Discrete sources as the origin of the Galactic X-ray ridge emission

M. Revnivtsev (), S. Sazonov, E. Churazov, W. Forman, A. Vikhlinin and R. Sunyaev
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M. Revnivtsev: Excellence Cluster Universe, Technische Universität München, 85748, Garching, Germany
S. Sazonov: Space Research Institute, 117997, Moscow, Russia
E. Churazov: Space Research Institute, 117997, Moscow, Russia
W. Forman: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
A. Vikhlinin: Space Research Institute, 117997, Moscow, Russia
R. Sunyaev: Space Research Institute, 117997, Moscow, Russia

Nature, 2009, vol. 458, issue 7242, 1142-1144

Abstract: Galactic ridge revelation An apparently diffuse Galactic ridge of X-ray emission, which appears from Earth to be virtually coincident with the Milky Way disk, has puzzled X-ray astronomers since it was first observed about 25 years ago. Attempts to explain it as truly diffuse hot thermal emission or as the product of interactions between cosmic rays and the interstellar medium have foundered: for one thing the gravitational well of the Galactic disk, is too shallow to confine such a plasma. An alternative explanation has been gaining ground — that the hot plasma is bound to a multitude of faint sources. New observations using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have now succeeded in resolving more than 80% of the 'diffuse' X-ray emission into discrete sources, probably accreting white dwarfs and coronally active stars. As well as solving the puzzle of the Galactic ridge of X-ray emission, this work has brought a previously hidden stellar population into the frame for future observations.

Date: 2009
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DOI: 10.1038/nature07946

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