Pulsar TeV Halos Explain the TeV Excess Observed by Milagro

Understand

Milagro observations have found bright, diffuse TeV emission concentrated along the galactic plane of the Milky Way.

• The intensity and spectrum of this emission is difficult to explain with current models where gamma-ray production is dominated by hadronic mechanisms, and has been named the "TeV excess".
• We show that TeV emission from pulsars naturally explains this excess.
• In particular, recent observations have detected "TeV halos" surrounding pulsars that are either nearby or particularly luminous.