Measurement of the 0.3-8.5 MeV Galactic gamma-ray spectrum from the Galactic center direction

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (53) References (55) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Measurement of the 0.3--8.5 MeV Galactic Gamma-Ray Spectrum from the Galactic Center Direction Harris, M. J. ; Share, G. H. ; Leising, M. D. ; Kinzer, R. L. ; Messina, D. C. Abstract The low-energy gamma-ray spectrum from the direction of the Galactic center is determined using data obtained with the SMM Gamma-Ray Spectrometer. It is found that the diffuse gamma-ray spectrum from the Galactic center region can be interpreted in a straightforward way as the sum of five components of a presented equation. The components include a hard power law dominating the continuum at high energies caused principally by cosmic ray electron bremsstrahlung radiation, two narrow lines due to Al-26 decay and positron annihilation, an excess continuum component below 0.511 MeV consistent with the annihilation of positrons by formation of Ps, and a soft power law at low energies which is consistent with an extrapolation upward in energy of known hard X-ray sources in the Galactic center region. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: October 1990 DOI: 10.1086/169250 Bibcode: 1990ApJ...362..135H Keywords: Galactic Nuclei; Galactic Radiation; Gamma Ray Spectra; Nuclear Fusion; Positron Annihilation; Continuous Radiation; Energy Spectra; Milky Way Galaxy; Solar Maximum Mission; Space Radiation; GALAXIES: NUCLEI; GALAXIES: THE GALAXY; GAMMA RAYS: GENERAL full text sources ADS |