Deciphering Residual Emissions: Time-Dependent Models for the Non-Thermal Interstellar Radiation from the Milky Way

TL;DR

This paper introduces a time-dependent cosmic ray propagation model that accounts for localized sources, predicting unique broadband emissions and potential explanations for observed gamma-ray anomalies.

Contribution

It develops a 3D time-dependent CR injection and propagation model using GALPROP, revealing features absent in steady-state models and explaining gamma-ray anomalies.

Findings

Discretised model predicts novel broadband emission features.

Model explains gamma-ray asymmetries and residuals.

Predictions are testable with current and upcoming observatories.

Abstract

Cosmic rays (CRs) in the Galaxy are an important dynamical component of the interstellar medium (ISM) that interact with the other major components (interstellar magnetic and radiation fields, and gas) to produce broadband interstellar emissions that span the electromagnetic spectrum. The standard modelling of CR propagation and production of the associated emissions is based on a steady-state assumption, where the CR source spatial density is described using a smoothly varying function of position that does not evolve with time. While this is a convenient approximation, reality is otherwise where primary CRs are produced in and about highly localised regions, e.g., supernova remnants, which have finite lifetimes. In this paper we use the latest version of the GALPROP CR propagation code to model time-dependent CR injection and propagation through the ISM from a realistic three-dimensional discretised CR source density distribution, together with full three-dimensional models for the other major ISM components, and make predictions of the associated broadband non-thermal emissions. We compare the predictions for the discretised and equivalent steady-state model, finding that the former predicts novel features in the broadband non-thermal emissions that are absent for the steady-state case. Some of features predicted by the discretised model may be observable in all-sky observations made by WMAP and Planck, the recently launched eROSITA, the Fermi-LAT, and ground-based observations by HESS, HAWC, and the forthcoming CTA. The non-thermal emissions predicted by the discretised model may also provide explanations of puzzling anomalies in high-energy gamma ray data, such as the Fermi-LAT north/south asymmetry and residuals like the so-called "Fermi bubbles".