Cited by 221Astrophysical Phenomena and ObservationsAstrophysics and Cosmic PhenomenaAstrophysics and Star Formation Studies

Diffuse X‐Ray Emission in a Deep Chandra Image of the Galactic Center

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Muno, M. P., Baganoff, F. K., Bautz, M. W., Feigelson, E. D., Garmire, G. P., Morris, M. R., Park, S., Ricker, G. R. +1 more·2004·The Astrophysical Journal

Abstract

We examine the spectrum of diffuse emission detected in the 17' × 17' field around Sgr A* during 625 ks of Chandra observations. The spectrum exhibits He-like and H-like lines from Si, S, Ar, Ca, and Fe that are consistent with an origin in a two-temperature plasma, as well as a prominent low-ionization Fe Kα line. The cooler, kT ≈ 0.8 keV plasma differs in surface brightness across the image in the range (0.2-1.8) × 10 -13 ergs cm -2 s -1 arcmin -2 (observed, 2-8 keV). This soft plasma is probably heated by supernovae, along with a small contribution from the winds of massive Wolf-Rayet (W-R) and O stars. The radiative cooling rate of the soft plasma within the inner 20 pc of the Galaxy could be balanced by 1% of the kinetic energy of one supernova every 3 × 10 5 yr. The hotter, kT ≈ 8 keV component is more spatially uniform, with a surface brightness of (1.5-2.6) × 10 -13 ergs cm -2 s -1 arcmin -2 (observed, 2-8 keV). The intensity of the hard plasma is correlated with that of the soft, but they are probably only indirectly related, because neither supernova remnants nor W-R/O stars are observed to produce thermal plasma hotter than kT ≈ 3 keV. Moreover, a kT ≈ 8 keV plasma would be too hot to be bound to the Galactic center and therefore would form a slow wind or fountain of plasma. The energy required to sustain such a freely expanding plasma within the inner 20 pc of the Galaxy is ~10 40 ergs s -1 . This corresponds to the entire kinetic energy of one supernova every 3000 yr, which is unreasonably high. However, alternative explanations for the kT ≈ 8 keV diffuse emission are equally unsatisfying. The hard X-rays are unlikely to result from undetected point sources, because no known population of stellar objects is numerous enough to account for the observed surface brightness. Neither is there evidence that nonthermal mechanisms for producing the hard emission are operating, as the expected shifts in the line energies and ratios from their collisional-equilibrium values are not observed. We are left to conclude either that there is a significant shortcoming in our understanding of the mechanisms that heat the interstellar medium or that a population of faint (<10 31 ergs s -1 ) hard X-ray sources that is a factor of 10 more numerous than cataclysmic variables remains to be discovered.

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Crossref · 10.1086/422865

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  • The X-ray emitting hot gas in the Hour-Glass has a density of 2 cm^-3 and a temperature of 0.7-1 keV.

    “The x-ray emitting hot gas is found to have a density of 2 cm -3 and a temperature of 0 . 7 -1 keV.”

    From The Fermi/eROSITA bubbles: a look into the nuclear outflow from the Milky Way (2024) · cites this paper as Muno et al. 2004

    The Discussion reports a 0.7–0.9 keV temperature for the soft X-ray-emitting plasma, consistent with the claimed temperature range. But §3.1, Plasma Properties, gives densities of 0.1–0.5 cm⁻³, not 2 cm⁻³, and the cited passages do not identify the measured gas as being in the Hour-Glass. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • The pressure and total energy of the Hour-Glass hot gas are ~2×10^7 K cm^-3 and E15pc ~6×10^50 erg, respectively.

    “Therefore, the pressure and the total energy are ∼ 2 × 10 7 K cm -3 and E 15pc ∼ 6 × 10 50 erg, respectively (Muno et al. 2004; Ponti et al. 2019).”

    From The Fermi/eROSITA bubbles: a look into the nuclear outflow from the Milky Way (2024) · cites this paper as Muno et al. 2004

    Section 3.1 (page unavailable) gives energy densities and energies for diffuse Galactic-center plasma, but does not identify an Hour-Glass region or report a pressure of ~2×10^7 K cm^-3 and a total energy of ~6×10^50 erg within 15 pc. Searches for the Hour-Glass, pressure, and the 15-pc energy estimate found no passage establishing those figures. (LLM, conf=0.75)

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3 of the 85 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Feigelson, E. D. 2004, in IAU Symp. 219, Stars As Suns: Activity, Evolution, and Planets, ed. A. Benz & A. Dupree (San Francisco: ASP), in press
  2. ---. 2004, ApJ, 613, in press

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Authors
Muno, M. P., Baganoff, F. K., Bautz, M. W., Feigelson, E. D., Garmire, G. P., Morris, M. R., Park, S., Ricker, G. R., & Townsley, L. K.
Affiliations
  • University of California, Los Angeles (US)
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
Venue
The Astrophysical Journal
Published
2004-09-20
Volume
613
Issue
1
Pages
326-342
ISSN
  • 0004-637X (ISSN-L)
  • 1538-4357
OpenAlex
W1984008682
Cited by
221
References
85
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 9
FWCI
11.21
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Astrophysical Journal (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (acceptedVersion)
  • CERN Document Server (European Organization for Nuclear Research) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
Keywords
diffuse X-ray emission, Galactic Center, Sgr A*, two-temperature plasma, Fe Kα line, supernova heating, radiative cooling, hard X-ray emission, supernova remnants, stellar winds, X-ray spectra, Chandra X-ray Observatory, surface brightness

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