Inverse Compton Origin of the Hard X‐Ray and Soft Gamma‐Ray Emission from the Galactic Ridge
- 20 July 2008
- journal article
- Published by American Astronomical Society in The Astrophysical Journal
- Vol. 682 (1) , 400-407
- https://doi.org/10.1086/589615
Abstract
A recent re-determination of the non-thermal component of the hard X-ray to soft gamma-ray emission from the Galactic ridge, using the SPI instrument on the INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) Observatory, is shown to be well reproduced as inverse-Compton emission from the interstellar medium. Both cosmic-ray primary electrons and secondary electrons and positrons contribute to the emission. The prediction uses the GALPROP model and includes a new calculation of the interstellar radiation field. This may solve a long-standing mystery of the origin of this emission, and potentially opens a new window on Galactic cosmic rays.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ main journaKeywords
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