Search for spatial coincidences between galaxy mergers and Fermi-LAT 4FGL-DR4 sources

Abstract: We present a systematic search for spatial association between a high-confidence sample of 3,166 morphologically selected galaxy mergers detected through SDSS imaging and the 4FGL-DR4 catalog of gamma-ray sources detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). Using a conservative 4$\sigma$ positional uncertainty threshold and a Poisson-based statistical framework, we identify 21 statistically significant associations with match probabilities $p < 0.05$. Among these are known classes of gamma-ray emitters such as flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs), BL Lacertae objects (BLL), and radio galaxies bolstering the hypothesis that merger-driven processes can fuel high-energy activity. Intriguingly, five of the associated sources remain unclassified in 4FGL-DR4, hinting at a possible link between galaxy mergers and a hitherto unrecognized population of gamma-ray sources. The dominance of AGN-like matches supports the scenario in which mergers trigger accretion onto central supermassive black holes, initiating AGN activity observable at gamma-ray energies. Moreover, the recurrent presence of unassociated sources among secure matches underscores the potential of merger catalogs as physically motivated priors in gamma-ray source identification efforts. This work constitutes the first dedicated effort to explore associations between gamma-ray sources and a large, morphologically selected sample of galaxy mergers, opening new avenues for understanding the role of interactions in high-energy astrophysics. We additionally examined the sample of 70 galaxy pairs from the Canadian Network for Observational Cosmology Field Galaxy Redshift Survey and found no statistically significant matches, with $p < 0.05$ within the 4$\sigma$ positional uncertainty threshold.