The 'fermi Line' (the 130 GEv gamma ray signal)

In summary: But it is definitely a strong indication of new particles and potential evidence for dark matter. In summary, the paper discusses strong evidence for monochromatic gamma ray emission at 130 GeV from the center of the galaxy, as detected by the Fermi telescope. This has generated a lot of excitement as it could be a direct detection of dark matter, and possibly even a signal for SUSY or other new particles. However, a specific value cannot be predicted without knowing more about the mass and annihilation mechanisms of the dark matter particle.
  • #1
d3mm
140
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http://arxiv.org/abs/1206.1616

Strong Evidence for Gamma-ray Line Emission from the Inner Galaxy - Meng Su, Douglas P. Finkbeiner

Analysis of data from the Fermi telescope shows "monochromatic" gamma ray emission at 130 GeV from the centre of the galaxy.

This paper is generating a lot of talk recently. What is the significance?
 
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  • #2
d3mm said:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1206.1616

Strong Evidence for Gamma-ray Line Emission from the Inner Galaxy - Meng Su, Douglas P. Finkbeiner

Analysis of data from the Fermi telescope shows "monochromatic" gamma ray emission at 130 GeV from the centre of the galaxy.

This paper is generating a lot of talk recently. What is the significance?

Some people think it may be produced by Dark Matter - Anti Dark Matter particle annihilation. If so it would be considered a direct detection of dark matter - that's why people are excited.
 
  • #3
Is this 130 GeV value predicted, or is it a case of "there is nothing else (it could be), so it must be"

edit: Couldn't this be a signal for SUSY as well as dark matter? Those would also be new particles.
 
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  • #4
d3mm said:
edit: Couldn't this be a signal for SUSY as well as dark matter? Those would also be new particles.

Yes but the idea is that in SUSY whatever supersymmetric particles you have should decay down to the LSP, which is the dark matter candidate. This is the only thing you expect to still be around since it can't decay, so it would be these particles annihilating.
 
  • #5
d3mm said:
Is this 130 GeV value predicted, or is it a case of "there is nothing else (it could be), so it must be"
No, it's not possible to predict a specific value without knowing the mass and annihilation mechanisms, neither of which we can know until we know the particle that makes up dark matter.

That said, if dark matter frequently annihilates into a pair of photons, then we would expect to see a sharp peak in gamma ray output right at the mass of the dark matter particle.

d3mm said:
edit: Couldn't this be a signal for SUSY as well as dark matter? Those would also be new particles.
I'm not sure there would be enough information in the signal to determine whether it's SUSY or some other model.
 

What exactly is the "fermi line" signal?

The "fermi line" signal is a gamma ray signal with an energy level of 130 GeV (gigaelectronvolts). It was first observed by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in 2012.

What is the significance of the "fermi line" signal?

The "fermi line" signal is significant because it could potentially be a sign of dark matter annihilation. Dark matter is a mysterious substance that makes up about 85% of the total mass of the universe, and its existence has only been inferred through gravitational effects. The "fermi line" signal could provide direct evidence of dark matter and help us better understand its properties.

How was the "fermi line" signal discovered?

The "fermi line" signal was discovered by analyzing data from the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Scientists noticed an excess of gamma ray emissions at an energy level of 130 GeV, which could not be explained by any known astrophysical sources. This led to further investigation and the discovery of the "fermi line" signal.

What are some possible explanations for the "fermi line" signal?

There are several potential explanations for the "fermi line" signal, including the annihilation of dark matter particles, the decay of dark matter particles, and the interaction between dark matter and other particles. Other theories suggest that the signal could be due to astrophysical sources such as pulsars or supernova remnants.

What are the next steps for studying the "fermi line" signal?

Scientists are currently conducting further research and analyses to confirm the existence of the "fermi line" signal and determine its origin. This includes using other telescopes and detectors to gather more data and conducting simulations and experiments to test different theories. Ultimately, the goal is to gain a better understanding of the nature of dark matter and its role in the universe.

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