Search for Galactic Cosmic Ray Sources with H.E.S.S

Supernova remnants (SNRs) are the prime candidates for the acceleration of the Galactic Cosmic Rays. Tracers for interactions of Cosmic Rays with ambient material are gamma rays at TeV energies, which can be observed with ground based Cherenkov telescopes like H.E.S.S. In the recent years H.E.S.S. has detected several SNRs and interactions of SNRs with molecular clouds. Here the current results of these observations are presented and possible leptonic and hadronic scenarios are discussed. It is shown that it is likely that SNRs are the sources of Galactic Cosmic Rays.Comment: 4 pages, 2 tables, proceedings of the 23rd Rencontres de Blois, 201

Embedded star clusters as sources of high-energy cosmic rays: Modelling and constraints

Massive stars are mainly found in stellar associations. These massive star clusters occur in the heart of giant molecular clouds. The strong stellar wind activity in these objects generates large bubbles and induces collective effects that could accelerate particles up to high energy and produce gamma rays. The best way to input an acceleration origin to the stellar wind interaction in massive stellar cluster is to observe young massive star clusters in which no supernova explosion has occurred yet. This work aims to constrain the part of stellar wind mechanical energy that is converted into energetic particles using the sensitivity of the ongoing Fermi/LAT instrument. This work further provides detailed predictions of expected gamma-ray fluxes in the view of the on-set of the next generation of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. A one-zone model where energetic particles are accelerated by repeated interactions with strong supersonic shocks occurring in massive star clusters was developed. The particle escape from the star cluster and subsequent interaction with the surrounding dense material and magnetic fields of the HII region was computed. We applied this model to a selection of eight embedded star clusters constricted by existing observations. We evaluated the gamma-ray signal from each object, combining both leptonic and hadronic contributions. We searched for these emissions in the Fermi/LAT observations in the energy range from 3 to 300 GeV and compared them to the sensitivity of the Cherenkov Telescope Array. No significant gamma-ray emission from these star clusters has been found. Less than 10% of stellar wind luminosities are supplied to the relativistic particles. Some clusters even show acceleration efficiency of less than 1%. The CTA would be able to detect gamma-ray emission from several clusters in the case of an acceleration efficiency of close to 1%.Comment: accepted for publication in Astronomy&Astrophysic

CTACG - CTA Computing Grid

International audienceCTACG - CTA Computing Gri

MONTE CARLO SIMULATIONS FOR THE CHERENKOV TELESCOPE ARRAY OBSERVATORY USING PL-GRID E-INFRASTRUCTURE

The paper presents Monte Carlo simulations carried out during the preparatory phase of the Cherenkov Telescope Array project. The aim of the project is to build the next generation observatory of very high energy gamma rays. During the preparatory phase there is a need to optimize and verify design concepts for various elements of the array. In this paper we describe the main components of the software being used for that purpose, their functions and requirements. Preliminary results of the optimization of the small telescope – one of the several kinds intended for the array, are presented

Suzaku Observations of the Non-thermal Supernova Remnant HESS J1731-347

A detailed analysis of the nonthermal X-ray emission from the North-Western and Southern parts of the supernova remnant (SNR) HESS J1731$-$347 with {\it Suzaku} is presented. The shell portions covered by the observations emit hard and line-less X-rays. The spectrum can be reproduced by a simple absorbed power-law model with a photon index $\Gamma$ of 1.8-2.7 and an absorption column density $N_{\rm H}$ of (1.0-2.1)$\times 10^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$. These quantities change significantly from region to region; the North-Western part of the SNR has the hardest and most absorbed spectrum. The Western part of the X-ray shell has a smaller curvature than North-Western and Southern shell segments. A comparison of the X-ray morphology to the Very High Energy (VHE) gamma-ray and radio images was performed. The efficiency of electron acceleration and emission mechanism in each portion of the shell are discussed. Thermal X-ray emission from the SNR was searched for but could not be detected at a significant level.Comment: 23 pages, 28 figures, ApJ, in pres

Detection of gamma rays from the supernova remnant RX J0852.0-4622 with H.E.S.S.

Es wird angenommen, dass schalenartige Supernova-Reste wesentlicheQuellen der galaktischen kosmischen Strahlung sind. Die Beschleunigungvon Teilchen in diesen Objekten kann mit hochenergetischerGammastrahlung (Energien zwischen 30GeV und 30TeV) nachgewiesenwerden.In dieser Arbeit wird die Beobachtung von Gammastrahlung desschalenartigen Supernova-Restes RX J0852.0-4622 beschrieben. DieseBeobachtungen wurden im Februar 2004 mit dem High Energy StereoscopicSystem (H.E.S.S.) durchgeführt. H.E.S.S., ein System von vierabbildenden Cherenkov Teleskopen, kann Gammastrahlung im Bereichzwischen 100GeV und einigen 10TeV nachweisen und ist zur Zeit dasleistungsfähigste Instrument in diesem Energiebereich.Die Emission von Gammastrahlung von RX J0852.0-4622 wurde mit einerSignifikanz von 12 sigma bei einer Belichtungszeit von 3.2hnachgewiesen. Die Morphologie der Emissionsregion ist ausgedehnt undkorreliert mit der Morphologie der Röntgenstrahlung. Eindifferenzielles Energiespektrum des Photonenflusses wurde im Bereichzwischen 0.5 und 10 TeV rekonstruiert. Das Spektrum folgt einemPotenzgesetz mit einem spektralen Index von etwa 2.1. Der integriertePhotonenfluss oberhalb von 1 TeV ist auf dem Niveau des Flusses desKrebsnebels. RX J0852.0-4622 ist daher eine der hellstenGammastrahlungsquellen am Himmel und der zweite Supernova-Rest dessenausgedehnte Gammastrahlungsemission nachgewiesen werden konnte.Gammastrahlung kann durch inverse Compton-Streuung vonrelativistischen Elektronen oder durch starke Wechselwirkungen vonProtonen mit dem interstellaren Material erklärt werden. Der erwarteteEnergiefluss von inverser Compton-Streuung an der kosmischenMikrowellenstrahlung wurde abgeschätzt. Dieser ist um einigeGrößenordnungen geringer als der beobachtete Wert. Daher ist eswahrscheinlich, dass die beobachtete Gammastrahlung ausProton-Wechselwirkungen stammt und RX J0852.0-4622 zur galaktischenkosmischen Strahlung beiträgt.Shell-type supernova remnants are discussed to be a main source of thegalactic cosmic rays. Very high energy gamma rays (energies between30GeV and 30TeV) from these objects are tracers for the accelerationof particles. Up to now, only a limited number of supernova remnantswere observed in gamma rays. This work reports on the observations of gamma rays from theshell-type supernova remnant RX J0852.0-4622 carried out with the HighEnergy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) in February 2004. H.E.S.S., asystem of four imaging Cherenkov telescopes, is dedicated to theobservation of gamma rays of energies between 100GeV and several tensof TeV and it is currently the most sensitive instrument in thisenergy range.Emission of gamma rays from RX J0852.0-4622 was detected with asignificance of 12 sigma within a live time of 3.2h. The morphologyof the emission region is clearly extended and correlated with themorphology of the X-ray emission. A differential energy spectrum ofthe photon flux between 0.5 and 10 TeV was reconstructed. It is foundto follow a power law with a spectral index of about 2.1. The integralphoton flux above 1 TeV is at the level of the Crab flux at theseenergies. Thus, RX J0852.0-4622 is one of the brightest gamma-raysources in the sky. RX J0852.0-4622 is the second supernova remnant ofwhich an extended gamma-ray morphology could be proved.The emission of gamma rays from shell-type supernova remnants can beexplained as being produced by accelerated electrons or protons. Theexpected energy flux due to inverse Compton scattering of relativisticelectrons on the cosmic microwave background was estimated and foundto be several orders of magnitude lower than the observed flux. Thus,it is likely that the observed gamma-ray emission is produced inproton interactions and that RX J0852.0-4622 contributes to theacceleration of galactic cosmic rays

H.E.S.S. ToO program on nearby core-collapse Supernovae: search for very-high energy γ\gamma-ray emission towards the SN candidate AT2019krl in M74

International audienceWhile the youngest known supernova remnants, such as Cassiopeia A, have been proven to be able to accelerate cosmic rays only up to $\sim$10$^{14}\,\mathrm{eV}$ at their present evolutionary stages, recent studies have shown that particle energies larger than a few PeV ($10^{15}\,\mathrm{eV}$) could be reached during the early stages of a core-collapse Supernova, when the high-velocity forward shock expands into the dense circumstellar medium shaped by the stellar progenitor wind. Such environments, in particular the type IIn SNe whose progenitors may exhibit mass-loss rates as high as $10^{-2}M_\odot\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1}$\cite{smith14}, could thus lead to $\gamma$-ray emission from $\pi^0$ decay in hadronic interactions, potentially detectable with current Cherenkov telescopes at very-high energies. Such a detection would provide direct evidence for efficient acceleration of CR protons/nuclei in supernovae, and hence new insights on the long-standing issue of the origin of Galactic Cosmic Rays. In that context, the High Energy Stereoscopic System (\hess) has been carrying out a Target of Opportunity program since 2016 to search for such an early very-high-energy $\gamma$-ray emission towards nearby core-collapse supernovae and supernova candidates (up to $\sim 10~\mathrm{Mpc}$), within a few weeks after discovery. After giving an overview of this \hess Target of Opportunity program, we present the results obtained from the July 2019 observations towards the transient \at, originally classified as a type IIn supernova, which occurred in the galaxy M74 at $\sim 9.8\,\mathrm{Mpc}$. Although its nature still remains unclear, the derived \hess constraints on this transient are placed in the general context of the expected VHE $\gamma$-ray emission from core-collapse supernovae