Slide 39 of 48
Notes:
Inverse Compton scattering requires a target radiation, ie a photon input is required to absorb energy from relativistic electrons and scatter up to X-ray energies. We calculate the gamma factors required for the electrons to produce X-rays from stars and the 3K microwave background.
Because, in IC scattering,
gamma^2 ~ (final photon energy / initial photon energy)
we calculate the gamma factors for stars and the 3K microwave background as shown.
Thus electrons with cosmic ray energies are required to upscatter photons with these energies.
