Resolving the Galactic Center Region's Gamma-Ray Emission and Searching for its Neutrino Counterpart with HAWC and IceCube
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: The Galactic Center (GC) is a prime candidate for petaelectronvolt cosmic-ray acceleration, with gamma-ray emission observed by the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory extending beyond 100 TeV. We present an analysis of the GC using ~2860 days of HAWC data, with increased exposure and improved sensitivity relative to previous results. The best-fit gamma-ray emission model includes a point source (HAWC J1745-2857) and a Galactic diffuse emission component. Assuming a hadronic origin, we construct the corresponding neutrino signal template and search for it in 12 years of IceCube muon-track data. No significant neutrino excess is found, and we report the first upper limit on the high-energy neutrino flux associated with the multi-component spatial model of the GC derived from HAWC data. The limit is approximately 12 times the nominal neutrino flux predicted from the HAWC gamma-ray model under a hadronic interpretation, and therefore it does not yet test the optically thin hadronic scenario.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Institution: Michigan State University
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Nvidia, Michigan State University, Villum Fonden, Polarforskningssekretariatet, Marquette University, Western Canada Research Grid, European Commission, National Research Foundation, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS, Belgian Federal Science Policy Office, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, National Research Foundation of Korea, Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse, Vetenskapsrådet, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, RWTH Aachen University, Chiba University, Helmholtz Alliance for Astroparticle Physics, Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council, Alliance de recherche numérique du Canada, College of Engineering, Michigan State University, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coordinación de la Investigación Científica, Marsden Fund, Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Institute for Global Prominent Research, Chiba University, Office of Polar Programs, Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure, Laboratory Directed Research and Development, Office of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Awards: G1012113107, G1137351982, G1451311200, G1477402476, Ornamentale Oberflächen. Spurensuche zu einem ästhetischen Phänomen des Stummfilms, G1943778919, G201248631, G20842220, G227081073, G2834597881, G3092080779, G3432588090, G3455266465, G3650325917, G4234058003, G4385750942, G4656072107, G4673649240, G4840023426, Applying operations management to optimize computing resources, G5185440073, 職業社会化に関する一研究, G5756405743, G5866644596, G5884581963, G5928845074, G5984383661, G6809838226, G6874468849, G6958583472, G7223072566, G726386190, G7379686924, G7757046036, G7866310431, The transition of newly nurses to hospital settings in Western Switzerland, G8432112341, Historischer Städteatlas der Schweiz Fasz. 1: Frauenfeld, G8651248068, G8700648374
OpenAlex ID: W7214048104