The supernova paradigm for the origin of galactic cosmic rays can be tested using multifrequency observations of both non-thermal and thermal emission from supernova remnants. The smoking gun of hadronic acceleration in these sources can, however, only be provided by the detection of a high energy neutrino signal. Here we apply the theory of non-linear particle acceleration at supernova shocks to the case of the supernova remnant RX J1713.7-3946, which is becoming the stereotypical example of a possible hadronic accelerator after the detection of high energy gamma rays by the HESS telescope. Our aim is twofold: on one hand we want to address the uncertainties in the discrimination between a hadronic and a leptonic interpretation of the gamma ray emission, mainly related to the possibility of a statistical uncertainty in the energy determination of the gamma ray photons in the TeV region. On the other we want to stress how a km(3) neutrino telescope would break the degeneracy and provide evidence for efficient cosmic ray acceleration in RX J1713.7-3946. A 3 sigma evidence would require about two years of observation. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Gamma rays and neutrinos from SNR RX J1713.7-3946
Blasi P;
2009-01-01
Abstract
The supernova paradigm for the origin of galactic cosmic rays can be tested using multifrequency observations of both non-thermal and thermal emission from supernova remnants. The smoking gun of hadronic acceleration in these sources can, however, only be provided by the detection of a high energy neutrino signal. Here we apply the theory of non-linear particle acceleration at supernova shocks to the case of the supernova remnant RX J1713.7-3946, which is becoming the stereotypical example of a possible hadronic accelerator after the detection of high energy gamma rays by the HESS telescope. Our aim is twofold: on one hand we want to address the uncertainties in the discrimination between a hadronic and a leptonic interpretation of the gamma ray emission, mainly related to the possibility of a statistical uncertainty in the energy determination of the gamma ray photons in the TeV region. On the other we want to stress how a km(3) neutrino telescope would break the degeneracy and provide evidence for efficient cosmic ray acceleration in RX J1713.7-3946. A 3 sigma evidence would require about two years of observation. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
