The Astrophysical Journal (Jan 2023)

Probing the Galactic Diffuse Continuum Emission with COSI

  • Christopher M. Karwin,
  • Thomas Siegert,
  • Jacqueline Beechert,
  • John A. Tomsick,
  • Troy A. Porter,
  • Michela Negro,
  • Carolyn Kierans,
  • Marco Ajello,
  • Israel Martinez-Castellanos,
  • Albert Shih,
  • Andreas Zoglauer,
  • Steven E. Boggs,
  • (for the COSI Collaboration)

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad04df
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 959, no. 2
p. 90

Abstract

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In 2016, the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) had a successful 46 day flight on board NASA’s Super Pressure Balloon platform. In this work, we report measurements of the Galactic diffuse continuum emission (GDCE) observed toward the inner Galaxy during the flight, which in the COSI energy band (0.2–5 MeV) is primarily generated from inverse Compton radiation. Within uncertainties, we find overall good agreement with previous measurements from INTEGRAL/SPI and COMPTEL. Based on these initial findings, we discuss the potential for further probing the GDCE with the 2016 COSI balloon data, as well as prospects for the upcoming satellite mission.

Keywords