Observations of the Large Magellanic Cloud in high-energy gamma rays

P. Sreekumar; D. L. Bertsch; B. L. Dingus; C. E. Fichtel; R. C. Hartman; S. D. Hunter; G. Kanbach; D. A. Kniffen; Y. C. Lin; J. R. Mattox; H. A. Mayer-Hasselwander; P. F. Michelson; C. Von Montigny; P. L. Nolan; K. Pinkau; E. J. Schneid; D. J. Thompson

doi:10.1086/186651

Observations of the Large Magellanic Cloud in high-energy gamma rays

P. Sreekumar^*, D. L. Bertsch, B. L. Dingus, C. E. Fichtel, R. C. Hartman, S. D. Hunter, G. Kanbach, D. A. Kniffen, Y. C. Lin, J. R. Mattox, H. A. Mayer-Hasselwander, P. F. Michelson, C. Von Montigny, P. L. Nolan, K. Pinkau, E. J. Schneid, D. J. Thompson

^*Corresponding author for this work

Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences, Manipal

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Abstract

The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) provides a valuable site to study gamma-ray production, intensity, and distribution in an external galaxy. Using 4 weeks of data from the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, high-energy gamma-ray emission was detected for the first time from the LMC region. These gamma rays are believed to be produced primarily through the interaction of cosmic rays with interstellar matter. Hence, combined with a knowledge of the interstellar matter distribution, they can provide a direct measure of the cosmic-ray density in an external galaxy. The results obtained from EGRET observations indicate that the level of cosmic rays in the LMC is comparable to that in our Galaxy. The integrated flux above 100 MeV is (1.9 ± 0.4) × 10^-7 photons (cm² s)^-1. The measured flux suggests a cosmic-ray density level consistent with that expected from a quasi-stable equilibrium model. This is the first detection of a normal galaxy outside the Milky Way in high-energy gamma rays.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	L67-L70
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	400
Issue number	2 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/186651
Publication status	Published - 01-12-1992

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/186651

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Sreekumar, P., Bertsch, D. L., Dingus, B. L., Fichtel, C. E., Hartman, R. C., Hunter, S. D., Kanbach, G., Kniffen, D. A., Lin, Y. C., Mattox, J. R., Mayer-Hasselwander, H. A., Michelson, P. F., Von Montigny, C., Nolan, P. L., Pinkau, K., Schneid, E. J., & Thompson, D. J. (1992). Observations of the Large Magellanic Cloud in high-energy gamma rays. Astrophysical Journal, 400(2 PART 2), L67-L70. https://doi.org/10.1086/186651

@article{5fbb053f4cfd42e8bfe12014f673b2d2,

title = "Observations of the Large Magellanic Cloud in high-energy gamma rays",

abstract = "The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) provides a valuable site to study gamma-ray production, intensity, and distribution in an external galaxy. Using 4 weeks of data from the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, high-energy gamma-ray emission was detected for the first time from the LMC region. These gamma rays are believed to be produced primarily through the interaction of cosmic rays with interstellar matter. Hence, combined with a knowledge of the interstellar matter distribution, they can provide a direct measure of the cosmic-ray density in an external galaxy. The results obtained from EGRET observations indicate that the level of cosmic rays in the LMC is comparable to that in our Galaxy. The integrated flux above 100 MeV is (1.9 ± 0.4) × 10-7 photons (cm2 s)-1. The measured flux suggests a cosmic-ray density level consistent with that expected from a quasi-stable equilibrium model. This is the first detection of a normal galaxy outside the Milky Way in high-energy gamma rays.",

author = "P. Sreekumar and Bertsch, \{D. L.\} and Dingus, \{B. L.\} and Fichtel, \{C. E.\} and Hartman, \{R. C.\} and Hunter, \{S. D.\} and G. Kanbach and Kniffen, \{D. A.\} and Lin, \{Y. C.\} and Mattox, \{J. R.\} and Mayer-Hasselwander, \{H. A.\} and Michelson, \{P. F.\} and \{Von Montigny\}, C. and Nolan, \{P. L.\} and K. Pinkau and Schneid, \{E. J.\} and Thompson, \{D. J.\}",

year = "1992",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1086/186651",

language = "English",

volume = "400",

pages = "L67--L70",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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Sreekumar, P, Bertsch, DL, Dingus, BL, Fichtel, CE, Hartman, RC, Hunter, SD, Kanbach, G, Kniffen, DA, Lin, YC, Mattox, JR, Mayer-Hasselwander, HA, Michelson, PF, Von Montigny, C, Nolan, PL, Pinkau, K, Schneid, EJ & Thompson, DJ 1992, 'Observations of the Large Magellanic Cloud in high-energy gamma rays', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 400, no. 2 PART 2, pp. L67-L70. https://doi.org/10.1086/186651

TY - JOUR

T1 - Observations of the Large Magellanic Cloud in high-energy gamma rays

AU - Sreekumar, P.

AU - Bertsch, D. L.

AU - Dingus, B. L.

AU - Fichtel, C. E.

AU - Hartman, R. C.

AU - Hunter, S. D.

AU - Kanbach, G.

AU - Kniffen, D. A.

AU - Lin, Y. C.

AU - Mattox, J. R.

AU - Mayer-Hasselwander, H. A.

AU - Michelson, P. F.

AU - Von Montigny, C.

AU - Nolan, P. L.

AU - Pinkau, K.

AU - Schneid, E. J.

AU - Thompson, D. J.

PY - 1992/12/1

Y1 - 1992/12/1

N2 - The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) provides a valuable site to study gamma-ray production, intensity, and distribution in an external galaxy. Using 4 weeks of data from the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, high-energy gamma-ray emission was detected for the first time from the LMC region. These gamma rays are believed to be produced primarily through the interaction of cosmic rays with interstellar matter. Hence, combined with a knowledge of the interstellar matter distribution, they can provide a direct measure of the cosmic-ray density in an external galaxy. The results obtained from EGRET observations indicate that the level of cosmic rays in the LMC is comparable to that in our Galaxy. The integrated flux above 100 MeV is (1.9 ± 0.4) × 10-7 photons (cm2 s)-1. The measured flux suggests a cosmic-ray density level consistent with that expected from a quasi-stable equilibrium model. This is the first detection of a normal galaxy outside the Milky Way in high-energy gamma rays.

AB - The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) provides a valuable site to study gamma-ray production, intensity, and distribution in an external galaxy. Using 4 weeks of data from the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, high-energy gamma-ray emission was detected for the first time from the LMC region. These gamma rays are believed to be produced primarily through the interaction of cosmic rays with interstellar matter. Hence, combined with a knowledge of the interstellar matter distribution, they can provide a direct measure of the cosmic-ray density in an external galaxy. The results obtained from EGRET observations indicate that the level of cosmic rays in the LMC is comparable to that in our Galaxy. The integrated flux above 100 MeV is (1.9 ± 0.4) × 10-7 photons (cm2 s)-1. The measured flux suggests a cosmic-ray density level consistent with that expected from a quasi-stable equilibrium model. This is the first detection of a normal galaxy outside the Milky Way in high-energy gamma rays.

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JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2 PART 2

ER -

Observations of the Large Magellanic Cloud in high-energy gamma rays

Abstract

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