Dissecting the Inner Galaxy with γ-Ray Pixel Count Statistics

We combine adaptive template fitting and pixel count statistics in order to assess the nature of the Galactic center excess in Fermi-LAT data. We reconstruct the flux distribution of point sources well below the Fermi-LAT detection threshold, and measure their radial and longitudinal profiles in the inner Galaxy. We find that all point sources and the bulge-correlated diffuse emission each contributes (10%) of the total inner Galaxy emission, and disclose a potential sub-threshold point-source contribution to the Galactic center excess.