Constraints on the TeV source population and its contribution to the galactic diffuse TeV emission

The detection by the HESS atmospheric Cerenkov telescope of 14 new sources from the Galactic plane makes it possible to estimate the contribution of unresolved sources like those detected by HESS to the diffuse Galactic emission measured by the Milagro Collaboration. The number intensity relation and the luminosity function for the HESS source population are investigated. By evaluating the contribution of such a source population to the diffuse emission we conclude that a significant fraction of the TeV energy emission measured by the Milagro experiment could be due to unresolved sources like HESS sources. Predictions concerning the number of sources which Veritas, Milagro, and HAWC should detect are also given. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.