Instead of dark matter in the galactic center, there may be neutron stars

Astrophysicists from the Australian National University have shown that excess gamma radiation

the galactic center may come frommillisecond pulsars. These are neutron stars with a rotation period of 1 to 10 ms. In their work, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the researchers simulated conditions under which millisecond pulsars would emit gamma rays corresponding to excess radiation from the center of the Milky Way.

In 2009, the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescoperecorded an unexpected powerful gamma radiation emanating from the center of our galaxy. As the astrophysicists note, in the process of observations it was not possible to establish the source of this radiation. Scientists previously suggested that the gamma-ray flux could be formed by dark matter concentrated in the galactic center.

In a new study, astrophysicists have modeledthe behavior of a population of millisecond pulsars that formed as a result of gravitational collapse in binary star systems with one white dwarf. Such a population, as shown by calculations, can emit gamma rays, which, in their morphology, spectrum, and intensity, fully correspond to the excess radiation of the galactic center.

“Our work does not question the existencethis signal, but suggests another potential source, says Roland Crocker, one of the authors of the study. “They could be millisecond pulsars – neutron stars that rotate very fast – about 100 times per second.”

The authors of the work emphasize that previously, not far fromScientists in the solar system have already detected gamma radiation emanating from individual millisecond pulsars. This confirms the ability of such objects to generate a signal similar to excess radiation from the galactic center. 

The researchers emphasize:their work suggests that the sources of dark matter should be looked for in other places, focusing on other signs. And besides, astrophysicists may have to rethink their ideas about the potential sources of gamma radiation coming from other galaxies.

“For example, gamma radiation from Andromeda, the nearest large galaxy to us, could be associated with millisecond pulsars,” Crocker adds.

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