Galactic synchrotron emissivity measurements between 250° < l < 355° from the GLEAM survey with the MWA

16 Nov 2016  ·  H. Su, N. Hurley-Walker, C. A. Jackson, N. M. McClure-Griffiths, S. J. Tingay, L. Hindson, P. Hancock, R. B. Wayth, B. M. Gaensler, L. Staveley-Smith, J. Morgan, M. Johnston-Hollitt, E. Lenc, M. E. Bell, J. R. Callingham, K. S. Dwarkanath, B. Q. For, A. D. Kapińska, B. McKinley, A. R. Offringa, P. Procopio, C. Wu, Q. Zheng ·

Synchrotron emission pervades the Galactic plane at low radio frequencies, originating from cosmic ray electrons interacting with the Galactic magnetic field. Using a low-frequency radio telescope, the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), we measure the free-free absorption of this Galactic synchrotron emission by intervening HII regions along the line of sight. These absorption measurements allow us to calculate the Galactic cosmic-ray electron emissivity behind and in front of 47 detected HII regions in the region $250^\circ < l < 355^\circ$, $|b| < 2^\circ$. We find that all average emissivities between the HII regions and the Galactic edge along the line of sight ($\epsilon_b$) are in the range of 0.24$\,\,\sim\,\,$0.70$\,\,$K$\,\,$pc$^{-1}$ with a mean of 0.40$\,\,$K$\,\,$pc$^{-1}$ and a variance of 0.10$\,\,$K$\,\,$pc$^{-1}$ at 88$\,\,$MHz. Our best model, the Two-circle model, divides the Galactic disk into three regions using two circles centring on the Galactic centre. It shows a high emissivity region near the Galactic centre, a low emissivity region near the Galactic edge, and a medium emissivity region between these two regions, contrary to the trend found by previous studies.

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