Neutrino emission of Fermi supernova remnants

The Fermi γ-ray space telescope reported the observation of several Galactic supernova remnants recently, with the γ-ray spectra well described by hadronic pp collisions. The possible neutrino emissions from these Fermi detected supernova remnants are discussed in this work, assuming the hadronic origin of the γ-ray emission. The muon event rates induced by the neutrinos from these supernova remnants on typical km³ neutrino telescopes, such as the IceCube and the KM3NeT, are calculated. The results show that for most of these supernova remnants the neutrino signals are too weak to be detected by the on-going or up-coming neutrino experiment. Only for the TeV bright sources RX J1713.7-3946 and possibly W28 the neutrino signals can be comparable with the atmospheric background in the TeV region, if the protons can be accelerated to very high energies. The northern hemisphere based neutrino telescope might detect the neutrinos from these two sources.     

Spectrum and anisotropy of cosmic rays at TeV–PeV-energies and contribution of nearby sources

The role of nearby galactic sources, the supernova remnants, in formation of observed energy spectrum and large-scale anisotropy of high-energy cosmic rays is studied. The list of these sources is made up based on radio, X-ray and gamma-ray catalogues. The distant sources are treated statistically as ensemble of sources with random positions and ages. The source spectra are defined based on the modern theory of cosmic ray acceleration in supernova remnants while the propagation of cosmic rays in the interstellar medium is described in the frameworks of galactic diffusion model. Calculations of dipole component of anisotropy are made to reproduce the experimental procedure of “two-dimensional” anisotropy measurements. The energy dependence of particle escape time in the process of acceleration in supernova remnants and the arm structure of sources defining the significant features of anisotropy are also taken into account. The essential new trait of the model is a decreasing number of core collapse SNRs being able to accelerate cosmic rays up to the given energy, that leads to steeper total cosmic ray source spectrum in comparison with the individual source spectrum. We explained simultaneously the new cosmic ray data on the fine structure of all particle spectrum around the knee and the amplitude and direction of the dipole component of anisotropy in the wide energy range 1 TeV–1 EeV. Suggested assumptions do not look exotic, and they confirm the modern understanding of cosmic ray origin.     

Galactic PeV neutrinos

The IceCube experiment has detected two neutrinos with energies between 1 and 10 PeV. They might have originated from Galactic or extragalactic sources of cosmic rays. In the present work we consider hadronic interactions of the diffuse very high energy cosmic rays with the interstellar matter within our Galaxy to explain the PeV neutrino events detected in IceCube. We also expect PeV gamma ray events along with the PeV neutrino events if the observed PeV neutrinos were produced within our Galaxy in hadronic interactions. PeV gamma rays are unlikely to reach us from sources outside our Galaxy due to pair production with cosmic background radiation fields. We suggest that in future with simultaneous detections of PeV gamma rays and neutrinos it would be possible to distinguish between Galactic and extragalactic origins of very high energy neutrinos.     

Detection potential of the KM3NeT detector for high-energy neutrinos from the Fermi bubbles

A recent analysis of the Fermi Large Area Telescope data provided evidence for a high-intensity emission of high-energy gamma rays with a E⁻² spectrum from two large areas, spanning 50° above and below the Galactic centre (the “Fermi bubbles”). A hadronic mechanism was proposed for this gamma-ray emission making the Fermi bubbles promising source candidates of high-energy neutrino emission. In this work Monte Carlo simulations regarding the detectability of high-energy neutrinos from the Fermi bubbles with the future multi-km³ neutrino telescope KM3NeT in the Mediterranean Sea are presented. Under the hypothesis that the gamma-ray emission is completely due to hadronic processes, the results indicate that neutrinos from the bubbles could be discovered in about one year of operation, for a neutrino spectrum with a cutoff at 100 TeV and a detector with about 6 km³ of instrumented volume. The effect of a possible lower cutoff is also considered.     

Pionic photons and neutrinos from cosmic ray accelerators

Identifying the accelerators that produce the Galactic and extragalactic cosmic rays has been a priority mission of several generations of high energy gamma ray and neutrino telescopes; success has been elusive so far. Detecting the gamma-ray and neutrino fluxes associated with cosmic rays reaches a new watershed with the completion of IceCube, the first neutrino detector with sensitivity to the anticipated fluxes, and the construction of CTA, a ground-based gamma ray detector that will map and study candidate sources with unprecedented precision. In this paper, we revisit the prospects for revealing the sources of the cosmic rays by a multiwavelength approach; after reviewing the methods, we discuss supernova remnants, gamma ray bursts, active galaxies and GZK neutrinos in some detail.     

High energy neutrinos from the TeV Blazar 1ES 1959 + 650

The AMANDA neutrino telescope has recently reported the detection of high-energy neutrinos spatially and temporally coincident with the flaring of the TeV blazar 1ES 1959 + 650. If high-energy neutrinos are in fact generated by this blazar, it would be the first strong evidence for the hadronic acceleration of cosmic rays. At present, the statistical significance of this observation cannot be reliably assessed, however. In this letter, we investigate whether circumstances exist where the source can produce the flux implied by the coincident events. We show that if the TeV gamma-ray emission observed from 1ES 1959 + 650 or other nearby TeV blazars is the result of accelerated protons interacting with nucleons, it is reasonable that AMANDA could detect several events during a flaring period. Such rates require that the spectral index of the source be rather high (for instance ∼2.8 for 1ES 1959 + 650) and that the Lorentz factor of the jet be fairly small (Γ ∼ 1).     

Evidence the Galactic contribution to the IceCube astrophysical neutrino flux

We show that the Galactic latitude distribution of IceCube astrophysical neutrino events with energies above 100 TeV is inconsistent with the isotropic model of the astrophysical neutrino flux. Namely, the Galactic latitude distribution of the events shows an excess at low latitudes |b| < 10° and a deficit at high Galactic latitude |b| ≳50°. We use Monte–Carlo simulations to show that the inconsistency of the isotropic signal model with the data is at ≳3σ level, after the account of trial factors related to the choice of the low-energy threshold and Galactic latitude binning in our analysis.     

Milagro observations of potential TeV emitters

This paper reports the results from three targeted searches of Milagro TeV sky maps: two extragalactic point source lists and one pulsar source list. The first extragalactic candidate list consists of 709 candidates selected from the Fermi-LAT 2FGL catalog. The second extragalactic candidate list contains 31 candidates selected from the TeVCat source catalog that have been detected by imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs). In both extragalactic candidate lists Mkn 421 was the only source detected by Milagro. This paper presents the Milagro TeV flux for Mkn 421 and flux limits for the brighter Fermi-LAT extragalactic sources and for all TeVCat candidates. The pulsar list extends a previously published Milagro targeted search for Galactic sources. With the 32 new gamma-ray pulsars identified in 2FGL, the number of pulsars that are studied by both Fermi-LAT and Milagro is increased to 52. In this sample, we find that the probability of Milagro detecting a TeV emission coincident with a pulsar increases with the GeV flux observed by the Fermi-LAT in the energy range from 0.1 GeV to 100 GeV.     

Particle acceleration in supernova-remnant shocks

It has been known for over 50 years that the radio emission from shell supernova remnants (SNRs) indicates the presence of electrons with energies in the GeV range emitting synchrotron radiation. The discovery of nonthermal X-ray emission from supernova remnants is now 30 years old, and its interpretation as the extension of the radio synchrotron spectrum requires electrons with energies of up to 100 TeV. SNRs are now detected at GeV and TeV photon energies as well. Strong suggestions of the presence of energetic ions exist, but conclusive evidence remains elusive. Several arguments suggest that magnetic fields in SNRs are amplified by orders of magnitude from their values in the ambient interstellar medium. Supernova remnants are thus an excellent laboratory in which to study processes taking place in very high Mach-number shocks. I review the observations of high-energy emission from SNRs, and the theoretical framework in which those observations are interpreted.     

Astrophysical interpretation of small-scale neutrino angular correlation searches with IceCube

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory has discovered a diffuse all-flavor flux of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos. However, the corresponding astrophysical sources have not yet been identified. Neither significant point sources nor significant angular correlations of event directions have been observed by IceCube or other instruments to date. We present a new method to interpret the non-observation of angular correlations in terms of exclusions on the strength and number of point-like neutrino sources in generic astrophysical scenarios. Additionally, we constrain the presence of these sources taking into account the measurement of the diffuse high-energy neutrino flux by IceCube. We apply the method to two types of astrophysically motivated source count distributions: The first type is obtained by considering the cosmological evolution of the co-moving density of active galaxies, while the second type is directly derived from the gamma ray source count distribution observed by Fermi-LAT. As a result, we constrain the possible parameter space for both types of source count distributions.     

Cosmic ray antiprotons from nearby cosmic accelerators

The antiproton flux measured by PAMELA experiment might have originated from Galactic sources of cosmic rays. These antiprotons are expected to be produced in the interactions of cosmic ray protons and nuclei with cold protons. Gamma rays are also produced in similar interactions inside some of the cosmic accelerators. We consider a few nearby supernova remnants observed by Fermi LAT. Many of them are associated with molecular clouds. Gamma rays have been detected from these sources which most likely originate in decay of neutral pions produced in hadronic interactions. The observed gamma ray fluxes from these SNRs are used to find out their contributions to the observed diffuse cosmic ray antiproton flux near the earth.     

Status of the Connection between Unidentified Egret Sources and Supernova Remnants: The Case of Cta 1

In this paper we briefly comment on the observational status of the possible physical association between unidentified EGRET sources and supernova remnants (SNRs) in our Galaxy. We draw upon recent results presented in the review by Torres et al. (2003), concerning molecular gas in the vicinity of all 19 SNRs found to be positionally coincident with EGRET sources at low Galactic latitudes. In addition, we present new results regarding the supernova remnant CTA 1. Our findings disfavor the possibility of a physical connection with the nearby (in projection) EGRET source. There remains possible, however, that the compact object produced in the supernova explosion be related with the observed γ-ray flux.     

Supernova remnants: The Crab Nebula,Cassiopeia A,and Tycho as sources of cosmic rays in our galaxy

We present the results of our observations of two types of Galactic supernova remnants with the ShALON mirror Cherenkov telescope: the plerion Crab Nebula and the shell-type supernova remnants Cassiopeia A and Tycho. The experimental data have confirmed the prediction of the theory about the hadronic generation mechanism of very high energy (0.8–100 TeV) gamma rays in Tycho’s supernova remnant. The data obtained suggest that the very high energy gamma-ray emission in the objects being discussed is different in origin.     

Diffusion of cosmic rays in a multiphase interstellar medium swept-up by a supernova remnant blast wave

Supernova remnants (SNRs) are one of the most energetic astrophysical events and are thought to be the dominant source of Galactic cosmic rays (CRs). A recent report on observations from the Fermi satellite has shown a signature of pion decay in the gamma-ray spectra of SNRs. This provides strong evidence that high-energy protons are accelerated in SNRs. The actual gamma-ray emission from pion decay should depend on the diffusion of CRs in the interstellar medium. In order to quantitatively analyse the diffusion of high-energy CRs from acceleration sites, we have performed test particle numerical simulations of CR protons using a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulation of an interstellar medium swept-up by a blast wave. We analyse the diffusion of CRs at a length scale of order a few pc in our simulated SNR, and find the diffusion of CRs is precisely described by a Bohm diffusion, which is required for efficient acceleration at least for particles with energies above 30 TeV for a realistic interstellar medium. Although we find the possibility of a superdiffusive process (travel distance ∝ t^0.75) in our simulations, its effect on CR diffusion at the length scale of the turbulence in the SNR is limited.     

宇宙线的超新星遗迹起源

宇宙线的起源是高能天体物理的核心问题之一.一直以来,超新星爆发被认为是能谱膝区以下宇宙线的主要来源.多波段观测表明,超新星遗迹有能力加速带电粒子至亚PeV (10~(15)eV)能量.扩散激波加速被认为是最有效的天体高能粒子加速机制之一,而超新星遗迹的大尺度激波正好为这一机制提供平台.近年来,一系列较高精度的地面和空间实验极大地推动了对宇宙线以及超新星遗迹的研究.新的观测事实挑战着传统的扩散激波加速模型以及其在银河系宇宙线超新星遗迹起源学说上的应用,深化了人们对宇宙高能现象的认识.结合超新星遗迹辐射能谱的时间演化特性,构建的时间依赖的超新星遗迹粒子加速模型,不仅能够解释200 GV附近宇宙线的能谱反常,还自然地形成能谱膝区,甚至可以将超新星遗迹粒子加速对宇宙线能谱的贡献延伸至踝区.该模型预期超新星遗迹中粒子的输运行为表现为湍流扩散,这需要未来的观测以及与粒子输运相关的等离子体数值模拟工作来进一步验证.     

Production of neutrons, neutrinos and gamma-rays by a very fast pulsar in the Galactic Centre region

We consider the possibility that the excess of cosmic rays near ∼10¹⁸ eV, reported by the AGASA and SUGAR groups from the direction of the Galactic Centre, is caused by a young, very fast pulsar in the high-density medium. The pulsar accelerates iron nuclei to energies ∼10²⁰ eV, as postulated by the Galactic models for the origin of the highest-energy cosmic rays. The iron nuclei, about 1 yr after pulsar formation, leave the supernova envelope without energy losses and diffuse through the dense central region of the Galaxy. Some of them collide with the background matter creating neutrons (from disintegration of Fe), neutrinos and gamma-rays (in inelastic collisions). We suggest that neutrons produced at a specific time after the pulsar formation are responsible for the observed excess of cosmic rays at ∼10¹⁸ eV. From normalization of the calculated neutron flux to the one observed in the cosmic ray excess, we predict the neutrino and gamma-ray fluxes. It has been found that the 1 km² neutrino detector of the IceCube type should detect from a few up to several events per year from the Galactic Centre, depending on the parameters of the considered model. Moreover, future systems of Cherenkov telescopes (CANGAROO III, HESS, VERITAS) should be able to observe  1–10 TeV  gamma-rays from the Galactic Centre if the pulsar was created inside a huge molecular cloud about  3–10×10³ yr  ago.     

Statistics of Galactic Supernova Remnants

We collected the basic parameters of 231 supernova remnants (SNRs) in our Galaxy, namely, distances (d) from the Sun, linear diameters (D), Galactic heights (Z), estimated ages (t), luminosities (L), surface brightness (∑) and flux densities (S1) at 1-GHz frequency and spectral indices (α). We tried to find possible correlations between these parameters. As expected, the linear diameters were found to increase with ages for the shell-type remnants, and also to have a tendency to increase with the Galactic heights. Both the surface brightness and luminosity of SNRs at 1-GHz tend to decrease with the linear diameter and with age. No other relations between the parameters were found.     

Gamma-ray emitting supernova remnants as the origin of Galactic cosmic rays?

The origin of cosmic rays is one of the long-standing mysteries in physics and astrophysics. Simple arguments suggest that a scenario of supernova remnants (SNRs) in the Milky Way as the dominant sources for the cosmic ray population below the knee could work: a generic calculation indicates that these objects can provide the energy budget necessary to explain the observed flux of cosmic rays. However, this argument is based on the assumption that all sources behave in the same way, i.e. they all have the same energy budget, spectral behavior and maximum energy. In this paper, we investigate if a realistic population of SNRs is capable of producing the cosmic ray flux as it is observed below the knee. We use 21 SNRs that are well-studied from radio wavelengths up to gamma-ray energies and derive cosmic ray spectra under the assumption of hadronic emission. The cosmic ray spectra show a large variety in their energy budget, spectral behavior and maximum energy. These sources are assumed to be representative for the total class of SNRs, where we assume that about 100–200 cosmic ray emitting SNRs should be present today. Finally, we use these source spectra to simulate the cosmic ray transport from individual SNRs in the Galaxy with the GALPROP code for cosmic ray propagation. We find that the cosmic ray budget can be matched well for these sources. We conclude that gamma-ray emitting SNRs can be a representative sample of cosmic ray emitting sources. In the future, experiments like CTA and HAWC will help to distinguish hadronic from leptonic sources and to further constrain the maximum energy of the sources and contribute to producing a fully representative sample in order to further investigate the possibility of SNRs being the dominant sources of cosmic rays up to the knee.     

A search for compact decametric radio sources in supernova remnants using the interplanetary scintillation technique

Interplanetary scintillation observations of eleven supernova remnants and the pulsar J1939+2134, around which the existence of a supernova remnant remains obscure, were carried out with the largest in the world decameter radio telescope UTR-2 at 20, 25 and 30 MHz to determine if any of them contain compact radio sources with the angular size θ<5″. The sample included the young Galactic remnants and the other powerful SNRs. The interplanetary scintillations of the compact radio source in the Crab Nebula associated with the well-known pulsar J0534+2200 and the pulsar J1939+2134 were observed. Apart from the Crab Nebula, we have not detected a compact radio source in supernova remnants with the angular size θ<5″ and the flux density more than 10 Jy. The observations do not confirm the existence of the low frequency compact source in Cassiopeia A that has remained controversial.