The Origin of the Galactic Center Diffuse X-ray Emission Investigated by   Near-infrared Imaging and Polarimetric Observations
  The origin of the Galactic center diffuse X-ray emission (GCDX) is still under intense investigation. We have found a clear excess in a longitudinal GCDX profile over a stellar number density profile in the nuclear bulge region, suggesting a significant contribution of diffuse, interstellar hot plasma to the GCDX. We have estimated that contributions of an old stellar population to the GCDX are about 50 % and 20 % in the nuclear stellar disk and nuclear star cluster, respectively. Our near-infrared polarimetric observations show that the GCDX region is permeated by a large scale, toroidal magnetic field. Together with observed magnetic field strengths in nearly energy equipartition, the interstellar hot plasma could be confined by the toroidal magnetic field. 
Shogo Nishiyama, Kazuki Yasui, Tetsuya Nagata, Tatsuhito Yoshikawa,   Hideki Uchiyama, Motohide Tamura
astro-ph.GA astro-ph.HE