Related papers: Cosmic-ray propagation in molecular clouds
It is argued that if cosmic rays penetrate into molecular clouds, the total energy they lose can exceed the energy from galactic supernovae shocks. It is shown that most likely galactic cosmic rays interacting with the surface layers of…
We consider the rate of ionization of diffuse and molecular clouds in the interstellar medium by Galactic cosmic rays (GCR) in order to constrain its low energy spectrum. We extrapolate the GCR spectrum obtained from PAMELA at high energies…
Low-energy cosmic rays ($<1$ TeV) are a pivotal source of ionisation of the interstellar medium, where they play a central role in determining the gas chemical composition and drastically influence the formation of stars and planets. Over…
Stars and planets form within cold, dark molecular clouds. In these dense regions, where starlight cannot penetrate, cosmic rays (CRs) are the dominant source of ionization -- driving interstellar chemistry(Dalgarno (2006, PNAS, 103,…
The cosmic-ray ionization rate ($\zeta_2$) is one of the key parameters in star formation, since it regulates the chemical and dynamical evolution of molecular clouds by ionizing molecules and determining the coupling between the magnetic…
Observations of line ratios in the Milky Way's warm ionized medium (WIM) suggest that photoionization is not the only heating mechanism present. For the additional heating to explain the discrepancy it would have to have a weaker dependence…
It is believed that the observed diffuse gamma ray emission from the galactic plane is the result of interactions between cosmic rays and the interstellar gas. Such emission can be amplified if cosmic rays penetrate into dense molecular…
It was recently discovered that in some regions of the Galaxy, the cosmic ray (CR) abundance is several orders of magnitude higher than previously thought. Additionally, there is evidence that in molecular cloud envelopes, the CR ionization…
Absorption lines from the molecules OH+, H2O+, and H3+ have been observed in a diffuse molecular cloud along a line of sight near W51 IRS2. We present the first chemical analysis that combines the information provided by all three of these…
The Central Molecular Zone (CMZ), located in the centre of the Milky Way, is a roughly cylindrical structure of molecular gas extending up to parsecs around the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*. The average H2 ionisation rate in the…
Cosmic rays provide an important source for free electrons in the Earth's atmosphere and also in dense interstellar regions where they produce a prevailing background ionization. We utilize a Monte Carlo cosmic ray transport model for…
We investigate the ionization of the diffuse interstellar medium by cosmic rays by modeling their propagation along the wandering magnetic fields using a Monte Carlo method. We study how low-energy cosmic rays propagate in turbulent,…
Energetic gamma rays (GeV to TeV photon energy) have been detected toward several supernova remnants (SNR) that are associated with molecular clouds. If the gamma rays are produced mainly by hadronic processes rather than leptonic processes…
Low-energy (~MeV) cosmic rays (CRs) ionize molecular clouds and create the neutral iron line (Fe I K\alpha) at 6.4 keV. On the other hand, high-energy (>~ GeV) CRs interact with the dense cloud gas and produce gamma rays. Based on a…
The chemistry of shielded molecular gas is primarily driven by energetic, charged particles dubbed cosmic rays (CRs), in particular those with energies under 1 GeV. CRs ionize molecular hydrogen and helium, the latter of which contributes…
Cosmic-ray energy densities in central regions of starburst galaxies, as inferred from radio and gamma-ray measurements of, respectively, non-thermal synchrotron and neutral pion decay emission, are typically U_p = O(100)eV/cm3, i.e.…
A flux of cosmic rays (CRs) propagating through a diffuse ionized gas can excite MHD waves, thus generating magnetic disturbances. We propose a generic model of CR penetration into molecular clouds through their diffuse envelopes, and…
The bulk propagation speed of GeV-energy cosmic rays is limited by frequent scattering off hydromagnetic waves. Most galaxy evolution simulations that account for this confinement assume the gas is fully ionized and cosmic rays are…
Radio, X-ray and infrared observations of the inner few hundred pc of the Galactic center have highlighted two characteristics to the ISM. The cosmic ray ionization rate derived from molecular ions such as H$^+_3$, is at least two to three…
The propagation of Galactic Cosmic Ray nuclei having energies between 100 MeV/nuc and several PeV/nuc is strongly believed to be of diffusive nature. The particles emitted by a source located in the disk do not pervade the whole Galaxy, but…