OSSE Mapping of Galactic 511 keV Positron Annihilation Line Emission

Abstract

The Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) observations of the Galactic plane and Galactic center region have been combined with scanning observations by the Transient Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (TGRS) and Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) instruments to produce maps of the Galactic narrow 511 keV positron annihilation line radiation. Two different mapping methods, singular value decomposition and maximum entropy, have been applied to the data. In both cases, the resulting maps show evidence for three distinct features: (1) a central bulge, (2) emission in the Galactic plane, and (3) an enhancement or extension of emission at positive latitudes above the Galactic center. Modeling of the data confirmed the existence of these features. The derived distribution is found to be in good qualitative agreement with nearly all of the historical observations of narrow 511 keV line emission from the Galactic center region. No evidence of time variability is found. Various possible production mechanisms for the observed positrons, including the positive-latitude enhancement, are presented. It is found that supernovae are capable of producing positrons at the required rate to account for the intensity and morphology of the observed 511 keV line emission.