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Title: Implications of the IRAS data for galactic gamma-ray astronomy and EGRET

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7003427

Using the results of gamma-ray, millimeter wave and far infrared surveys of the galaxy, one can derive a logically consistent picture of the large scale distribution of galactic gas and cosmic rays, one tied to the overall processes of stellar birth and destruction on a galactic scale. Using the results of the IRAS far-infrared survey of the galaxy, the large scale radial distributions of galactic far-infrared emission were obtained independently for both the northern and southern hemisphere sides of the Galaxy. It was found that the dominant feature in these distributions to be a broad peak coincident with the 5 kpc molecular gas cloud ring. Also found was evidence of spiral arm features. Strong correlations are evident between the large scale galactic distributions of far infrared emission, gamma-ray emission and total CO emission. There is a particularly tight correlation between the distribution of warm molecular clouds and far-infrared emission on a galactic scale.

Research Organization:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Albuquerque, NM (USA). Lab. of High Energy Astrophysics
OSTI ID:
7003427
Report Number(s):
PB-90-191297/XAB; TRN: 90-027003
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Also available from Supt. of Docs
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English