High-energy particle acceleration in the shell of a supernova remnant

Aharonian, F. A.; Akhperjanian, A. G.; Aye, K.-M.; Bazer-Bachi, A. R.; Beilicke, M.; Benbow, W.; Berge, D.; Berghaus, P.; Bernlöhr, K.; Bolz, O.; Boisson, C.; Borgmeier, C.; Breitling, F.; Brown, A. M.; Gordo, J. Bussons; Chadwick, P. M.; Chitnis, V. R.; Chounet, L.-M.; Cornils, R.; Costamante, L.; Degrange, B.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Drury, L. O'C.; Ergin, T.; Espigat, P.; Feinstein, F.; Fleury, P.; Fontaine, G.; Funk, S.; Gallant, Y. A.; Giebels, B.; Gillessen, S.; Goret, P.; Guy, J.; Hadjichristidis, C.; Hauser, M.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hinton, J. A.; Hofmann, W.; Holleran, M.; Horns, D.; de Jager, O. C.; Jung, I.; Khélifi, B.; Komin, Nu.; Konopelko, A.; Latham, I. J.; Gallou, R. Le; Lemoine, M.; Lemière, A.; Leroy, N.; Lohse, T.; Marcowith, A.; Masterson, C.; McComb, T. J. L.; de Naurois, M.; Nolan, S. J.; Noutsos, A.; Orford, K. J.; Osborne, J. L.; Ouchrif, M.; Panter, M.; Pelletier, G.; Pita, S.; Pohl, M.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Raubenheimer, B. C.; Raue, M.; Raux, J.; Rayner, S. M.; Redondo, I.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Ripken, J.; Rivoal, M.; Rob, L.; Rolland, L.; Rowell, G.; Sahakian, V.; Saugé, L.; Schlenker, S.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schuster, C.; Schwanke, U.; Siewert, M.; Sol, H.; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Théoret, C. G.; Tluczykont, M.; van der Walt, D. J.; Vasileiadis, G.; Vincent, P.; Visser, B.; Völk, H. J.; Wagner, S. J.

High-energy particle acceleration in the shell of a supernova remnant

F. A. Aharonian, A. G. Akhperjanian, K.-M. Aye, A. R. Bazer-Bachi, M. Beilicke, W. Benbow, D. Berge (), P. Berghaus, K. Bernlöhr, O. Bolz, C. Boisson, C. Borgmeier, F. Breitling, A. M. Brown, J. Bussons Gordo, P. M. Chadwick, V. R. Chitnis, L.-M. Chounet, R. Cornils, L. Costamante, B. Degrange, A. Djannati-Ataï, L. O'C. Drury, T. Ergin, P. Espigat, F. Feinstein, P. Fleury, G. Fontaine, S. Funk, Y. A. Gallant, B. Giebels, S. Gillessen, P. Goret, J. Guy, C. Hadjichristidis, M. Hauser, G. Heinzelmann, G. Henri, G. Hermann, J. A. Hinton, W. Hofmann, M. Holleran, D. Horns, O. C. de Jager, I. Jung, B. Khélifi, Nu. Komin, A. Konopelko, I. J. Latham, R. Le Gallou, M. Lemoine, A. Lemière, N. Leroy, T. Lohse, A. Marcowith, C. Masterson, T. J. L. McComb, M. de Naurois, S. J. Nolan, A. Noutsos, K. J. Orford, J. L. Osborne, M. Ouchrif, M. Panter, G. Pelletier, S. Pita, M. Pohl, G. Pühlhofer, M. Punch, B. C. Raubenheimer, M. Raue, J. Raux, S. M. Rayner, I. Redondo, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, J. Ripken, M. Rivoal, L. Rob, L. Rolland, G. Rowell, V. Sahakian, L. Saugé, S. Schlenker, R. Schlickeiser, C. Schuster, U. Schwanke, M. Siewert, H. Sol, R. Steenkamp, C. Stegmann, J.-P. Tavernet, C. G. Théoret, M. Tluczykont, D. J. van der Walt, G. Vasileiadis, P. Vincent, B. Visser, H. J. Völk and S. J. Wagner
Additional contact information
F. A. Aharonian: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
A. G. Akhperjanian: Yerevan Physics Institute
K.-M. Aye: University of Durham
A. R. Bazer-Bachi: CNRS/UPS
M. Beilicke: Universität Hamburg
W. Benbow: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
D. Berge: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
P. Berghaus: Collège de France
K. Bernlöhr: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
O. Bolz: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
C. Boisson: Observatoire de Paris
C. Borgmeier: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
F. Breitling: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
A. M. Brown: University of Durham
J. Bussons Gordo: Université Montpellier II
P. M. Chadwick: University of Durham
V. R. Chitnis: Universités Paris VI & VII
L.-M. Chounet: Ecole Polytechnique
R. Cornils: Universität Hamburg
L. Costamante: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
B. Degrange: Ecole Polytechnique
A. Djannati-Ataï: Collège de France
L. O'C. Drury: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
T. Ergin: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
P. Espigat: Collège de France
F. Feinstein: Université Montpellier II
P. Fleury: Ecole Polytechnique
G. Fontaine: Ecole Polytechnique
S. Funk: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
Y. A. Gallant: Université Montpellier II
B. Giebels: Ecole Polytechnique
S. Gillessen: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
P. Goret: CE Saclay
J. Guy: Universités Paris VI & VII
C. Hadjichristidis: University of Durham
M. Hauser: Landessternwarte, Königstuhl
G. Heinzelmann: Universität Hamburg
G. Henri: Université Joseph Fourier
G. Hermann: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
J. A. Hinton: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
W. Hofmann: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
M. Holleran: North-West University
D. Horns: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
O. C. de Jager: North-West University
I. Jung: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
B. Khélifi: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
Nu. Komin: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
A. Konopelko: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
I. J. Latham: University of Durham
R. Le Gallou: University of Durham
M. Lemoine: Ecole Polytechnique
A. Lemière: Collège de France
N. Leroy: Ecole Polytechnique
T. Lohse: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
A. Marcowith: CNRS/UPS
C. Masterson: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
T. J. L. McComb: University of Durham
M. de Naurois: Universités Paris VI & VII
S. J. Nolan: University of Durham
A. Noutsos: University of Durham
K. J. Orford: University of Durham
J. L. Osborne: University of Durham
M. Ouchrif: Universités Paris VI & VII
M. Panter: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
G. Pelletier: Université Joseph Fourier
S. Pita: Collège de France
M. Pohl: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
G. Pühlhofer: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
M. Punch: Collège de France
B. C. Raubenheimer: North-West University
M. Raue: Universität Hamburg
J. Raux: Universités Paris VI & VII
S. M. Rayner: University of Durham
I. Redondo: Ecole Polytechnique
A. Reimer: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
O. Reimer: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
J. Ripken: Universität Hamburg
M. Rivoal: Universités Paris VI & VII
L. Rob: Charles University
L. Rolland: Universités Paris VI & VII
G. Rowell: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
V. Sahakian: Yerevan Physics Institute
L. Saugé: Université Joseph Fourier
S. Schlenker: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
R. Schlickeiser: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
C. Schuster: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
U. Schwanke: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
M. Siewert: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
H. Sol: Observatoire de Paris
R. Steenkamp: University of Namibia
C. Stegmann: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
J.-P. Tavernet: Universités Paris VI & VII
C. G. Théoret: Collège de France
M. Tluczykont: Ecole Polytechnique
D. J. van der Walt: North-West University
G. Vasileiadis: Université Montpellier II
P. Vincent: Universités Paris VI & VII
B. Visser: North-West University
H. J. Völk: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
S. J. Wagner: Landessternwarte, Königstuhl

Nature, 2004, vol. 432, issue 7013, 75-77

Abstract: Abstract A significant fraction of the energy density of the interstellar medium is in the form of high-energy charged particles (cosmic rays)1. The origin of these particles remains uncertain. Although it is generally accepted that the only sources capable of supplying the energy required to accelerate the bulk of Galactic cosmic rays are supernova explosions, and even though the mechanism of particle acceleration in expanding supernova remnant (SNR) shocks is thought to be well understood theoretically2,3, unequivocal evidence for the production of high-energy particles in supernova shells has proven remarkably hard to find. Here we report on observations of the SNR RX J1713.7 - 3946 (G347.3 - 0.5), which was discovered by ROSAT4 in the X-ray spectrum and later claimed as a source of high-energy γ-rays5,6 of TeV energies (1 TeV = 1012 eV). We present a TeV γ-ray image of the SNR: the spatially resolved remnant has a shell morphology similar to that seen in X-rays, which demonstrates that very-high-energy particles are accelerated there. The energy spectrum indicates efficient acceleration of charged particles to energies beyond 100 TeV, consistent with current ideas of particle acceleration in young SNR shocks.

Date: 2004
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DOI: 10.1038/nature02960

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