TeV Supernova Remnant Research Articles

Radio and infrared study of the supernova remnant candidate HESS J1912+101

Aims.We provide new insights into theγ-ray emission from HESS J1912+101, a TeV supernova remnant candidate probably associated with the radio pulsar PSR J1913+1011.Methods.We obtained new observations at 1.5 GHz using the VLA in the D configuration, with the purpose of detecting the radio shell of the putative remnant. In addition, we observed a single pointing at 6.0 GHz toward PSR J1913+1011 to look for a radio pulsar wind nebula. We also studied the properties of the surrounding interstellar medium using data of the13CO, HI, and infrared emissions, obtained from public surveys.Results.We do not find evidence of a radio shell down to the sensitivity of the new image at 1.5 GHz. We detect faint diffuse emission around PSR J1913+1011 at 6.0 GHz, which could represent a radio pulsar wind nebula powered by the pulsar. We find dense ambient gas at ~60 km s−1, which shows a good spatial correspondence with the TeV emission only in the western and eastern directions. There is also dense gas near the center of HESS J1912+101, where the TeV emission is weak. Using infrared data, we identify an active star-forming region in the western part of the shell.Conclusions.Based on the poor spatial match between the ambient gas and the TeV emission (which shows a good correlation in the western and eastern directions and an anticorrelation in the other directions), we conclude that the hadronic mechanism alone does not give a satisfactory explanation of theγrays from HESS J1912+101. Additional contributions may come from leptonic processes in the shell of the supernova remnant, together with contributions from PSR J1913+1011 and its pulsar wind nebula and/or from the star-forming region. A confident determination of the distance to the putative remnant is necessary to determine whether these sources are associated or just appear superimposed in the line of sight.

SNR G349.7+0.2: A γ-RAY SOURCE IN THE FAR 3 kpc ARM OF THE GALACTIC CENTER

We analyze the HI absorption profile for TeV Supernova Remnant (SNR) G349.7+0.2 based on updated knowledge of the inner Galaxy's structure. We significantly revise its kinematic distance from the previous ~ 22 kpc to ~11.5 kpc, indicating it is in the far 3 kpc arm of the Galactic center. We give a revised age of ~ 1800 year for G349.7+0.2 which has a low explosion energy of ~ 2.5 x 10^50 ergs. This removes G349.7+0.2 from the set of brightest SNRs in radio, X-ray to gamma-ray wavebands and helps understand gamma-ray emission originating from this remnant better. However, one needs to use caution for old kinematic distances of Galactic objects (e.g. SNRs, Pulsars and HII regions) in the range of -12 degree =< l =< 12 degree and having distance estimates of >= 5.5 kpc.

Multi-band Observation of TeV Supernova Remnants

AbstractWe study several TeV Supernova Remnants (SNRs W51C, CTB 37A, CTB 37B and G353.6-0.7) by radio and X-ray observations. We utilize neutral hydrogen (\HI) 21 cm line data to measure their kinematic distances, and use the CO line survey sensitive to molecular hydrogen clouds to validate these distance measurements and understand their relation to the TeV SNRs. Our study show that the TeV γ-ray emission from W51C should not be associated with the high-velocity HI clouds; CTB 37A and CTB 37B are at different distances and are only by chance nearby each other on the sky; the extended TeV emission from G353.6-0.7 possibly originates from the interaction between the SNR shock and the adjacent CO clouds.

Distances of the TeV supernova remnant complex CTB 37 towards the Galactic bar

Three supernova remnants (SNRs) form the CTB 37 complex: CTB 37A (G348.5+0.1, associated with the TeV γ-ray source HESS J1714−385), CTB 37B (G348.7+0.3, associated with HESS J1713−381 and the magnetar CXOU J171405.7.381031) and G348.5−0.0. We use 21-cm H i absorption measurements to constrain kinematic distances to these SNRs, which have not previously been determined well. We revise the kinematic distance for CTB 37A to be in the range 6.3–9.5 kpc (previously ∼11.3 kpc) because it is beyond the near 3-kpc arm and in front of the far side of the CO cloud at −145 km s−1 towards l= 348.5. G348.5−0.0 has an H i column density (⁠∼6.1×1021 cm−2) lower than CTB 37A (∼7.1 × 1021 cm−2). Also, G348.5−0.0 does not have the major absorption feature at −107 km s−1 that CTB 37A shows. This is caused by the near 3-kpc arm, so G348.5−0.0 is at a distance of ≤6.3 kpc. CTB 37B is at a distance of ∼13.2 kpc (previously 5–9 kpc) based on: (1) it has an absorption feature at −10 ± 5 km s−1 from the far 3-kpc arm, so CTB 37B is behind it; (2) there is absorption at −30 km s−1 but not at −26 km s−1, which yields the distance value; and (3) the H i column density towards CTB 37B (∼8.3 × 1021 cm−2) is larger than that towards CTB 37A. In summary, CTB 37A, CTB 37B and G348.5+0.0 are all at different distances and are only by chance nearby each other on the sky. In addition, we conclude that CTB 37A and 37B are not associated with the historical supernova AD 393.

Stochastic electron acceleration in the TeV supernova remnant RX J1713.7−3946: the high-energy cut-off

In the leptonic scenario for TeV emission from a few well-observed shell-type TeV supernova remnants (STTSNRs), very weak magnetic fields are inferred. If fast-mode waves are produced efficiently in the shock downstream, we show that they are viable agents for acceleration of relativistic electrons inferred from the observed spectra even in the subsonic phase, in spite that these waves are subject to strong damping by thermal background ions at small dissipation scales. Strong collisionless non-relativistic astrophysical shocks are studied with the assumption of a constant Aflven speed in the downstream. The turbulence evolution is modeled with both the Kolmogorov and Kraichnan phenomenology. Processes determining the high-energy cutoff of nonthermal electron distributions are examined. The Kraichnan models lead to a shallower high-energy cutoff of the electron distribution and require a lower downstream density than the Kolmogorov models to fit a given emission spectrum. With reasonable parameters, the model explains observations of STTSNRs, including recent data obtained with the Fermi gamma-ray telescope. More detailed studies of the turbulence generation and dissipation processes, supernova explosions and progenitors are warranted for better understanding the nature of supernova shocks.

HYPERNOVA AND GAMMA-RAY BURST REMNANTS AS TeV UNIDENTIFIED SOURCES

We investigate hypernova (hyper-energetic supernova) and gamma-ray burst (GRB) remnants in our Galaxy as TeV gamma-ray sources, particularly in the role of potential TeV unidentified sources, which have no clear counterpart at other wavelengths. We show that the observed bright sources in the TeV sky could be dominated by GRB/hypernova remnants, even though they are fewer than supernova remnants (SNRs). If this is the case, TeV SNRs are more extended (and more numerous) than deduced from current observations. In keeping with their role as cosmic ray accelerators, we discuss hadronic gamma-ray emission from pi^0 decay, from beta decay followed by inverse Compton emission, and propose a third, novel process of TeV gamma-ray emission arising from the decay of accelerated radioactive isotopes such as 56Co entrained by relativistic or semi-relativistic jets in GRBs/hypernovae. We discuss the relevant observational signatures which could discriminate between these three mechanisms.