# Cosmic γ rays and the mass of gas in the Galaxy

@article{Bhat1985CosmicR,
title={Cosmic $\gamma$ rays and the mass of gas in the Galaxy},
author={C. L. Bhat and M. R. Issa and B. Houston and C. J. Mayer and A. Wolfendale},
journal={Nature},
year={1985},
volume={314},
pages={511-515}
}
We make the case that the cosmic-ray particles that produce cosmic γ-rays in the 100-MeV region can penetrate most of the dense clouds of gas that seem to contain much of the mass of gas in the Galaxy. We determine a probable form for cosmic-ray intensity as a function of Galactic position and use the measured γ-ray intensities to derive the surface density of gas as a function of position. Our estimate of ˜6 × 108 M\circ&#x0307; for the total mass of molecular hydrogen compared with 1 × 109 M… Expand
45 Citations
A new estimate of the mass of molecular gas in the Galaxy and its implications
• Physics
• Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences
• 1986