Probing the Galactic cosmic ray flux with submillimeter and gamma ray data

TL;DR

This paper develops a methodology combining submillimeter and gamma-ray data to probe the cosmic ray flux in the Galaxy, aiming to identify cosmic ray sources and measure their intensity.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach integrating molecular cloud surveys with gamma-ray observations to study cosmic ray distribution and sources in the Galaxy.

Findings

Predictions of gamma-ray emission levels near cosmic ray sources.

Insights into the cosmic ray 'sea' intensity across the Galaxy.

Potential identification of target-accelerator systems.

Abstract

The study of Galactic diffuse $\gamma$ radiation combined with the knowledge of the distribution of the molecular hydrogen in the Galaxy offers a unique tool to probe the cosmic ray flux in the Galaxy. A methodology to study the level of the cosmic ray "sea" and to unveil target-accelerator systems in the Galaxy, which makes use of the data from the high resolution survey of the Galactic molecular clouds performed with the NANTEN telescope and of the data from gamma-ray instruments, has been developed. Some predictions concerning the level of the cosmic ray "sea" and the $\gamma$-ray emission close to cosmic ray sources for instruments such as Fermi and Cherenkov Telescope Array are presented.