Abstract
COS-B data in the latitude range 11° <¦b¦ < 19° show the gamma-ray intensity to be closely correlated with the total line-of-sight absorption derived from galaxy counts. It is found that to a good approximation the gamma-ray intensity is proportional to the total gas column density, and on this basis a map of the angular distribution of local molecular hydrogen at intermediate latitudes is presented. Comparing this with a simular map produced from galaxy counts, several structures appear in both maps in regions related to Gould's Belt and elsewhere. Some regions in the Southern celestial hemisphere not accessible in galaxy counts show high molecular hydrogen column densities.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bignami, G. F.: 1981, Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London A301, 555.
Bignami, G. F., Barbareschi, L., Bloemen, J. B. G. M., Buccheri, R., Caraveo, P. A., Hermsen, W., Kanbach, G., Lebrun, F., Mayer-Hasselwander, H. A., Paul, J. A., Strong, A. W., and Wills, R. D.: 1981, Proc. 17th Int. Cosmic Roy. Conf., Paris 1, 182.
Bohlin, R. C., Savage, B. D., and Drake, J. F.: 1978, Astrophys. J. 224, 132.
Burstein, D. and Heiles, C.: 1978, Astrophys. J. 225, 40.
Caraveo, P. A., Bennett, K., Bignami, G. F., Hermsen, W., Lebrun, F., Masnou, J. L., Mayer-Hasselwander, H. A., Paul, J. A., Sacco, B., Scarsi, L., Strong, A. W., Swanenburg, B. N., and Wills, R. D.: 1980, Astron. Astrophys. 91, L3.
Caraveo, P. A., Barbareschi, L., Bennett, K., Bignami, G. F., Hermsen, W., Kanbach, G., Lebrun, F., Masnou, J. L., Mayer-Hasselwander, H. A., Sacco, B., Strong, A. W., and Wills, R. D.: 1981, Proc. 17th Int. Conf. Cosmic Rays, Paris 1, 139.
Fitzgerald, M. P.: 1968, Astron. J. 73, 983.
Heiles, C.: 1976, Astrophys. J. 204, 379.
Heiles, C. and Clearly, M. N.: 1979, Australian J. Phys. Astrophys. Suppl. 47, 1.
Heiles, C. and Habing, H. J.: 1974, Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. 14, 1.
Lebrun, F. and Paul, J. A.: 1979, Proc. 16th Int. Cosmic Ray Conf. 12, 13.
Lebrun, F. and Paul, J. A.: 1983, Astrophys. J. 266, 276.
Lebrun, F., Bignami, G. F., Buccheri, R., Caraveo, P. A., Hermsen, W., Kanbach, G., Mayer-Hasselwander, H. A., Paul, J. A., Strong, A. W., and Wills, R. D.: 1982, Astron. Astrophys. 107, 390.
Lucke, P. B.: 1978, Astron. Astrophys. 64, 367.
Mayer-Hasselwan der, H. A., Bennett, K., Bignami, G. F., Buccheri, R., Caraveo, P.A., Hermsen, W., Kanbach, G., Lebrun, F., Lichti, G. G., Masnou, J. L., Paul, J. A., Pinkau, K., Sacco, B., Scarsi, L., Swanenburg, B. N., and Wills, R. D.: 1982, Astron. Astrophys. 105, 164.
Seldner, M., Siebers, B., Groth, E. J., and Peebles, P. J. E.: 1977, Astron. J. 82, 249.
Shane, C. D. and Wirtanen, C. A.: 1967, Publ. Lick. Obs. 22, 1.
Strong, A. W.: 1983, Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 202, 1015.
Strong, A. W. and Lebrun, F.: 1982, Astron. Astrophys. 105, 159.
Strong, A. W., Bignami, G. F., Bloemen, J. B. G. M., Buccheri, R., Caraveo, P. A., Hermsen, W., Kanbach, G., Lebrun, F., Mayer-Hasselwander, H. A., Paul, J. A., and Wills, R. D.: 1982a, Astron. Astrophys. 115, 404.
Weaver, H. and Williams, R. W.: 1973, Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. 8, 1.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Proceedings of the XVIII General Assembly of the IAU: Galactic Astrophysics and Gamma-Ray Astronomy, held at Patras, Greece, 19 August 1982.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Strong, A.W. The use of gamma rays to trace the local interstellar hydrogen. Space Sci Rev 36, 267–272 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00247091
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00247091