On determination of the cosmic ray flux using molecular hydrogen absorption lines

Abstract

We outline a procedure for estimating the cosmic ray flux at remote locations where molecular hydrogen absorption lines have been detected. The method relies on several assumptions whose validity in the local Galactic ISM has been independently verified, so it might be useful for much less accessible objects, especially damped Lyα absorption systems. Since most of low-energy cosmic rays in the Galactic environment are thought to originate in supernovae remnants, the link to the rate of high-mass star formation could in principle, be established. We applied the method to a particular case of high redshift damped Lyα absorption system towards 0528−250 and obtained an estimate of proton density and some useful constraints.

Keywords

• molecular processes
• ISM: molecules
• quasars: absorption lines