Diagnostics of Diffuse Two-Phase Matter Using Techniques of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy in Gamma-Ray and Optical Spectra

Abstract

This paper is a part of the series on positron annihilation spectroscopy of two-phase diffuse gas-and-dust aggregates, such as interstellar medium and the young remnants of type II supernovae. The results obtained from prior studies were applied here to detect the relationship between the processes of the annihilation of the K-shell electrons and incident positrons, and the effects of these processes on the optical spectra of their respective atoms. Particular attention was paid to the Doppler broadening of their optical lines. The relationship between the atomic mass of the elements and the Doppler broadening, ΔλD (Å), of their emission lines as produced in these processes was established. This relationship is also illustrated for isotope sets of light elements, namely ^3_2He, ^6_3Li, ^7_3Li, ^7_4Be, ^9_4Be, ^10_5B and ^11_5B. A direct correlation between the γ-line luminosity ( Eγ =1.022 MeV) and D Δλ (Å) was proved virtually. Qualitative estimates of the structure of such lines depending on the positron velocity distribution function, f(E), were made. The results are presented in tabular form and can be used to set up the objectives of further studies on active galactic nuclei and young remnants of type II supernovae.

Keywords

• astroparticle physics
• nuclear reactions
• galaxies: active
• galaxies: nuclei
• gamma-rays: galaxies