MAGNETIC-FIELDS AND THE COSMIC-RAY E/P RATIO - CLUES FROM GAMMA-RAY OBSERVATIONS OF THE MAGELLANIC CLOUDS

Abstract. We reanalyse the gamma emission from the Magellanic Clouds in comparison to their radio emission. By taking the energy density in cosmic ray electrons into account we show that the energy equipartition between magnetic field and cosmic rays is not necessarily violated in these objects, contrary to the findings of Chi and Wolfendale (1993). The cosmic ray e/p ratio has to be considerably larger than in solar vicinity, implying that any model fit which uses e/p = 0.01 may lead to inadequate conclusions.