milky Way (the 'Galactic Centre Gamma-Ray Excess') in data collected by the orbiting Fermi gamma-ray telescope. The signal has been claimed as a compelling, indirect signal of the annihilation of dark matter particles in this region of the Galaxy. Alternatively, the signal could be the signature of some unknown stellar population; pulsars or millisecond pulsars would be strong candidates to explain the mysterious gamma-ray signal. However, this begs the question: what processes could be responsible for producing such unanticipated populations of compact objects in the Inner Galaxy?
In the same region of the sky, an extended source of synchrotron radio emission has been discovered. How does this connect to the gamma-ray signal?
In this project you will use some combination of theoretical population synthesis calculations and/or analysis of public data from the Fermi telescope and radio telescopes and/or a cosmic ray propagation code to examine the question: what is the real origin of the gamma-ray and radio glow from the Inner Galaxy?
Members
Supervisor
Astronomer
Astronomer