EVOLUTION OF HIGH-ENERGY PARTICLE DISTRIBUTION IN MATURE SHELL-TYPE SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
Multi-wavelength observations of mature supernova remnants (SNRs), especially with recent advances in gamma-ray astronomy, make it possible to constrain energy distribution of energetic particles within these remnants. In consideration of the SNR origin of Galactic cosmic rays and physics related to...
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ndltd-arizona.edu-oai-arizona.openrepository.com-10150-6231012017-04-13T03:00:35Z EVOLUTION OF HIGH-ENERGY PARTICLE DISTRIBUTION IN MATURE SHELL-TYPE SUPERNOVA REMNANTS Zeng, Houdun Xin, Yuliang Liu, Siming Jokipii, J. R. Zhang, Li Zhang, Shuinai Univ Arizona cosmic rays gamma rays: ISM ISM: supernova remnants radiation mechanisms: non-thermal Multi-wavelength observations of mature supernova remnants (SNRs), especially with recent advances in gamma-ray astronomy, make it possible to constrain energy distribution of energetic particles within these remnants. In consideration of the SNR origin of Galactic cosmic rays and physics related to particle acceleration and radiative processes, we use a simple one-zone model to fit the nonthermal emission spectra of three shell-type SNRs located within 2 degrees on the sky: RX J1713.7-3946, CTB 37B, and CTB 37A. Although radio images of these three sources all show a shell (or half-shell) structure, their radio, X-ray, and gamma-ray spectra are quite different, offering an ideal case to explore evolution of energetic particle distribution in SNRs. Our spectral fitting shows that (1) the particle distribution becomes harder with aging of these SNRs, implying a continuous acceleration process, and the particle distributions of CTB 37A and CTB 37B in the GeV range are harder than the hardest distribution that can be produced at a shock via the linear diffusive shock particle acceleration process, so spatial transport may play a role; (2) the energy loss timescale of electrons at the high-energy cutoff due to synchrotron radiation appears to be always a bit (within a factor of a few) shorter than the age of the corresponding remnant, which also requires continuous particle acceleration; (3) double power-law distributions are needed to fit the spectra of CTB 37B and CTB 37A, which may be attributed to shock interaction with molecular clouds. 2017-01-10 Article EVOLUTION OF HIGH-ENERGY PARTICLE DISTRIBUTION IN MATURE SHELL-TYPE SUPERNOVA REMNANTS 2017, 834 (2):153 The Astrophysical Journal 1538-4357 10.3847/1538-4357/834/2/153 http://hdl.handle.net/10150/623101 http://arizona.openrepository.com/arizona/handle/10150/623101 The Astrophysical Journal en http://stacks.iop.org/0004-637X/834/i=2/a=153?key=crossref.610ae0241ccf21bf8f53c74d180bc0ed © 2017. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. IOP PUBLISHING LTD |
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en |
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cosmic rays gamma rays: ISM ISM: supernova remnants radiation mechanisms: non-thermal |
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cosmic rays gamma rays: ISM ISM: supernova remnants radiation mechanisms: non-thermal Zeng, Houdun Xin, Yuliang Liu, Siming Jokipii, J. R. Zhang, Li Zhang, Shuinai EVOLUTION OF HIGH-ENERGY PARTICLE DISTRIBUTION IN MATURE SHELL-TYPE SUPERNOVA REMNANTS |
description |
Multi-wavelength observations of mature supernova remnants (SNRs), especially with recent advances in gamma-ray astronomy, make it possible to constrain energy distribution of energetic particles within these remnants. In consideration of the SNR origin of Galactic cosmic rays and physics related to particle acceleration and radiative processes, we use a simple one-zone model to fit the nonthermal emission spectra of three shell-type SNRs located within 2 degrees on the sky: RX J1713.7-3946, CTB 37B, and CTB 37A. Although radio images of these three sources all show a shell (or half-shell) structure, their radio, X-ray, and gamma-ray spectra are quite different, offering an ideal case to explore evolution of energetic particle distribution in SNRs. Our spectral fitting shows that (1) the particle distribution becomes harder with aging of these SNRs, implying a continuous acceleration process, and the particle distributions of CTB 37A and CTB 37B in the GeV range are harder than the hardest distribution that can be produced at a shock via the linear diffusive shock particle acceleration process, so spatial transport may play a role; (2) the energy loss timescale of electrons at the high-energy cutoff due to synchrotron radiation appears to be always a bit (within a factor of a few) shorter than the age of the corresponding remnant, which also requires continuous particle acceleration; (3) double power-law distributions are needed to fit the spectra of CTB 37B and CTB 37A, which may be attributed to shock interaction with molecular clouds. |
author2 |
Univ Arizona |
author_facet |
Univ Arizona Zeng, Houdun Xin, Yuliang Liu, Siming Jokipii, J. R. Zhang, Li Zhang, Shuinai |
author |
Zeng, Houdun Xin, Yuliang Liu, Siming Jokipii, J. R. Zhang, Li Zhang, Shuinai |
author_sort |
Zeng, Houdun |
title |
EVOLUTION OF HIGH-ENERGY PARTICLE DISTRIBUTION IN MATURE SHELL-TYPE SUPERNOVA REMNANTS |
title_short |
EVOLUTION OF HIGH-ENERGY PARTICLE DISTRIBUTION IN MATURE SHELL-TYPE SUPERNOVA REMNANTS |
title_full |
EVOLUTION OF HIGH-ENERGY PARTICLE DISTRIBUTION IN MATURE SHELL-TYPE SUPERNOVA REMNANTS |
title_fullStr |
EVOLUTION OF HIGH-ENERGY PARTICLE DISTRIBUTION IN MATURE SHELL-TYPE SUPERNOVA REMNANTS |
title_full_unstemmed |
EVOLUTION OF HIGH-ENERGY PARTICLE DISTRIBUTION IN MATURE SHELL-TYPE SUPERNOVA REMNANTS |
title_sort |
evolution of high-energy particle distribution in mature shell-type supernova remnants |
publisher |
IOP PUBLISHING LTD |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10150/623101 http://arizona.openrepository.com/arizona/handle/10150/623101 |
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1718437646220394496 |