No Obvious Objects Produce Gamma Rays

AI Thread Summary
Fermi's observations reveal gamma rays originating from areas in the sky without identifiable sources, prompting speculation about potential exotic explanations like dark matter. David Thompson, Fermi's Deputy Project Scientist, emphasizes the need to explore all possibilities before concluding. The ongoing mission aims to uncover the origins of these mysterious gamma rays, which remain unexplained. Participants in the discussion express concern that the thread title misrepresents the findings, suggesting a need for clarification. The conversation highlights the complexities of gamma-ray astronomy and the challenges in identifying their sources.
Dotini
Gold Member
Messages
634
Reaction score
231
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/18oct_600mysteries/

"Fermi sees gamma rays coming from directions in the sky where there are no obvious objects likely to produce gamma rays," says David Thompson, Fermi Deputy Project Scientist from Goddard Space Flight Center.

"Of course we're hoping for something really exotic like dark matter, but we have to look first at all the other options," says Thompson. "Fermi is an ongoing mission. We'll continue to search for answers to these puzzles and perhaps turn up even more surprises."


Respectfully submitted,
Steve
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
Your thread title alters the meaning of what was said drastically. I would interpret your phrase, "no obvious objects produce gamma rays," to mean, "we can think of anything astrophysical that would be a source of gamma rays." That's not true.

What they were actually saying was, "sometimes we see gamma rays coming from places in the sky where there is no sign of any source that is emitting them." In other words, "we can't figure where these particular gamma rays are coming from."
 
cepheid said:
Your thread title alters the meaning of what was said drastically. I would interpret your phrase, "no obvious objects produce gamma rays," to mean, "we can think of anything astrophysical that would be a source of gamma rays." That's not true.

What they were actually saying was, "sometimes we see gamma rays coming from places in the sky where there is no sign of any source that is emitting them." In other words, "we can't figure where these particular gamma rays are coming from."

Agreed. I thought the same thing after I clicked into the thread. Very misleading.
 
Kronos5253 said:
Agreed. I thought the same thing after I clicked into the thread. Very misleading.

Agreed. The title needs needs some tweaking.

Respectfully, Steve
 
TL;DR Summary: In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect alien signals, it will further expand the radius of the so-called silence (or rather, radio silence) of the Universe. Is there any sense in this or is blissful ignorance better? In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect...
Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'
This is indirectly evidenced by a map of the distribution of gamma-ray bursts in the night sky, made in the form of an elongated globe. And also the weakening of gamma radiation by the disk and the center of the Milky Way, which leads to anisotropy in the possibilities of observing gamma-ray bursts. My line of reasoning is as follows: 1. Gamma radiation should be absorbed to some extent by dust and other components of the interstellar medium. As a result, with an extragalactic origin, fewer...
Both have short pulses of emission and a wide spectral bandwidth, covering a wide variety of frequencies: "Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are detected over a wide range of radio frequencies, including frequencies around 1400 MHz, but have also been detected at lower frequencies, particularly in the 400–800 MHz range. Russian astronomers recently detected a powerful burst at 111 MHz, expanding our understanding of the FRB range. Frequency Ranges: 1400 MHz: Many of the known FRBs have been detected...
Back
Top