Analyzing nine years of Fermi-LAT observations, we recently studied the spectral properties of the prominent globular cluster [Phys. Rev. 98, 041301 (2018)]. In particular, we investigated several models to explain the observed gamma-ray emission, ranging from millisecond pulsars (MSPs) to dark matter (DM), with the motivation for the latter model driven by recent evidence that 47 Tuc harbors an intermediate-mass black hole [B. Kiziltan et al., Nature (London) 542, 203 (2017)]. This investigation found evidence that the observed gamma-ray emission from 47 Tuc is due to two source populations of MSPs and DM. In preceding Comment [Phys. Rev. D 100, 068301 (2019)], Bartels and Edwards comment that this evidence is an artifact of the MSP spectra used in our paper. Here, we reply to this comment and argue that (i) Bartels and Edwards do not give due consideration to a very important implication of their result and (ii) there is tension between our MSP fit and their MSP fit when taking uncertainties into consideration. As such, we still conclude there is evidence for a DM component which motivates a deeper radio study of the prominent globular cluster 47 Tuc.

• Received 1 February 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.100.068302