Overview
- University of Tokyo astrophysicist Tomonori Totani published an analysis on Nov. 25 in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics using NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope data.
- The study identifies a diffuse, halo-like gamma-ray component near the Galactic center with photons around 20 GeV and brightness roughly one-millionth that of the Milky Way.
- The reported energy spectrum matches predictions for annihilating WIMPs, implying a particle mass on the order of about 500 proton masses.
- External experts urge caution, noting the Galactic-center region is difficult to model and that pulsars, black-hole activity, or cosmic rays could mimic such emissions.
- Researchers highlight the need for independent analyses and comparable signals in dark-matter–dominated targets, with some scientists warning the excess could reflect modeling choices or analysis artifacts.