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Discovery of a new population of high-energy γ-ray sources in the Milky Way

Author

Listed:
  • N. Gehrels

    (Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre)

  • D. J. Macomb

    (Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre)

  • D. L. Bertsch

    (Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre)

  • D. J. Thompson

    (Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre)

  • R. C. Hartman

    (Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre)

Abstract

One of the great mysteries of the high-energy γ-ray sky is the group of ∼170 unidentified point sources1,2 found along the Galactic plane. They are more numerous than all other high-energy γ-ray sources combined and, despite 20 years of effort, no clear counterparts have been found at other wavelengths. Here we report a new population of such objects. A cluster of ∼20 faint sources appears north of the Galactic Centre, which is part of a broader class of faint objects at mid-latitudes. In addition, we show in a model-independent way that the mid-latitude sources are distinct from the population of bright unidentified sources along the Galactic plane. The distribution on the sky indicates that the faint mid-latitude sources are associated with the Gould belt3,4 of massive stars and gas clouds at ∼600 light years distance, as has been previously suggested5.

Suggested Citation

  • N. Gehrels & D. J. Macomb & D. L. Bertsch & D. J. Thompson & R. C. Hartman, 2000. "Discovery of a new population of high-energy γ-ray sources in the Milky Way," Nature, Nature, vol. 404(6776), pages 363-365, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:404:y:2000:i:6776:d:10.1038_35006001
    DOI: 10.1038/35006001
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