Galactic center's gamma rays unlikely to originate from dark matter, evidence shows

Bursts of gamma rays from the center of our galaxy are not likely to be signals of dark matter but rather other astrophysical phenomena such as fast-rotating stars called millisecond pulsars, according to two new studies, one from a team based at Princeton University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and another based in the Netherlands.

Previous studies suggested that gamma rays coming from the dense region of space in the inner Milky Way galaxy could be caused when invisible dark matter particles collide. But using new statistical analysis methods, the two research teams independently found that the gamma ray signals are uncharacteristic of those expected from dark matter. Both teams reported the finding in the journal Physical Review Letters this week.

"Our analysis suggests that what we are seeing is evidence for a new astrophysical source of gamma rays at the center of the galaxy," said Mariangela Lisanti, an assistant professor of physics at Princeton. "This is a very complicated region of the sky and there are other astrophysical signals that could be confused with dark matter signals."

Read more @ http://phys.org/news/2016-02-galactic-center-gamma-rays-dark.html

Another thread on dark matter:

A 'dead' galaxy full of dark matter is lurking close to home

http://missionquest.fpb.yuku.com/reply/82670/A-dead-galaxy-full-of-dark-matter-is-lurking-close-to-home#reply-82670


"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us."  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~