Fermi LAT Measurements of the Gamma-Ray Emission from the Large Magellanic Cloud

Abstract

Apart from the Milky Way, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is the only other normal star-forming galaxy that was conclusively detected in high energy (> 100 MeV) gamma rays by the Energetic Gamma Ray Telescope (EGRET) on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. However, the sensitivity of EGRET was sufficient only to marginally resolve the LMC. We report on measurements of the gamma-ray emission from the LMC by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. For the first time an externally viewed star-forming galaxy is well resolved in gamma rays. We discuss the distribution of the LMC diffuse emission as seen by the LAT and implications for cosmic-ray physics.

4 pages, 3 figures, contribution on behalf of the Fermi LAT collaboration to the 31st ICRC

Cited by in corpus (2)

• On The GeV & TeV Detections of the Starburst Galaxies M82 & NGC 253
• The first year of the Fermi Large Area Telescope: a new light on the high-energy Universe