Non-Thermal Radiation from the Inner Galaxy
  I review our current state of knowledge about non-thermal radiation from the
Galactic Centre (GC) and Inner Galaxy. Definitionally, the Galactic nucleus is
at the bottom of the Galaxy's gravitational well, rendering it a promising
region to seek the signatures of dark matter decay or annihilation. It also
hosts, however, the Milky Way's resident supermassive black hole and up to 10%
of current massive star formation in the Galaxy. Thus the Galactic nucleus is a
dynamic and highly-energized environment implying that extreme caution must be
exercised in interpreting any unusual or unexpected signal from (or emerging
from) the region as evidence for dark matter-related processes. One spectacular
example of an `unexpected' signal is the discovery within the last few years of
the `Fermi Bubbles' and, subsequently, their polarised radio counterparts.
These giant lobes extend ~7 kpc from the nucleus into both north and south
Galactic hemispheres. Hard-spectrum, microwave emission coincident with the
lower reaches of the Bubbles has also been detected, first in WMAP, and more
recently in Planck data. Debate continues as to the origin of the Bubbles and
their multi-wavelength emissions: are they the signatures of relatively recent
(in the last ~Myr) activity of the supermassive black hole or, alternatively,
nuclear star formation? I will briefly review evidence that points to the
latter interpretation.
