The Gamma-Ray Spectrum of the Galactic Center Region
Abstract
The Galactic center region was observed with the HEAO 3 High Resolution Gamma-Ray Spectrometer during the fall of 1979 and the spring of 1980. Between these epochs there was observed (1) a statistically significant decrease in the high-energy (511 keV to about 3 MeV) luminosity, (2) a decrease in the positron annihilation line intensity, reported previousy, and (3) a low positronium annihilation fraction f = 0.38 + or 0.19 during the fall of 1979. If positrons are generated by photon-photon collisions of high-energy photons, then the absence of a detected flux above 511 keV in the spring of 1980 may indicate a time delay between positron production and annihilation.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- July 1985
- DOI:
- 10.1086/184499
- Bibcode:
- 1985ApJ...294L..13R
- Keywords:
-
- Astronomical Spectroscopy;
- Galactic Nuclei;
- Gamma Ray Astronomy;
- Milky Way Galaxy;
- Positrons;
- Gamma Ray Spectra;
- Luminosity;
- Particle Production;
- Positron Annihilation;
- Astrophysics