Evidence for Proton Acceleration up to TeV Energies Based on VERITAS and Fermi-LAT Observations of the Cas A SNR

A. U. Abeysekara; A. Archer; W. Benbow; R. Bird; R. Brose; M. Buchovecky; J. H. Buckley; A. J. Chromey; W. Cui; M. K. Daniel; S. Das; V. V. Dwarkadas; A. Falcone; Q. Feng; J. P. Finley; L. Fortson; A. Gent; G. H. Gillanders; C. Giuri; O. Gueta; D. Hanna; T. Hassan; O. Hervet; J. Holder; G. Hughes; T. B. Humensky; P. Kaaret; P. Kar; N. Kelley-Hoskins; M. Kertzman; D. Kieda; M. Krause; F. Krennrich; S. Kumar; M. J. Lang; G. Maier; P. Moriarty; R. Mukherjee; M. Nievas-Rosillo; S. O'Brien; R. A. Ong; N. Park; A. Petrashyk; K. Pfrang; M. Pohl; E. Pueschel; J. Quinn; K. Ragan; P. T. Reynolds; G. T. Richards; E. Roache; I. Sadeh; M. Santander; G. H. Sembroski; K. Shahinyan; I. Sushch; A. Weinstein; P. Wilcox; A. Wilhelm; D. A. Williams; T. J. Williamson; B. Zitzer; A. Ghiotto

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab8310

Evidence for Proton Acceleration up to TeV Energies Based on VERITAS and Fermi-LAT Observations of the Cas A SNR

A. U. Abeysekara
, A. Archer
, W. Benbow
, R. Bird
, R. Brose
, M. Buchovecky
, J. H. Buckley
, A. J. Chromey
, W. Cui
, M. K. Daniel
, S. Das
, V. V. Dwarkadas
, A. Falcone
, Q. Feng
, J. P. Finley
, L. Fortson
, A. Gent
, G. H. Gillanders
, C. Giuri
, O. Gueta

D. Hanna, T. Hassan, O. Hervet, J. Holder, G. Hughes, T. B. Humensky, P. Kaaret, P. Kar, N. Kelley-Hoskins, M. Kertzman, D. Kieda, M. Krause, F. Krennrich, S. Kumar, M. J. Lang, G. Maier, P. Moriarty, R. Mukherjee, M. Nievas-Rosillo, S. O'Brien, R. A. Ong, N. Park, A. Petrashyk, K. Pfrang, M. Pohl, E. Pueschel, J. Quinn, K. Ragan, P. T. Reynolds, G. T. Richards, E. Roache, I. Sadeh, M. Santander, G. H. Sembroski, K. Shahinyan, I. Sushch, A. Weinstein, P. Wilcox, A. Wilhelm, D. A. Williams, T. J. Williamson, B. Zitzer, A. Ghiotto

Department of Physics

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55 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present a study of γ-ray emission from the core-collapse supernova remnant Cas A in the energy range from 0.1 GeV to 10 TeV. We used 65 hr of the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) data to cover 200 GeV-10 TeV, and 10.8 yr of Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) data to cover 0.1-500 GeV. The spectral analysis of Fermi-LAT data shows a significant spectral curvature around 1.3 ± 0.4_stat GeV that is consistent with the expected spectrum from pion decay. Above this energy, the joint spectrum from Fermi-LAT and VERITAS deviates significantly from a simple power law, and it is best described by a power law with a spectral index of 2.17 ± 0.02_stat and a cutoff energy of 2.3 ± 0.5_stat TeV. These results, along with radio, X-ray, and γ-ray data, are interpreted in the context of leptonic and hadronic models. Assuming a one-zone model, we exclude a purely leptonic scenario and conclude that proton acceleration up to at least 6 TeV is required to explain the observed γ-ray spectrum. From modeling of the entire multiwavelength spectrum, a minimum magnetic field inside the remnant of B _min ≈ 150 μG is deduced.

Original language	English
Article number	51
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	894
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab8310
State	Published - May 1 2020

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Abeysekara, A. U., Archer, A., Benbow, W., Bird, R., Brose, R., Buchovecky, M., Buckley, J. H., Chromey, A. J., Cui, W., Daniel, M. K., Das, S., Dwarkadas, V. V., Falcone, A., Feng, Q., Finley, J. P., Fortson, L., Gent, A., Gillanders, G. H., Giuri, C., ... Ghiotto, A. (2020). Evidence for Proton Acceleration up to TeV Energies Based on VERITAS and Fermi-LAT Observations of the Cas A SNR. Astrophysical Journal, 894(1), Article 51. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab8310

@article{11e90ab1c3484119bfe90aa45e1883df,

title = "Evidence for Proton Acceleration up to TeV Energies Based on VERITAS and Fermi-LAT Observations of the Cas A SNR",

abstract = "We present a study of γ-ray emission from the core-collapse supernova remnant Cas A in the energy range from 0.1 GeV to 10 TeV. We used 65 hr of the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) data to cover 200 GeV-10 TeV, and 10.8 yr of Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) data to cover 0.1-500 GeV. The spectral analysis of Fermi-LAT data shows a significant spectral curvature around 1.3 ± 0.4stat GeV that is consistent with the expected spectrum from pion decay. Above this energy, the joint spectrum from Fermi-LAT and VERITAS deviates significantly from a simple power law, and it is best described by a power law with a spectral index of 2.17 ± 0.02stat and a cutoff energy of 2.3 ± 0.5stat TeV. These results, along with radio, X-ray, and γ-ray data, are interpreted in the context of leptonic and hadronic models. Assuming a one-zone model, we exclude a purely leptonic scenario and conclude that proton acceleration up to at least 6 TeV is required to explain the observed γ-ray spectrum. From modeling of the entire multiwavelength spectrum, a minimum magnetic field inside the remnant of B min ≈ 150 μG is deduced.",

author = "Abeysekara, \{A. U.\} and A. Archer and W. Benbow and R. Bird and R. Brose and M. Buchovecky and Buckley, \{J. H.\} and Chromey, \{A. J.\} and W. Cui and Daniel, \{M. K.\} and S. Das and Dwarkadas, \{V. V.\} and A. Falcone and Q. Feng and Finley, \{J. P.\} and L. Fortson and A. Gent and Gillanders, \{G. H.\} and C. Giuri and O. Gueta and D. Hanna and T. Hassan and O. Hervet and J. Holder and G. Hughes and Humensky, \{T. B.\} and P. Kaaret and P. Kar and N. Kelley-Hoskins and M. Kertzman and D. Kieda and M. Krause and F. Krennrich and S. Kumar and Lang, \{M. J.\} and G. Maier and P. Moriarty and R. Mukherjee and M. Nievas-Rosillo and S. O'Brien and Ong, \{R. A.\} and N. Park and A. Petrashyk and K. Pfrang and M. Pohl and E. Pueschel and J. Quinn and K. Ragan and Reynolds, \{P. T.\} and Richards, \{G. T.\} and E. Roache and I. Sadeh and M. Santander and Sembroski, \{G. H.\} and K. Shahinyan and I. Sushch and A. Weinstein and P. Wilcox and A. Wilhelm and Williams, \{D. A.\} and Williamson, \{T. J.\} and B. Zitzer and A. Ghiotto",

year = "2020",

month = may,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3847/1538-4357/ab8310",

language = "English",

volume = "894",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

number = "1",

}

Abeysekara, AU, Archer, A, Benbow, W, Bird, R, Brose, R, Buchovecky, M, Buckley, JH, Chromey, AJ, Cui, W, Daniel, MK, Das, S, Dwarkadas, VV, Falcone, A, Feng, Q, Finley, JP, Fortson, L, Gent, A, Gillanders, GH, Giuri, C, Gueta, O, Hanna, D, Hassan, T, Hervet, O, Holder, J, Hughes, G, Humensky, TB, Kaaret, P, Kar, P, Kelley-Hoskins, N, Kertzman, M, Kieda, D, Krause, M, Krennrich, F, Kumar, S, Lang, MJ, Maier, G, Moriarty, P, Mukherjee, R, Nievas-Rosillo, M, O'Brien, S, Ong, RA, Park, N, Petrashyk, A, Pfrang, K, Pohl, M, Pueschel, E, Quinn, J, Ragan, K, Reynolds, PT, Richards, GT, Roache, E, Sadeh, I, Santander, M, Sembroski, GH, Shahinyan, K, Sushch, I, Weinstein, A, Wilcox, P, Wilhelm, A, Williams, DA, Williamson, TJ, Zitzer, B & Ghiotto, A 2020, 'Evidence for Proton Acceleration up to TeV Energies Based on VERITAS and Fermi-LAT Observations of the Cas A SNR', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 894, no. 1, 51. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab8310

TY - JOUR

T1 - Evidence for Proton Acceleration up to TeV Energies Based on VERITAS and Fermi-LAT Observations of the Cas A SNR

AU - Abeysekara, A. U.

AU - Archer, A.

AU - Benbow, W.

AU - Bird, R.

AU - Brose, R.

AU - Buchovecky, M.

AU - Buckley, J. H.

AU - Chromey, A. J.

AU - Cui, W.

AU - Daniel, M. K.

AU - Das, S.

AU - Dwarkadas, V. V.

AU - Falcone, A.

AU - Feng, Q.

AU - Finley, J. P.

AU - Fortson, L.

AU - Gent, A.

AU - Gillanders, G. H.

AU - Giuri, C.

AU - Gueta, O.

AU - Hanna, D.

AU - Hassan, T.

AU - Hervet, O.

AU - Holder, J.

AU - Hughes, G.

AU - Humensky, T. B.

AU - Kaaret, P.

AU - Kar, P.

AU - Kelley-Hoskins, N.

AU - Kertzman, M.

AU - Kieda, D.

AU - Krause, M.

AU - Krennrich, F.

AU - Kumar, S.

AU - Lang, M. J.

AU - Maier, G.

AU - Moriarty, P.

AU - Mukherjee, R.

AU - Nievas-Rosillo, M.

AU - O'Brien, S.

AU - Ong, R. A.

AU - Park, N.

AU - Petrashyk, A.

AU - Pfrang, K.

AU - Pohl, M.

AU - Pueschel, E.

AU - Quinn, J.

AU - Ragan, K.

AU - Reynolds, P. T.

AU - Richards, G. T.

AU - Roache, E.

AU - Sadeh, I.

AU - Santander, M.

AU - Sembroski, G. H.

AU - Shahinyan, K.

AU - Sushch, I.

AU - Weinstein, A.

AU - Wilcox, P.

AU - Wilhelm, A.

AU - Williams, D. A.

AU - Williamson, T. J.

AU - Zitzer, B.

AU - Ghiotto, A.

PY - 2020/5/1

Y1 - 2020/5/1

N2 - We present a study of γ-ray emission from the core-collapse supernova remnant Cas A in the energy range from 0.1 GeV to 10 TeV. We used 65 hr of the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) data to cover 200 GeV-10 TeV, and 10.8 yr of Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) data to cover 0.1-500 GeV. The spectral analysis of Fermi-LAT data shows a significant spectral curvature around 1.3 ± 0.4stat GeV that is consistent with the expected spectrum from pion decay. Above this energy, the joint spectrum from Fermi-LAT and VERITAS deviates significantly from a simple power law, and it is best described by a power law with a spectral index of 2.17 ± 0.02stat and a cutoff energy of 2.3 ± 0.5stat TeV. These results, along with radio, X-ray, and γ-ray data, are interpreted in the context of leptonic and hadronic models. Assuming a one-zone model, we exclude a purely leptonic scenario and conclude that proton acceleration up to at least 6 TeV is required to explain the observed γ-ray spectrum. From modeling of the entire multiwavelength spectrum, a minimum magnetic field inside the remnant of B min ≈ 150 μG is deduced.

AB - We present a study of γ-ray emission from the core-collapse supernova remnant Cas A in the energy range from 0.1 GeV to 10 TeV. We used 65 hr of the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) data to cover 200 GeV-10 TeV, and 10.8 yr of Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) data to cover 0.1-500 GeV. The spectral analysis of Fermi-LAT data shows a significant spectral curvature around 1.3 ± 0.4stat GeV that is consistent with the expected spectrum from pion decay. Above this energy, the joint spectrum from Fermi-LAT and VERITAS deviates significantly from a simple power law, and it is best described by a power law with a spectral index of 2.17 ± 0.02stat and a cutoff energy of 2.3 ± 0.5stat TeV. These results, along with radio, X-ray, and γ-ray data, are interpreted in the context of leptonic and hadronic models. Assuming a one-zone model, we exclude a purely leptonic scenario and conclude that proton acceleration up to at least 6 TeV is required to explain the observed γ-ray spectrum. From modeling of the entire multiwavelength spectrum, a minimum magnetic field inside the remnant of B min ≈ 150 μG is deduced.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85085328243

U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/ab8310

DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/ab8310

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85085328243

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 894

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

M1 - 51

ER -

Evidence for Proton Acceleration up to TeV Energies Based on VERITAS and Fermi-LAT Observations of the Cas A SNR

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