Gas, dust, high energy particles and star formation in the Galactic Center
Puget, J. -L.; Lequeux, J.; Audouze, J.; Masnou, J. -L.
France
Abstract
The amount of gas and dust in the Galactic Center is evaluated. The COS-B and SAS-2 gamma-ray observations of the Galactic Center are discussed and limits for the flux of high-energy cosmic rays are derived from them. Consideration is given to low-energy cosmic rays which are indirectly responsible via their interaction of the interstellar matter, for X- and gamma-ray lines observed recently. The rate of star formation is derived for the Galactic Center and found to be about three times the rate in the Solar Neighborhood per unit mass of gas.