HESS J1818–154, a new composite supernova remnant discovered in TeV gamma rays and X-rays

Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Akhperjanian, A.G.; Angüner, E.; Anton, G.; Balenderan, S.; Balzer, A.; Barnacka, A.; Becherini, Y.; Becker Tjus, J.; Bernlöhr, K.; Birsin, E.; Bissaldi, E.; Biteau, J.; Böttcher, M.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bordas, P.; Brucker, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bulik, T.; Carrigan, S.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chadwick, P.M.; Chalme-Calvet, R.; Chaves, R.C.G.; Cheesebrough, A.; Chrétien, M.; Colafrancesco, S.; Cologna, G.; Conrad, J.; Couturier, C.; Cui, Y.; Dalton, M.; Daniel, M.K.; Davids, I.D.; Degrange, B.; Deil, C.; deWilt, P.; Dickinson, H.J.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Drury, L.O'C.; Dubus, G.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Dyrda, M.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Espigat, P.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Feinstein, F.; Fernandes, M.V.; Fernandez, D.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Füßling, M.; Gajdus, M.; Gallant, Y.A.; Garrigoux, T.; Giavitto, G.; Giebels, B.; Glicenstein, J.F.; Grondin, M.-H.; Grudzińska, M.; Häffner, S.; Ha...

Abstract

Composite supernova remnants (SNRs) constitute a small subclass of the remnants of massive stellar explosions where non-thermal radiation is observed from both the expanding shell-like shock front and from a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) located inside of the SNR. These systems represent a unique evolutionary phase of SNRs where observations in the radio, X-ray, and γ-ray regimes allow the study of the co-evolution of both these energetic phenomena. In this article, we report results from observations of the shell-type SNR G 15.4+0.1 performed with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) and XMM-Newton. A compact TeV γ-ray source, HESS J1818−154, located in the center and contained within the shell of G 15.4+0.1 is detected by H.E.S.S. and featurs a spectrum best represented by a power-law model with a spectral index of −2.3 ± 0.3stat ± 0.2sys and an integral flux of F(> 0.42 TeV) = (0.9 ± 0.3stat ± 0.2sys) × 10-12 cm-2 s-1. Furthermore, a recent observation with XMM-Newton reveals extended X-ray emission strongly peaked in the center of G 15.4+0.1. The X-ray source shows indications of an energy-dependent morphology featuring a compact core at energies above 4 keV and more extended emission that fills the entire region within the SNR at lower energies. Together, the X-ray and VHE γ-ray emission provide strong evidence of a PWN located inside the shell of G 15.4+0.1 and this SNR can therefore be classified as a composite based on these observations. The radio, X-ray, and γ-ray emission from the PWN is compatible with a one-zone leptonic model that requires a low average magnetic field inside the emission region. An unambiguous counterpart to the putative pulsar, which is thought to power the PWN, has been detected neither in radio nor in X-ray observations of G 15.4+0.1.

Citation

Abramowski, A., Aharonian, F., Ait Benkhali, F., Akhperjanian, A., Angüner, E., Anton, G., …Zechlin, H. (2014). HESS J1818–154, a new composite supernova remnant discovered in TeV gamma rays and X-rays. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 562, Article A40. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201322914

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 9, 2013
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: May 29, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 15, 2014
• Journal: Astronomy and astrophysics.
• Print ISSN: 0004-6361
• Electronic ISSN: 1432-0746
• Publisher: EDP Sciences
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 562
• Article Number: A40
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201322914
• Keywords: X-rays: individuals: G15.4+0.1, Gamma rays: general, Methods: observational, Supernovae: individual: HESS J1818-154, X-rays: general.