Spectral Study of the Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission with Suzaku

We have observed a typical Galactic plane field at (l, b) = (2846,−020) with Suzaku for 100 ksec to carry out a precise spectral study of the Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission (GRXE). The field is known to be devoid of X-ray point sources brighter than ∼2×10ergs s cm (2–10 keV), and already deeply observed with Chandra. Thanks to the low and stable background and high spectral resolution of Suzaku, we were able to resolve, for the first time, three narrow iron K-emission lines from low-ionized (6.41 keV), helium-like (6.67 keV), and hydrogenic ions (7.00 keV) in the GRXE spectrum. These line features constrain the GRXE emission mechanisms: The cosmic-ray ion charge exchange model or the non-equilibrium ionization plasma model are unlikely, since they require either broad emission lines or lines at intermediate ionization states. Collisional ionization equilibrium plasma is the likely origin for the 6.67 keV and 7.00 keV lines, while origin of the 6.41 keV line, which is due to fluorescence from cold material, is not elucidated. Low non-X-ray background and little stray-light contamination of Suzaku allowed us to precisely measure the absolute X-ray surface brightness in the direction of the Galactic plane. Excluding the point sources brighter than∼2×10 ergs s cm (2–10 keV), the total surface brightness on the Galactic plane is ∼6.1 ×10 ergs s cm deg (2–10 keV), including the contribution of the cosmic X-ray background that is estimated to be ∼1.3×10 ergs