COS-B observation of the Milky Way in high-energy gamma rays

The first complete detailed gamma-ray survey of the Milky Way is presented, which has greatly improved statistical accuracy and significantly better energy measurement than in a previous survey by the SAS-2 mission. ESA's COS-B satellite was used experimentally, and emphasis is placed on the spatial aspects of the gamma radiation, including localized sources. A map of the galactic gamma-ray emission is shown, as well as longitude profiles in three energy ranges that indicate that more structure becomes visible at higher energies; parameter 'on-axis counts' are also included. In addition, a production mechanism based on the interactions of cosmic rays is discussed, as is the correlation of the gamma-ray emission with the large-scale features of the Galaxy.