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Pulsar and diffuse contributions to observed galactic γ radiation

Abstract

Satellite data on the energy spectrum of galactic γ-radiation1,2, shows that such radiation has a multicomponent nature3–7. Here we use a calculation of the pulsar γ-ray emission spectrum together with a statistical analysis of recent data on 328 known pulsars to make a new determination of the pulsar contribution to galactic γ-ray emission. We then re-examine the contributions from diffuse interstellar cosmic-ray induced production mechanisms to the total emission and conclude that pulsars may account for a significant fraction of galactic γ-ray emission.

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Harding, A., Stecker, F. Pulsar and diffuse contributions to observed galactic γ radiation. Nature 290, 316–318 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/290316a0

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