2006A&A...449..223A

Query : 2006A&A...449..223A

2006A&A...449..223A - Astronomy and Astrophysics, volume 449223-242 (2006/4-1)

A detailed spectral and morphological study of the gamma-ray supernova remnant RX J1713.7-3946 with HESS.

AHARONIAN F., AKHPERJANIAN A.G., BAZER-BACHI A.R., BEILICKE M., BENBOW W., BERGE D., BERNLOEHR K., BOISSON C., BOLZ O., BORREL V., BRAUN I., BREITLING F., BROWN A.M., CHADWICK P.M., CHOUNET L.-M., CORNILS R., COSTAMANTE L., DEGRANGE B., DICKINSON H.J., DJANNATI-ATAIE A., DRURY L.O'C., DUBUS G., EMMANOULOPOULOS D., ESPIGAT P., FEINSTEIN F., FONTAINE G., FUCHS Y., FUNK S., GALLANT Y.A., GIEBELS B., GLICENSTEIN J.F., GORET P., HADJICHRISTIDIS C., HAUSER D., HAUSER M., HEINZELMANN G., HENRI G., HERMANN G., HINTON J.A., HOFMANN W., HOLLERAN M., HORNS D., JACHOLKOWSKA A., DE JAGER O.C., KHELIFI B., KLAGES S., KOMIN N., KONOPELKO A., LATHAM I.J., LE GALLOU R., LEMIERE A., LEMOINE-GOUMARD M., LOHSE T., MARTIN J.M., MARTINEAU-HUYNH O., MARCOWITH A., MASTERSON C., McCOMB T.J.L., DE NAUROIS M., NEDBAL D., NOLAN S.J., NOUTSOS A., ORFORD K.J., OSBORNE J.L., OUCHRIF M., PANTER M., PELLETIER G., PITA S., PUEHLHOFER G., PUNCH M., RAUBENHEIMER B.C., RAUE M., RAYNER S.M., REIMER A., REIMER O., RIPKEN J., ROB L., ROLLAND L., ROWELL G., SAHAKIAN V., SAUGE L., SCHLENKER S., SCHLICKEISER R., SCHUSTER C., SCHWANKE U., SIEWERT M., SOL H., SPANGLER D., STEENKAMP R., STEGMANN C., SUPERINA G., TAVERNET J.-P., TERRIER R., THEORET C.G., TLUCZYKONT M., VAN ELDIK C., VASILEIADIS G., VENTER C., VINCENT P., VOELK H.J. and WAGNER S.J.

Abstract (from CDS):

We present results from deep observations of the Galactic shell-type supernova remnant (SNR) RX J1713.7-3946 (also known as G347.3-0.5) conducted with the complete HESS array in 2004. Detailed morphological and spatially resolved spectral studies reveal the very-high-energy (VHE - Energies E>100GeV) gamma-ray aspects of this object with unprecedented precision. Since this is the first in-depth analysis of an extended VHE gamma-ray source, we present a thorough discussion of our methodology and investigations of possible sources of systematic errors. Gamma rays are detected throughout the whole SNR. The emission is found to resemble a shell structure with increased fluxes from the western and northwestern parts. The differential gamma-ray spectrum of the whole SNR is measured over more than two orders of magnitude, from 190GeV to 40TeV, and is rather hard with indications for a deviation from a pure power law at high energies. Spectra have also been determined for spatially separated regions of RX J1713.7-3946. The flux values vary by more than a factor of two, but no significant change in spectral shape is found. There is a striking correlation between the X-ray and the gamma-ray image. Radial profiles in both wavelength regimes reveal the same shape almost everywhere in the region of the SNR. The VHE gamma-ray emission of RX J1713.7-3946 is phenomenologically discussed for two scenarios, one where the gamma rays are produced by VHE electrons via Inverse Compton scattering and one where the gamma rays are due to neutral pion decay from proton-proton interactions. In conjunction with multi-wavelength considerations, the latter case is favoured. However, no decisive conclusions can yet be drawn regarding the parent particle population dominantly responsible for the gamma-ray emission from RX J1713.7-3946.

Abstract Copyright: ∼

Journal keyword(s): acceleration of particles - ISM: cosmic rays - gamma rays: observations - ISM: supernova remnants - ISM: individual objects: RX J1713.7-3946 (G347.3-0.5)

Simbad objects: 6

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Number of rows : 6

N	Identifier	Otype	ICRS (J2000) RA	ICRS (J2000) DEC	Mag B	Mag V	Mag R	Sp type	#ref 1850 - 2026	#notes
1	NAME Vela Jr SN	SNR	08 52.0	-46 20				~	507	2
2	GAL 347.6+00.2	HII	17 11 33.8	-39 08 20				~	22	0
3	SNR G347.3-00.5	SNR	17 12 27	-39 41.2		12.27		~	761	1
4	RX J1713.4-3949	X	17 13 28	-39 49.8				~	44	0
5	SNR G348.5+00.1	SNR	17 14 31.780	-38 28 34.50				~	233	3
6	PKS J2158-3013	BLL	21 58 52.0652249880	-30 13 32.118447792	13.36	13.09	12.62	~	1829	1

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