Molecular Clouds as Cosmic-Ray Barometers
  The advent of high sensitivity, high resolution gamma-ray detectors, together
with a knowledge of the distribution of the atomic hydrogen and especially of
the molecular hydrogen in the Galaxy on sub-degree scales creates a unique
opportunity to explore the flux of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. We here present
the new data on the distribution of the molecular hydrogen from a large region
of the inner Galaxy obtained by the NANTEN Collaboration. We then introduce a
methodology which aims to provide a test bed for current and future gamma-ray
observatories to explore the cosmic ray flux at various positions in our
Galaxy. In particular, for a distribution of molecular clouds, as provided by
the NANTEN survey, and local cosmic ray density as measured at the Earth, we
estimate the expected GeV to TeV gamma-ray signal, which can then be compared
with observations and use to test the cosmic ray flux.
