We present an analysis of the gamma-ray data obtained with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in the direction of SNR W49B (G43.3-0.2). A bright unresolved gamma-ray source detected at a significance of 38σ is found to coincide with SNR W49B. The energy spectrum in the 0.2-200 GeV range gradually steepens toward high energies. The luminosity is estimated to be 1.5 × 10<SUP>36</SUP> (D/8 kpc)<SUP>2</SUP> erg s<SUP>-1</SUP> in this energy range. There is no indication that the gamma-ray emission comes from a pulsar. Assuming that the supernova remnant (SNR) shell is the site of gamma-ray production, the observed spectrum can be explained either by the decay of neutral π mesons produced through the proton-proton collisions or by electron bremsstrahlung. The calculated energy density of relativistic particles responsible for the LAT flux is estimated to be remarkably large, U <SUB> e,p </SUB>>10<SUP>4</SUP> eV cm<SUP>-3</SUP>, for either gamma-ray production mechanism.
Fermi-LAT Study of Gamma-ray Emission in the Direction of Supernova Remnant W49B
BONAMENTE, EMANUELE;CECCHI, Claudia;TOSTI, Gino;
2010
Abstract
We present an analysis of the gamma-ray data obtained with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in the direction of SNR W49B (G43.3-0.2). A bright unresolved gamma-ray source detected at a significance of 38σ is found to coincide with SNR W49B. The energy spectrum in the 0.2-200 GeV range gradually steepens toward high energies. The luminosity is estimated to be 1.5 × 1036 (D/8 kpc)2 erg s-1 in this energy range. There is no indication that the gamma-ray emission comes from a pulsar. Assuming that the supernova remnant (SNR) shell is the site of gamma-ray production, the observed spectrum can be explained either by the decay of neutral π mesons produced through the proton-proton collisions or by electron bremsstrahlung. The calculated energy density of relativistic particles responsible for the LAT flux is estimated to be remarkably large, U e,p >104 eV cm-3, for either gamma-ray production mechanism.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
