Variable Positron Annihilation Radiation from the Galactic Center Region

Abstract

The HEAO 3 Cosmic Gamma-Ray Spectrometer performed the first high spectral resolution survey of the entire sky at gamma-ray energies from 50 keV to 10 MeV. Studies of 511 keV positron annihilation radiation from the vicinity of the galactic center are reported here, based on data which were recorded during 1979 September/October and 1980 March/ April. The 1979 fall data show unshifted, narrow 511 keV line emission of intensity (1.85 ± 0.21) X 10^(-3) photons cm^(-2) s^(-1), consistent with earlier measurements. The 1980 spring measurement showed a statistically significant reduction in 511 keV emission from this region, thus requiring that a significant fraction of the flux originate in one or more compact sources of size ≾ 10^(18) cm. While distribution of sources within ~ 22° (at 90% confidence level) of the direction of the galactic center are allowed by the observations, the data rule out most extended models for positron production, such as by cosmic ray interaction in the interstellar medium or by distributions of many supernovae, novae, or pulsars. The data are well satisfied by assuming that the emission originates in a single compact source at the galactic center.