DIFFUSE GALACTIC LOW-ENERGY GAMMA-RAY CONTINUUM EMISSION

We investigate the origin of diffuse low energy Galactic gamma ray continuum down to about 30 keV. We calculate gamma ray emission via bremsstrahlung and inverse Compton scattering by propagating an unbroken electron power law injection spectrum and employing a Galactic emissivity model derived from COSB observations. To maintain the low energy electron population capable of producing the observed continuum via bremsstrahlung, a total power input of 4 x 10(41) erg s-1 is required. This exceeds the total power supplied to the nuclear cosmic rays by about an order of magnitude.