Measurement of Low-Energy Cosmic Rays via the Neutral Iron Line

There has been little information of Galactic low-energy cosmic rays (LECRs) so far because observations of LECRs in the solar system are affected by solar modulation and there is no effective way of indirect measurement. When LECRs in the MeV energy band collide with neutral iron atoms in the interstellar medium, uorescent X-rays at 6.4 keV are produced via inner-shell ionization of neutral iron atoms. We investigate the 6.4 keV line in supernova remnants (SNRs) as a prime candidate for the Galactic cosmic-ray origin. The line emission is discovered from 11 SNRs. The spectra and morphologies suggest that the 6.4 keV line is produced by LECRs interacting with cold gas. The proton energy density is estimated to be 10–100 eV cm⁻³. Furthermore, we measure the distribution of the 6.4 keV line emission near the Galactic center. The intensity profile is very similar to that of molecular clouds. The most plausible origin of the enhancement is the LECR proton bombardment. The energy density of MeV protons is estimated to be ∼ 80 eV cm⁻³. Since the diffusion length of MeV protons is short, they should be produced in situ. Surprisingly, there is no SNR in the vicinity, and thus another mechanism such as the stochastic acceleration would possibly work.