SPECTRAL CHANGES FOR COSMIC-RAY PROTONS IN THE LOCAL INTERSTELLAR-MEDIUM

Analysis of EGRET data, together with results at other wavelengths, le ads to confirmation of earlier claims using COS B data that there are spectral variations of the proton component over the local ISM (within several hundred parsecs). Most notably, the spectrum is steeper in th e interarm and HI 'tongue'-regions. An interesting feature is that the average spectrum of gamma rays above 1 GeV is flatter than expected f rom the proton spectrum at earth. Interpretations of the results are o ffered.