Population study of Galactic supernova remnants at very high γ -ray energies with H.E.S.S.

H.E.S.S. Collaboration

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201732125

Population study of Galactic supernova remnants at very high γ -ray energies with H.E.S.S.

H.E.S.S. Collaboration

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

Shell-type supernova remnants (SNRs) are considered prime candidates for the acceleration of Galactic cosmic rays (CRs) up to the knee of the CR spectrum at E ≈ 3 × 10¹⁵ eV. Our MilkyWay galaxy hosts more than 350 SNRs discovered at radio wavelengths and at high energies, of which 220 fall into the H.E.S.S. Galactic Plane Survey (HGPS) region. Of those, only 50 SNRs are coincident with a H.E.S.S source and in 8 cases the very high-energy (VHE) emission is firmly identified as an SNR. The H.E.S.S. GPS provides us with a legacy for SNR population study in VHE γ-rays and we use this rich data set to extract VHE flux upper limits from all undetected SNRs. Overall, the derived flux upper limits are not in contradiction with the canonical CR paradigm. Assuming this paradigm holds true, we can constrain typical ambient density values around shell-type SNRs to n < 7 cm^-3 and electron-to-proton energy fractions above 10 TeV to ∈_ep ≤ 5 × 10^-3. Furthermore, comparisons of VHE with radio luminosities in non-interacting SNRs reveal a behaviour that is in agreement with the theory of magnetic field amplification at shell-type SNRs.

Original language	English
Article number	A3
Journal	Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume	612
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201732125
State	Published - 1 Apr 2018
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Gamma rays: general
ISM: supernova remnants

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1051/0004-6361/201732125

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@article{f28b3daead7643818f24cf0c0b47bbfa,

title = "Population study of Galactic supernova remnants at very high γ -ray energies with H.E.S.S.",

abstract = "Shell-type supernova remnants (SNRs) are considered prime candidates for the acceleration of Galactic cosmic rays (CRs) up to the knee of the CR spectrum at E ≈ 3 × 1015 eV. Our MilkyWay galaxy hosts more than 350 SNRs discovered at radio wavelengths and at high energies, of which 220 fall into the H.E.S.S. Galactic Plane Survey (HGPS) region. Of those, only 50 SNRs are coincident with a H.E.S.S source and in 8 cases the very high-energy (VHE) emission is firmly identified as an SNR. The H.E.S.S. GPS provides us with a legacy for SNR population study in VHE γ-rays and we use this rich data set to extract VHE flux upper limits from all undetected SNRs. Overall, the derived flux upper limits are not in contradiction with the canonical CR paradigm. Assuming this paradigm holds true, we can constrain typical ambient density values around shell-type SNRs to n < 7 cm-3 and electron-to-proton energy fractions above 10 TeV to ∈ep ≤ 5 × 10-3. Furthermore, comparisons of VHE with radio luminosities in non-interacting SNRs reveal a behaviour that is in agreement with the theory of magnetic field amplification at shell-type SNRs.",

keywords = "Gamma rays: general, ISM: supernova remnants",

author = "\{H.E.S.S. Collaboration\} and H. Abdalla and A. Abramowski and F. Aharonian and \{Ait Benkhali\}, F. and Ang{\"u}ner, \{E. O.\} and M. Arakawa and M. Arrieta and P. Aubert and M. Backes and A. Balzer and M. Barnard and Y. Becherini and \{Becker Tjus\}, J. and D. Berge and S. Bernhard and K. Bernl{\"o}hr and R. Blackwell and M. B{\"o}ttcher and C. Boisson and J. Bolmont and S. Bonnefoy and P. Bordas and J. Bregeon and F. Brun and P. Brun and M. Bryan and M. B{\"u}chele and T. Bulik and M. Capasso and S. Caroff and A. Carosi and S. Casanova and M. Cerruti and N. Chakraborty and Chaves, \{R. C.G.\} and A. Chen and J. Chevalier and S. Colafrancesco and B. Condon and J. Conrad and Davids, \{I. D.\} and J. Decock and C. Deil and J. Devin and P. DeWilt and L. Dirson and A. Djannati-Ata{\"i} and A. Donath and Drury, \{L. O.C.\} and I. Shilon",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} ESO 2018.",

year = "2018",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1051/0004-6361/201732125",

language = "English",

volume = "612",

journal = "Astronomy and Astrophysics",

issn = "0004-6361",

publisher = "EDP Sciences",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Population study of Galactic supernova remnants at very high γ -ray energies with H.E.S.S.

AU - H.E.S.S. Collaboration

AU - Abdalla, H.

AU - Abramowski, A.

AU - Aharonian, F.

AU - Ait Benkhali, F.

AU - Angüner, E. O.

AU - Arakawa, M.

AU - Arrieta, M.

AU - Aubert, P.

AU - Backes, M.

AU - Balzer, A.

AU - Barnard, M.

AU - Becherini, Y.

AU - Becker Tjus, J.

AU - Berge, D.

AU - Bernhard, S.

AU - Bernlöhr, K.

AU - Blackwell, R.

AU - Böttcher, M.

AU - Boisson, C.

AU - Bolmont, J.

AU - Bonnefoy, S.

AU - Bordas, P.

AU - Bregeon, J.

AU - Brun, F.

AU - Brun, P.

AU - Bryan, M.

AU - Büchele, M.

AU - Bulik, T.

AU - Capasso, M.

AU - Caroff, S.

AU - Carosi, A.

AU - Casanova, S.

AU - Cerruti, M.

AU - Chakraborty, N.

AU - Chaves, R. C.G.

AU - Chen, A.

AU - Chevalier, J.

AU - Colafrancesco, S.

AU - Condon, B.

AU - Conrad, J.

AU - Davids, I. D.

AU - Decock, J.

AU - Deil, C.

AU - Devin, J.

AU - DeWilt, P.

AU - Dirson, L.

AU - Djannati-Ataï, A.

AU - Donath, A.

AU - Drury, L. O.C.

AU - Shilon, I.

PY - 2018/4/1

Y1 - 2018/4/1

N2 - Shell-type supernova remnants (SNRs) are considered prime candidates for the acceleration of Galactic cosmic rays (CRs) up to the knee of the CR spectrum at E ≈ 3 × 1015 eV. Our MilkyWay galaxy hosts more than 350 SNRs discovered at radio wavelengths and at high energies, of which 220 fall into the H.E.S.S. Galactic Plane Survey (HGPS) region. Of those, only 50 SNRs are coincident with a H.E.S.S source and in 8 cases the very high-energy (VHE) emission is firmly identified as an SNR. The H.E.S.S. GPS provides us with a legacy for SNR population study in VHE γ-rays and we use this rich data set to extract VHE flux upper limits from all undetected SNRs. Overall, the derived flux upper limits are not in contradiction with the canonical CR paradigm. Assuming this paradigm holds true, we can constrain typical ambient density values around shell-type SNRs to n < 7 cm-3 and electron-to-proton energy fractions above 10 TeV to ∈ep ≤ 5 × 10-3. Furthermore, comparisons of VHE with radio luminosities in non-interacting SNRs reveal a behaviour that is in agreement with the theory of magnetic field amplification at shell-type SNRs.

AB - Shell-type supernova remnants (SNRs) are considered prime candidates for the acceleration of Galactic cosmic rays (CRs) up to the knee of the CR spectrum at E ≈ 3 × 1015 eV. Our MilkyWay galaxy hosts more than 350 SNRs discovered at radio wavelengths and at high energies, of which 220 fall into the H.E.S.S. Galactic Plane Survey (HGPS) region. Of those, only 50 SNRs are coincident with a H.E.S.S source and in 8 cases the very high-energy (VHE) emission is firmly identified as an SNR. The H.E.S.S. GPS provides us with a legacy for SNR population study in VHE γ-rays and we use this rich data set to extract VHE flux upper limits from all undetected SNRs. Overall, the derived flux upper limits are not in contradiction with the canonical CR paradigm. Assuming this paradigm holds true, we can constrain typical ambient density values around shell-type SNRs to n < 7 cm-3 and electron-to-proton energy fractions above 10 TeV to ∈ep ≤ 5 × 10-3. Furthermore, comparisons of VHE with radio luminosities in non-interacting SNRs reveal a behaviour that is in agreement with the theory of magnetic field amplification at shell-type SNRs.

KW - Gamma rays: general

KW - ISM: supernova remnants

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85045517455

U2 - 10.1051/0004-6361/201732125

DO - 10.1051/0004-6361/201732125

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85045517455

SN - 0004-6361

VL - 612

JO - Astronomy and Astrophysics

JF - Astronomy and Astrophysics

M1 - A3

ER -

Population study of Galactic supernova remnants at very high γ -ray energies with H.E.S.S.

Abstract

Keywords

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