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

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:7003427

Stecker, F W

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
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ASTRONOMY
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COSMIC GASES
COSMIC RADIATION
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GAMMA ASTRONOMY
GAMMA RADIATION
GASES
INFRARED RADIATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MILKY WAY
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION