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The Spin Temperature of the Interstellar Neutral Hydrogen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2016

V. Radhakrishnan
Affiliation:
Division of Radiophysics, CSIRO, Sydney
J. D. Murray
Affiliation:
Division of Radiophysics, CSIRO, Sydney

Extract

The lack of any direct measurements on the spin temperature of the neutral hydrogen in the Galaxy has led to considerable controversy in the past. Estimates of the temperature have depended strongly on whether they are based on emission or absorption studies. The widely accepted value of 125°K based on emission studies dates back to Schmidt. He adopted this figure on the premise that the maximum observed brightness temperatures in the galactic plane were in directions of high optical depth. The brightness temperature was then equated with the spin temperature on the assumption that the temperature did not fluctuate very much in a large region around the Sun.

Type
Contributions
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of Australia 1969

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References

1 Schmidt, M., Bull. astr. Insts Neth., XIII, No. 475 (1957).Google Scholar
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