Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Part I Astronomical background
- Part II Physical processes
- Part III High energy astrophysics in our Galaxy
- 12 Interstellar gas and magnetic fields
- 13 Dead stars
- 14 Accretion power in astrophysics
- 15 Cosmic rays
- 16 The origin of cosmic rays in our Galaxy
- 17 The acceleration of high energy particles
- Part IV Extragalactic high energy astrophysics
- Appendix: Astronomical conventions and nomenclature
- Bibliography
- Name index
- Object index
- Index
16 - The origin of cosmic rays in our Galaxy
from Part III - High energy astrophysics in our Galaxy
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Part I Astronomical background
- Part II Physical processes
- Part III High energy astrophysics in our Galaxy
- 12 Interstellar gas and magnetic fields
- 13 Dead stars
- 14 Accretion power in astrophysics
- 15 Cosmic rays
- 16 The origin of cosmic rays in our Galaxy
- 17 The acceleration of high energy particles
- Part IV Extragalactic high energy astrophysics
- Appendix: Astronomical conventions and nomenclature
- Bibliography
- Name index
- Object index
- Index
Summary
Introduction
In Sect. 8.9, a convincing case was made that the high energy electrons observed at the top of the atmosphere are a representative sample of those present throughout the interstellar medium and are responsible for the diffuse Galactic synchrotron radio emission. In Sect. 15.4, a similar exercise was carried out for cosmic ray protons. The spectrum and properties of the γ-ray emission of the Galaxy provide compelling evidence that a flux of cosmic ray protons, of similar properties to those observed in our vicinity in the Galaxy, permeates the plane of the Galaxy. In this chapter, these observations are interpreted in terms of the propagation of these particles from their sources through the interstellar medium and the energetics of potential sources in the Galaxy. Key diagnostic tools are provided by the aging processes which can result in observable features in the synchrotron spectra of relativistic electrons and by the energy requirements of sources of synchrotron radiation. The TeV γ-ray emission of supernova remnants is direct evidence for the presence of large fluxes of particles with cosmic ray energies in supernova remnants, although it is not yet clear if these are associated with high energy electrons or protons (Sect. 16.4.2). The tools are developed in the context of the origin of cosmic rays in supernovae explosions and are of applicability to the whole of high energy astrophysics.
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- Information
- High Energy Astrophysics , pp. 536 - 560Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011