AN EMPIRICAL DETERMINATION OF THE INTERGALACTIC BACKGROUND LIGHT FROM UV TO FIR WAVELENGTHS USING FIR DEEP GALAXY SURVEYS AND THE GAMMA-RAY OPACITY OF THE UNIVERSE
Skip to main content
eScholarship
Open Access Publications from the University of California

UCLA

UCLA Previously Published Works bannerUCLA

AN EMPIRICAL DETERMINATION OF THE INTERGALACTIC BACKGROUND LIGHT FROM UV TO FIR WAVELENGTHS USING FIR DEEP GALAXY SURVEYS AND THE GAMMA-RAY OPACITY OF THE UNIVERSE

Abstract

We have previously calculated the intergalactic background light (IBL) as a function of redshift in the far ultraviolet to near infrared range, based purely on data from deep galaxy surveys. Here we utilize similar methods to determine the mid- and far infrared IBL out to a wavelength of 850 microns. Our approach enables us to constrain the range of photon densities, based on the uncertainties from observationally determined luminosity densities and colors. By also including the effect of the 2.7 K cosmic background photons, we determine 68% confidence upper and lower limits on the opacity of the universe to gamma-rays up to PeV energies. Our direct results on the IBL are consistent with those from complimentary gamma-ray analyses using observations from the Fermi $\gamma$-ray space telescope and the H.E.S.S. air Cherenkov telescope. Thus, we find no evidence of previously suggested processes for the modification of gamma-ray spectra other than that of absorption by pair production alone.

Many UC-authored scholarly publications are freely available on this site because of the UC's open access policies. Let us know how this access is important for you.

Main Content
For improved accessibility of PDF content, download the file to your device.
Current View