Fermi Large Area Telescope Detection of Supernova Remnant RCW 86

Mar 19, 2014
5 pages
Published in:
  • Astrophys.J.Lett. 785 (2014) L22
  • Published: Apr 1, 2014
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Abstract: (IOP)
Using 5.4 yr Fermi Large Area Telescope data, we report the detection of GeV γ-ray emission from the shell-type supernova remnant RCW 86 (G315.4-2.3) with a significance of ~5.1σ. The data slightly favors an extended emission of this supernova remnant. The spectral index of RCW 86 is found to be very hard, Γ ~ 1.4, in the 0.4-300 GeV range. A one-zone leptonic model can well fit the multi-wavelength data from radio to very high energy γ-rays. The very hard GeV γ-ray spectrum and the inferred low gas density seem to disfavor a hadronic origin for the γ-rays. The γ-ray behavior of RCW 86 is very similar to several other TeV shell-type supernova remnants, e.g., RX J1713.7-3946, RX J0852.0-4622, SN 1006, and HESS J1731-347.
Note:
  • 5 pages, 3 figures and 2 tables. Match the published version in ApJL
  • radiation mechanisms: non-thermal
  • ISM: supernova remnants
  • gamma rays: ISM
  • cosmic rays
  • gamma ray: emission
  • gamma ray: VHE
  • model: leptonic
  • gas: density
  • supernova
  • GLAST