Detection of the Characteristic Pion-Decay Signature in Supernova Remnants

Ackermann M, Ajello M, Allafort A, Baldini L, Ballet J, Barbiellini G, Baring MG, Bastieri D, Bechtol K, Bellazzini R, Blandford RD, Bloom ED, Bonamente E, Borgland AW, Bottacini E, Brandt TJ, Bregeon J, Brigida M, Bruel P, Buehler R, Busetto G, Buson S, Caliandro GA, Cameron RA, Caraveo PA, Casandjian JM, Cecchi C, Celik O, Charles E, Chaty S, Chaves RCG, Chekhtman A, Cheung CC, Chiang J, Chiaro G, Cillis AN, Ciprini S, Claus R, Cohen-Tanugi J, Cominsky LR, Conrad J, Corbel S, Cutini S, D'Ammando F, De Angelis A, De Palma F, Dermer CD, Do Couto E Silva E, Drell PS, Drlica-Wagner A, Falletti L, Favuzzi C, Ferrara EC, Franckowiak A, Fukazawa Y, Funk S, Fusco P, Gargano F, Germani S, Giglietto N, Giommi P, Giordano F, Giroletti M, Glanzman T, Godfrey G, Grenier IA, Grondin MH, Grove JE, Guiriec S, Hadasch D, Hanabata Y, Harding AK, Hayashida M, Hayashi K, Hays E, Hewitt JW, Hill AB, Hughes RE, Jackson MS, Jogler T, Johannesson G, Johnson AS, Kamae T, Kataoka J, Katsuta J, Knoedlseder J, Kuss M, Lande J, Larsson S, Latronico L, Lemoine-Goumard M, Longo F, Loparco F, Lovellette MN, Lubrano P, Madejski GM, Massaro F, Mayer M, Mazziotta MN, Mcenery JE, Mehault J, Michelson PF, Mignani RP, Mitthumsiri W, Mizuno T, Moiseev AA, Monzani ME, Morselli A, Moskalenko IV, Murgia S, Nakamori T, Nemmen R, Nuss E, Ohno M, Ohsugi T, Omodei N, Orienti M, Orlando E, Ormes JF, Paneque D, Perkins JS, Pesce-Rollins M, Piron F, Pivato G, Raino S, Rando R, Razzano M, Razzaque S, Reimer A, Reimer O, Ritz S, Romoli C, Sanchez-Conde M, Schulz A, Sgro C, Simeon PE, Siskind EJ, Smith DA, Spandre G, Spinelli P, Stecker FW, Strong AW, Suson DJ, Tajima H, Takahashi HH, Takahashi T, Tanaka T, Thayer JG, Thayer JB, Thompson DJ, Thorsett SE, Tibaldo L, Tibolla O, Tinivella M, Troja E, Uchiyama Y, Usher TL, Vandenbroucke J, Vasileiou V, Vianello G, Vitale V, Waite AP, Werner M, Winer BL, Wood KS, Wood M, Yamazaki R, Yang Z, Zimmer S (2013)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2013

Journal

Book Volume: 339

Pages Range: 807-811

Journal Issue: 6121

DOI: 10.1126/science.1231160

Abstract

Cosmic rays are particles (mostly protons) accelerated to relativistic speeds. Despite wide agreement that supernova remnants (SNRs) are the sources of galactic cosmic rays, unequivocal evidence for the acceleration of protons in these objects is still lacking. When accelerated protons encounter interstellar material, they produce neutral pions, which in turn decay into gamma rays. This offers a compelling way to detect the acceleration sites of protons. The identification of pion-decay gamma rays has been difficult because high-energy electrons also produce gamma rays via bremsstrahlung and inverse Compton scattering. We detected the characteristic pion-decay feature in the gamma-ray spectra of two SNRs, IC 443 and W44, with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. This detection provides direct evidence that cosmic-ray protons are accelerated in SNRs.

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Involved external institutions

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY DE Germany (DE) University of California, Berkeley US United States (USA) (US) Stanford University US United States (USA) (US) University of Pisa / Università di Pisa (UniPi) IT Italy (IT) University of Paris 7 - Denis Diderot / Université Paris VII Denis Diderot FR France (FR) National Institute for Nuclear Physics / Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) IT Italy (IT) Rice University US United States (USA) (US) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) US United States (USA) (US) University of Bari Aldo Moro / Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro IT Italy (IT) École Polytechnique - Université Paris-Saclay FR France (FR) Institut de Ciències de l'Espai (ICE) ES Spain (ES) National Institute for Astrophysics / Istituto Nazionale Astrofisica (INAF) IT Italy (IT) George Mason University US United States (USA) (US) U.S. Naval Research Laboratory US United States (USA) (US) University of Padua / Universita degli Studi di Padova IT Italy (IT) Università degli Studi di Perugia IT Italy (IT) University of Montpellier / Université Montpellier FR France (FR) Sonoma State University US United States (USA) (US) Stockholm University / Stockholms universitet SE Sweden (SE) Italian Space Agency / Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) IT Italy (IT) University of Udine / Università degli Studi di Udine IT Italy (IT) Hiroshima University / 広島大学 JP Japan (JP) Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (MPIK) / Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics DE Germany (DE) Ohio State University US United States (USA) (US) AlbaNova University Centre / Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan AlbaNova Universitetscentrum SE Sweden (SE) University of Iceland (UI) / Háskóli Íslands IS Iceland (IS) Waseda University / 早稲田大学 JP Japan (JP) National Center for Scientific Research / Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) FR France (FR) Université Bordeaux 1, Sciences et Technologies FR France (FR) University College London (UCL) GB United Kingdom (GB) University of Maryland US United States (USA) (US) NYCB Real-Time Computing, Inc. US United States (USA) (US) Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE) / Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics DE Germany (DE) Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) JP Japan (JP) Willamette University US United States (USA) (US) University of Denver US United States (USA) (US) University of California Santa Cruz US United States (USA) (US) Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg DE Germany (DE) Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck / University of Innsbruck AT Austria (AT) Aoyama-Gakuin-University / 青山学院大学 JP Japan (JP)

How to cite

APA:

Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Allafort, A., Baldini, L., Ballet, J., Barbiellini, G.,... Zimmer, S. (2013). Detection of the Characteristic Pion-Decay Signature in Supernova Remnants. Science, 339(6121), 807-811. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1231160

MLA:

Ackermann, Markus, et al. "Detection of the Characteristic Pion-Decay Signature in Supernova Remnants." Science 339.6121 (2013): 807-811.

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