The gamma-ray deficit toward the Galactic center

Details The gamma-ray deficit toward the Galactic center The gamma-ray deficit toward the Galactic center

Feb 1985

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1985a%26a...143..267b&link_type=abstract

Astronomy and Astrophysics (ISSN 0004-6361), vol. 143, no. 2, Feb. 1985, p. 267-273. Research supported by the Nederlandse Organ

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

73

Cos-B Satellite, Galactic Cosmic Rays, Galactic Nuclei, Gamma Ray Astronomy, Milky Way Galaxy, Molecular Clouds, Abundance, Carbon Monoxide, Gamma Ray Spectra, Hydrogen Clouds, Interstellar Chemistry, Interstellar Matter

Scientific paper

The gamma-ray flux (E greater than 300 MeV) from the central few hundred parsecs of the Milky Way is shown to be nearly an order of magnitude smaller than the value expected from the H2 masses generally estimated to be present in the center and from the average gamma-ray emissivity measured for the disk. This result implies that in the Galactic center the gamma-ray emissivity is anomalously low, or that molecular hydrogen is nearly an order of magnitude less abundant than estimates made from CO observations. The former suggests that the density of cosmic-ray nuclei with energies of 1 GeV is anomalously small relative to the local value, or perhaps that these cosmic rays do not efficiently penetrate the molecular clouds in the central region of the Galaxy. The latter suggests that the gas-to-dust ratio is anomalously low and that the 3-sigma upper limit to the mass of the nuclear disk is 5.8 x 10 to the 7th solar mass. Circumstantial evidence favors a low H2/CO abundance as the source of the gamma-ray deficiency.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The gamma-ray deficit toward the Galactic center does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with The gamma-ray deficit toward the Galactic center, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The gamma-ray deficit toward the Galactic center will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1590141