Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

The nature of the annihilation radiation and gamma-ray continuum from the Galactic center region

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/167740· OSTI ID:5475407
;  [1]
  1. California Univ., La Jolla (USA)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Analysis of the observations of the time-dependent, electron-positron annihilation line radiation and gamma-ray continuum emission from the region of the Galactic center shows that ther are two components to the emission: (1) a variable, compact source of 511 keV annihilation line and higher energy continuum emission active from about 1977 through 1979 at or near the Galactic center; and (2) a steady, diffuse interstellar source of 511 keV annihilation line and orthopositronium continuum emission, having a galactic longitudinal distribution consistent with that of the more than 70 MeV gamma rays or the molecular (CO) gas. It is found that the continuum spectrum of the compact source shows no evidence for orthopositronium annihilation. It is suggested that all of the three-photon orthopositronium continuum observed so far originates from the diffuse interstellar component. The continuum spectrum of the compact source is very similar to that of the black-hole candidate Cygnus X-1, supporting our earlier arguments that this object, at or near the Galactic center, is a black hole of stellar mass. 38 refs.
OSTI ID:
5475407
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 343; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Positron annihilation in the Galactic center: ''Cheshire cat'' compton scattering and ''excess continuum''
Conference · Wed Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States) · OSTI ID:7194165
Positron annihilation in the Galactic Center: ''Cheshire cat'' Compton scattering and ''excess continuum''
Conference · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1985 · OSTI ID:7131518
Thermal pair cloud models of MeV gamma ray emissions from Cygnus X-1 and the Galactic Center
Conference · Tue Sep 12 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · OSTI ID:5288531

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANNIHILATION
ANTILEPTONS
ANTIMATTER
ANTIPARTICLES
ASTRONOMY
BASIC INTERACTIONS
BLACK HOLES
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON-POSITRON INTERACTIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
GAMMA ASTRONOMY
GAMMA RADIATION
INTERACTIONS
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LEPTON-LEPTON INTERACTIONS
LEPTONS
MILKY WAY
PARTICLE INTERACTIONS
POSITRONS
RADIATIONS
SPACE
TIME DEPENDENCE