Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Galactic γ and radio synchrotron radiation

Abstract

The galactic γ-radiation and radio synchrotron radiation contains information on the distribution of cosmic-ray particles, magnetic field and gas throughout the Galaxy. We report here a new all-sky survey of 408-MHz radio continuum which has been used to compare the distributions of radio and γ-ray emission, with the former convolved to the response function of the COS B γ-ray detector. The overall similarity of the longitude profiles suggests that the bulk of the γ-ray emission is from the interstellar medium rather than discrete sources. On a large scale in the galactic plane the two emissivities seem to be similarly distributed, although in detail the γ-ray emission is more clumpy.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cesarsky, C. J Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 336, 223 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Paul J., Cassé, M. & Cesarsky, C. J., Astrophys. J. 207, 62 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Jäkel, C. E., Nissen, P., Schlickeiser, R., Thielheim, K. O. Proc. 14th int. Cosmic Ray Conf. 12, 4177 (1975).

  4. Higdon, J. C Astrophys. J. 232, 113 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Haslam, C. G. T. et al. Astr. Astrophys. (in the press).

  6. Haslam, C. G. T, Salter, C .J., Stoffel, H. & Wilson, W. E. Astr. Astrophys. Suppl. (in the press).

  7. Mayer-Hasselwander, H. A. et al. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 336, 211 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Fichtel, C. E, Kniffen, D. A., Hartman, R. C. & Thompson, D. J. Proc. 12th ESLAB Symp. (European Space Agency, Frascati, 1977).

  9. Hirabayashi, H. Publ. astr. Soc. Jap. 26, 263 (1974).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hermsen, W. thesis, Leiden Univ. (1980).

  11. Montmerle, T. Astrophys. J. 231, 95 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Phillips, S., Kearsey, S., Osborne, J. L., Haslam, C. G. T. & Stoffel, H. Astr. Astrophys. (in the press).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Haslam, C., Kearsey, S., Osborne, J. et al. Galactic γ and radio synchrotron radiation. Nature 289, 470–473 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/289470a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/289470a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing