On the Temporal Variability of the Galactic Multi-TeV Interstellar Emissions

Abstract

We use the GALPROP cosmic ray (CR) framework to model the Galactic CR distributions and associated non-thermal diffuse emissions up to PeV energies. We consider ensembles of discrete, finite lifetime CR sources, e.g.\ supernova remnants (SNRs), for a range of creation rates and lifetimes. We find that global properties of the CR sources are likely not directly recoverable from the current `snapshot' of the historic injection and propagation of CRs within the Galaxy that are provided by the data. We show that models for the diffuse $\gamma$ rays based on the discrete/time-dependent scenarios we consider are able to explain LHAASO very-/ultra-high energy (VHE/UHE) $\gamma$-ray data with up to 50\% contribution by unresolved leptonic sources at the highest energies. Over the models that we consider, variations in the diffuse VHE emissions can be $\sim$25\%, which is comparable to those for steady-state models that we investigated in earlier work. Such variations due to the discrete/finite nature of the CR sources are an important factor that are necessary to construct accurate physical models of the diffuse emissions from the Galaxy at VHE/UHEs.