Morphological Tests of the Pulsar and Dark Matter Interpretations of the WMAP Haze

TL;DR

This paper investigates the origin of the WMAP haze by testing morphological signatures of pulsar and dark matter models, aiming to distinguish between these sources using current and future microwave observations.

Contribution

It introduces morphological tests to differentiate between pulsar and dark matter origins of the WMAP haze, utilizing detailed emission pattern analysis.

Findings

Zero central density pulsar model is inconsistent with observations.

Morphological measurements can distinguish between pulsar and dark matter models.

Future Planck data may provide clearer signatures of the haze's origin.

Abstract

The WMAP haze is an excess in microwave emission coming from the center of the Milky Way galaxy. In the case of synchrotron emission models of the haze, we present tests for the source of radiating high-energy electrons/positrons. We explore several models in the case of a pulsar population or dark matter annihilation as the source. These morphological signatures of these models are small behind the WMAP Galactic mask, but are testable and constrain the source models. We show that detailed measurements of the morphology may distinguish between the pulsar and dark matter interpretations as well as differentiate among different pulsar models and dark matter profile models individually. Specifically, we find that a zero central density Galactic pulsar population model is in tension with the observed WMAP haze. The Planck Observatory's greater sensitivity and expected smaller Galactic mask should potentially provide a robust signature of the WMAP haze as either a pulsar population or the dark matter.