The role of magnetic fields in shaping $\gamma$-ray emission from the Fermi bubbles

Abstract

Despite their discovery fifteen years ago, the nature and origin of the Fermi bubbles remain unclear. We here investigate the effect a magnetic field can have on a subsonic breeze outflow emanating from the Galactic centre region. The presence of this magnetic field allows anisotropic diffusion of cosmic rays within the outflow, shaping the resultant cosmic ray distribution obtained out at large distances within the Galactic halo. We show that our magnetohydrodynamic Galactic breeze model, in combination with an opening angle for the injection of cosmic rays, leads to $\gamma$-ray emission from the Fermi bubble region with relatively sharp edges.