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Gamma rays from black holes

Abstract

As a result of electron ion decoupling, the compression of interstellar matter falling on to an isolated black hole results in ion temperatures greater than 100 MeV as the matter approaches the Schwarzschild radius. Here, experimental pion production cross sections are used to calculate the rate of production of γ rays from this hot gas. A characteristic γ-ray spectrum is produced, which peaks at 18 MeV regardless of the mass of the black hole or the interstellar density.

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DAHLBACKA, G., CHAPLINE, G. & WEAVER, T. Gamma rays from black holes. Nature 250, 36–37 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/250036a0

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