The properties of the Galactic Hard X-Ray and soft gamma-ray Background based on 20 years of INTEGRAL/IBIS observations

TL;DR

This study analyzes 20 years of INTEGRAL/IBIS data to characterize the Galactic hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray background, revealing distinct spectral components and confirming the stellar origin of the Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission.

Contribution

Developed a model-independent method to study diffuse Galactic emission, providing detailed spectral analysis and confirming the stellar origin of the GRXE.

Findings

Galactic background detected up to 200 keV

Two spectral components identified with a minimum at 80 keV

GRXE accounts for two-thirds of the 30-80 keV flux in the bulge

Abstract

We present results of a study of the Galactic hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray background emission performed with the IBIS telescope aboard the INTEGRAL observatory using data obtained over more than 20 years of operations. The study of the Galactic background at energies between 10 keV and a few MeV is problematic due to the contribution of point sources, high instrumental background and large-scale extent of the emission, which leads to the need of utilizing complex model-dependent methods. Using the unique properties of the IBIS coded-mask telescope, we developed a model-independent approach to study diffuse continuum emission near the Galactic plane in the 25-60, 60-80, and 80-200 keV bands. The comparison of the 25-60 keV longitude profile with the near infrared intensity shows excellent agreement, confirming the stellar origin of the Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission (GRXE). The Galactic X-ray background is significantly detected from the direction of the Galactic bulge up to 200 keV. We built broad-band spectra of the Galactic background in three large regions, the Galactic bulge and two spiral arms at l=+/-20 deg. The spectral analysis reveals two distinct components with a minimum at about 80 keV. The low-energy (<60 keV) component, associated with the GRXE, is consistent with a one-dimensional accretion flow model of intermediate polars with an average white dwarf mass of about 0.7 Msun. The high-energy part of the spectrum, dominating above 60 keV and attributed to the gamma-ray background, is consistent with a power-law model with photon index 1.55. The total 30-80 keV flux budget of 1.5e-9 erg/s/cm^2 observed within the effective IBIS field of view in the Galactic bulge region, consists of 2/3 of GRXE and 1/3 of gamma-ray background.