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Prospects for exploring the local galaxies through the study of their high-energy gamma-ray emissionIn the near future, high-energy (E greater than 20 MeV) gamma-ray astronomy offers the promise of a new means of examining the closest galaxies. Three local galaxies, the SMCs, LMCs, and M31, should be visible to the high-energy gamma-ray telescope on the Gamma Ray Observatory and the first two should be seen by GAMMA-1. It is expected that the intensity and the structure of both of the Magellanic Clouds can be examined in sufficient detail to study the cosmic-ray density and its variation, and, thereby, to determine the relevant scale of coupling for the cosmic rays and diffuse matter. With the assumptions of adequate sources and reasonable magnetic field strengths, both of which should likely be satisfied, very specific predictions of the gamma-ray emission can be made separating the three current cosmic-ray containment concepts, namely that it is on the scale of one to a few kiloparsec mass clustering, the whole galaxy, or some much larger scale. Further, because of the markedly different distributions of molecular and atomic hydrogen in the galaxies and the differences between the galaxies, an independent measure of the normalization of the diffuse molecular hydrogen density is possible.
Document ID
19890031941
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Ozel, Mehmet E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Fichtel, Carl E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1988
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 1
Volume: 335
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
89A19312
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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