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Observations of Unresolved Galactic X-ray Sources

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Abstract

WE present in this article new data obtained by the OSO III satellite1 about an apparently diffuse X-ray emission from the galactic plane. Previous observations2 have established the existence of this component at a few keV and at about 100 MeV (ref. 3), but the observations reported here cover the energy range 7.7–115 keV. Theoretical speculation after the first observations has suggested several emission mechanisms—Compton scattering by cosmic ray electrons of far-infrared radiation4–7 or of visible photons8 and the presence of numerous weak discrete sources (Setti, G., and Woltjer, L., personal communication, and Ryter, C., personal communication). Because the new data cover an energy range between the two earlier sets of observations at a few keV and 100 MeV, they impose important new constraints on the theories.

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Author notes

  1. D. A. SCHWARTZ

    Present address: Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92037

    H. S. HUDSON, L. E. PETERSON & D. A. SCHWARTZ

Authors
  1. H. S. HUDSON
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  2. L. E. PETERSON
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  3. D. A. SCHWARTZ
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HUDSON, H., PETERSON, L. & SCHWARTZ, D. Observations of Unresolved Galactic X-ray Sources. Nature 230, 177–179 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/230177a0

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