AAS Meeting #193 - Austin, Texas, January 1999
Session 87. Gamma-Ray Bursts II
Oral, Friday, January 8, 1999, 2:00-3:30pm, Ballroom A

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[87.07D] High-Energy Processes in the Galactic Center

S. Markoff (Physics Department, University of Arizona), F. Melia (Physics Department \& Steward Observatory, University of Arizona)

Recent high-energy observations of the Galactic Center (GC) by EGRET find a significant \gamma-ray excess over the diffuse background. Because of the large ~.2\circ error circle (for the emission over 1 GeV), this excess has yet to be positively identified with a particular source. However, the shape of the spectrum in combination with the power narrow the possibilities down considerably. I will discuss some models for the EGRET \gamma-rays from the GC. Identifying the source is especially important in light of AGASA's detection of a 4% anisotropy in the cosmic ray flux in the direction of the GC. If one model can account for both the \gamma-ray flux and the cosmic ray anisotropy, it would be the first sure confirmation of our ideas about how cosmic rays are accelerated and go on to produce high-energy emission via interactions with the ambient medium and magnetic field.


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