Published in

American Astronomical Society, Astrophysical Journal, 2(664), p. L143, 2007

DOI: 10.1086/520882

American Astronomical Society, Astrophysical Journal, 1(652), p. L65-L68, 2006

DOI: 10.1086/509916

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Inverse Compton Scattering on Solar Photons, Heliospheric Modulation, and Neutrino Astrophysics

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Red circle
Preprint: archiving forbidden
Red circle
Postprint: archiving forbidden
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

We study the inverse Compton scattering of solar photons by Galactic cosmic-ray electrons. We show that the {gamma}-ray emission from this process is significant with the maximum flux in the direction of the Sun; the angular distribution of the emission is broad. This previously neglected foreground should be taken into account in studies of the diffuse Galactic and extragalactic {gamma}-ray emission. Furthermore, observations by GLAST can be used to monitor the heliosphere and determine the electron spectrum as a function of position from distances as large as Saturn's orbit down to close proximity of the Sun, thus enabling studies of solar modulation in the most extreme case. This paves the way for the determination of other Galactic cosmic-ray species, primarily protons, near the solar surface leading to accurate predictions of {gamma}-rays from pp-interactions in the solar atmosphere. These albedo {gamma}-rays will be observable by GLAST, allowing the study of deep atmospheric layers, magnetic field(s), and cosmic-ray cascade development. The latter is necessary to calculate the neutrino flux from pp-interactions at higher energies (>1 TeV). The corresponding neutrino flux from the Sun can be used as a ''standard candle'' for upcoming km{sup 3} neutrino detectors, such as IceCube. Since the solar core is opaque for very high-energy neutrinos, it may be possible to directly study the mass distribution of the Sun.