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Fermi Research Highlights

Fermi LAT research arrow

The Fermi Gamma-ray Space telescope has revolutionized high-energy astrophysics by detecting thousands of gamma-ray sources, discovering gamma-ray-only pulsars, constraining dark matter models, mapping cosmic-ray interactions, and advancing gamma-ray burst science. It has also been pivotal in multi-messenger astrophysics, linking gamma rays to gravitational waves and neutrinos, notably in events like GRB 170817A and blazar TXS 0506+056.

Fermi Research Highlights

  • The Fermi Gamma-ray Space telescope has profoundly advanced the field of high-energy astrophysics through continuous, high-sensitivity monitoring of the gamma-ray sky. Utilizing its Large Area Telescope (LAT) and Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM), Fermi has compiled extensive catalogs encompassing thousands of gamma-ray sources, including pulsars, supernova remnants, and active galactic nuclei (AGN) such as blazars.

    Fermi has uncovered a previously unknown class of gamma-ray-only pulsars, significantly advancing our understanding of neutron star emission processes and magnetospheric dynamics. Its detailed observations have placed tight constraints on dark matter annihilation and decay models, particularly through spectral and spatial studies of gamma-ray emissions from both the Galactic Center and Milky Way satellite dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Among Fermi's most striking discoveries are two enormous gamma-ray structures, stretching 25,000 light-years above and below the Galactic Center. These "Fermi Bubbles" are believed to be linked to the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way. Current theories propose they may have formed from a past outburst of the black hole or a burst of intense star formation.

    In cosmic ray physics, Fermi has traced hadronic interactions between cosmic rays and the interstellar medium (ISM), enabling detailed mapping of cosmic-ray distributions and propagation throughout the Galaxy. Fermi found evidence that supernova remnants accelerate cosmic rays. Furthermore, the GBM has detected and classified thousands of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), supporting statistical studies of GRB populations, energetics, and temporal profiles across both short and long-duration classes.

    Fermi has played a pivotal role in advancing multi-messenger astrophysics, most notably through its observation of GRB 170817A-a gamma-ray burst that was both temporally and spatially coincident with a gravitational wave event detected by the LIGO observatory. This groundbreaking discovery confirmed the connection between short gamma-ray bursts and binary neutron star mergers, representing a major milestone in developing a unified, multi-wavelength, and multi-messenger approach to studying extreme cosmic events. In addition, Fermi was key to identifying the blazar TXS 0506+056 as a source of neutrinos detected by the IceCube experiment.

  • The following are links to printable lithographs that describe several Fermi science areas:

  • The Fermi Science Playoff A compilation of favorite science results to celebrate 10 years of Fermi. It includes merging neutron stars, starquakes, the Fermi Bubbles, and more!