Electrons magnetic fields and background radio emission in the galaxy

Abstract

Extensive data now available on the non-thermal background radio emission from different celestial directions, and recent measurements on the energy spectrum of cosmic ray electrons in the vicinity of the earth permit one to deduce information on the mean magnetic fields and cosmic electron spectra needed to exist in different regions of the galaxy. It is found that in order to explain quantitatively the background radio brightness distributions from the galaxy one needs (i) the same or nearly same electron spectrum that exists in the near interstellar space, to exist in almost all regions of galactic space, (ii) a mean magnetic field close to 6×10^-6 Gauss in the disc in the direction of the anti-centre, (iii) a mean magnetic field close to 2.5×10^-6 Gauss in the radio halo and (iv) a mean magnetic field probably close to 9.5×10^-6 Gauss towards the galactic ridge in the direction of the centre. Some inferences are also drawn on the confinement of cosmic rays in the galaxy.