Diffuse Galactic Continuum Emission Measured by COMPTEL and the Cosmic-Ray Electron Spectrum
Abstract
Diffuse galactic continuum gamma-ray emission in the 0.75-30 MeV range from the inner Galaxy has been studied using data from COMPTEL on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. Observations of the inner Galaxy from the Sky Survey have been used. The imaging properties of COMPTEL enable spatial analysis of the gamma-ray distribution using model fitting. A model based on atomic and molecular gas distributions in the Galaxy has been used to derive the emissivity spectrum of the gamma-ray emission and this spectrum is compared with theoretical estimates of bremsstrahlung emission from cosmic-ray electrons.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
- Pub Date:
- June 1994
- DOI:
- 10.1086/191989
- Bibcode:
- 1994ApJS...92..425S
- Keywords:
-
- Bremsstrahlung;
- Diffuse Radiation;
- Electrons;
- Galactic Cosmic Rays;
- Gamma Ray Astronomy;
- Milky Way Galaxy;
- Radiation Distribution;
- Emissivity;
- Gamma Ray Observatory;
- Gamma Ray Spectra;
- Astronomy;
- COSMOLOGY: DIFFUSE RADIATION;
- GAMMA RAYS: OBSERVATIONS