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. GuetaD. 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

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

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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 (US)
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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© 2020. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

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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

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

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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,

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

language = "English (US)",

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journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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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.

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85085328243&partnerID=8YFLogxK

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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