Kierans, Carolyn A., Beacom, John F., Boggs, Steve, Buckley, Matthew, Caputo, Regina, Crocker, Roland, Becker, Michaël, Diehl, Roland, Fryer, Chris L., Griffin, Sean, Hartmann, Dieter, Hays, Elizabeth, Jean, Pierre, Krause, Martin G. H., Linden, Tim, Marcowith, Alexandre, Martin, Pierrick, Moiseev, Alexander, Oberlack, Uwe, Orlando, Elena, Panther, Fiona, Prantzos, Nikos, Rothschild, Richard, Seitenzahl, Ivo, Shrader, Chris, Siegert, Thomas, Strong, Andy, John Beacom, Thomas Vestrand, W., Zoglauer, Andreas, Institut de recherche en astrophysique et planétologie (IRAP), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier (LUPM), Université de Montpellier (UM)-Université Montpellier 2 - Sciences et Techniques (UM2)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris (IAP), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Montpellier 2 - Sciences et Techniques (UM2)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and HEP, INSPIRE
The 511 keV line from positron annihilation in the Galaxy was the first $\gamma$-ray line detected to originate from outside our solar system. Going into the fifth decade since the discovery, the source of positrons is still unconfirmed and remains one of the enduring mysteries in $\gamma$-ray astronomy. With a large flux of $\sim$10$^{-3}$ $\gamma$/cm$^{2}$/s, after 15 years in operation INTEGRAL/SPI has detected the 511 keV line at $>50\sigma$ and has performed high-resolution spectral studies which conclude that Galactic positrons predominantly annihilate at low energies in warm phases of the interstellar medium. The results from imaging are less certain, but show a spatial distribution with a strong concentration in the center of the Galaxy. The observed emission from the Galactic disk has low surface brightness and the scale height is poorly constrained, therefore, the shear number of annihilating positrons in our Galaxy is still not well know. Positrons produced in $\beta^+$-decay of nucleosynthesis products, such as $^{26}$Al, can account for some of the annihilation emission in the disk, but the observed spatial distribution, in particular the excess in the Galactic bulge, remains difficult to explain. Additionally, one of the largest uncertainties in these studies is the unknown distance that positrons propagate before annihilation. In this paper, we will summarize the current knowledge base of Galactic positrons, and discuss how next-generation instruments could finally provide the answers., Comment: 10 pages including 3 figures. Science White paper submitted to Astro2020