Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv · astro-ph/9707252

A Determination of the Spectral Index of Galactic Synchrotron Emission in the 1-10 GHz range

Abstract

We present an analysis of simultaneous multifrequency measurements of the Galactic emission in the 1-10 GHz range with 18 degrees, angular resolution taken from a high altitude site. Our data yield a determination of the synchrotron spectral index between 1.4 GHz and 7.5 GHz of 2.81 +/- 0.16. Combining our data with the maps from Haslam et al. (1982) and Reich & Reich (1986) we find 2.76 +/- 0.11 in the 0.4 - 7.5 GHz range. These results are in agreement with the few previously published measurements. The variation of spectral index with frequency based on our results and compared with other data found in the literature suggests a steepening of the synchrotron spectrum towards high frequencies as expected from theory, because of the steepening of the parent cosmic ray electron energy spectrum. Comparison between the Haslam data and the 19 GHz map (Cottingham 1987) also indicates a significant spectral index variation on large angular scale. Addition quality data are necessary to provide a serious study of these effects.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

P. Platania, M. Bensadoun, M. Bersanelli, G. De Amici, A. Kogut, S. Levin, D. Maino, G. F. Smoot. 1997-07-22. A Determination of the Spectral Index of Galactic Synchrotron Emission in the 1-10 GHz range. https://doi.org/10.1086/306175

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

Frame covariance of CMBR lensing in the exact 1+3 covariant radiation hierarchy

The exact $1+3$ covariant Boltzmann hierarchy for the cosmic microwave background contains acceleration, shear and vorticity couplings whose coefficients grow linearly in $\ell$. We show that all are the multipole form of the aberration operator in the photon Liouville equation. Under a change of threading, this operator shifts by the along-ray generator of a Lorentz boost. The acceleration coupling of $\ell$ to $\ell\pm1$ and the shear coupling of $\ell$ to $\ell\pm2$ are therefore frame-covariant descriptions of the same operator, related by an algebraic, pointwise relabelling of direction. With emitter and observer frames fixed, the observed sky is independent of the intermediate threading at every $\ell$. We derive this in $1+3$ covariant and gauge-invariant variables without constructing second-order gauge-invariant variables. The $O(ε^2\ell)$ content is gravitational lensing, as known in metric variables. Linearisation about a Friedmann--Lemaître--Robertson--Walker background removes these couplings, requiring lensing to be reinstated from the geodesic equation. Keeping the threading arbitrary makes frame covariance explicit and places observer aberration in the same operator. In the Newtonian threading we compute both halves of the deflection: the equivalence-principle contribution enters through aberration, while the spatial-curvature contribution arises from free streaming on perturbed spatial sections and reduces to the same operator. The lensing efficiency follows from the direction derivative. The angular-power-spectrum contribution is quartic in the potential: for a deflection statistically independent of the source, the two fourth-order terms carrying $\ell^2$ cancel where the spectrum is smooth on the deflection scale, and lensing redistributes power without adding ensemble variance.

astro-ph↗

Cosmic Conundrums with Quantum Corrections

Darh energy was discovered over 25 years ago and we do not have an explanation of it. Dark matter comprises 95% of matter in the universe and we still don't know what it is. The Webb telescope has been finding fully formed galaxies with massive black holes millions of times the mass of the sun in the early universe and we don't have any explanation. A quantum density limitation will be used to solve these and other outstanding problems.

astro-ph↗

On binary pulsars and the force of gravity

The energy-momentum budget of the astrophysical systems can be studied by the exact local conservation equation derived by Landau and Lifshitz. We show that a similar equation is valid for the Einstein-Cartan gravity. We reanalyze a binary pulsar system using the Landau-Lifshitz conservation equation and show that the orbital period change rate can be completely understood as a curvature backreaction process. Taking into account the detailed theoretical and observational research of relativistic binary pulsar systems, especially the system of Hulse and Taylor, we conclude that general relativity and astrophysical observations rule out the existence of gravitational radiation. We comment upon the LIGO GW events and their alternative explanation, as well as the recent pulsar timing arrays data.

astro-ph↗