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.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

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