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[24.11] IS Dust and Gas Seen with Chandra and XMM-Newton

R. K. Smith (NASA/GSFC & JHU)

X-ray halos created by interstellar dust grains have been observed with Einstein, ROSAT, and ASCA; these same observatories easily detect IS gas via its absorption signature. Chandra and XMM-Newton observations, however, qualitatively change the analysis that can be done. The variation in the halo intensity with energy and angle is strongly dependent on the composition, size, and position of the dust grains, and can be directly compared to the absorbing column density measured via the X-ray spectrum. Prior observations allowed at best rough estimates of the gas and dust properties. I present results from GX13+1, GX5-1, X Persei, and other archival sources using both X-ray and other wavelengths to determine the parameters of the gas and dust along the line of sight.

I gratefully acknowledge support for this work from NASA Grant NNG04GC80G.

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #3
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.