A new SNR with TeV shell-type morphology: HESS J1731-347
Abstract
The recent discovery of the radio shell-type supernova remnant (SNR), G353.6-0.7, in spatial coincidence with the unidentified TeV source HESS J1731-347 has motivated further observations of the source with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) Cherenkov telescope array to test a possible association of the gamma-ray emission with the SNR. With a total of 59 hours of observation, representing about four times the initial exposure available in the discovery paper of HESS J1731-347, the gamma-ray morphology is investigated and compared with the radio morphology. An estimate of the distance is derived by comparing the interstellar absorption derived from X-rays and the one obtained from 12CO and HI observations. The deeper gamma-ray observation of the source has revealed a large shell-type structure with similar position and extension (r~0.25{\deg}) as the radio SNR, thus confirming their association. By accounting for the H.E.S.S. angular resolution and projection effects within a simple shell model, the radial profile is compatible with a thin, spatially unresolved, rim. Together with RX J1713.7-3946, RX J0852.0-4622 and SN 1006, HESS J1731-347 is now the fourth SNR with a significant shell morphology at TeV energies. The derived lower limit on the distance of the SNR of 3.2 kpc is used together with radio and X-ray data to discuss the possible origin of the gamma-ray emission, either via inverse Compton scattering of electrons or the decay of neutral pions resulting from proton-proton interaction.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1105.3206,
title = {A new SNR with TeV shell-type morphology: HESS J1731-347},
author = {HESS Collaboration and A. Abramowski and F. Acero and F. Aharonian and A. G. Akhperjanian and G. Anton and A. Balzer and A. Barnacka and U. Barres de Almeida and A. R. Bazer-Bachi and Y. Becherini and J. Becker and B. Behera and K. Bernlöhr and A. Bochow and C. Boisson and J. Bolmont and P. Bordas and V. Borrel and J. Brucker and F. Brun and P. Brun and T. Bulik and I. Büsching and S. Carrigan and S. Casanova and M. Cerruti and P. M. Chadwick and A. Charbonnier and R. C. G. Chaves and A. Cheesebrough and L. -M. Chounet and A. C. Clapson and G. Coignet and J. Conrad and M. Dalton and M. K. Daniel and I. D. Davids and B. Degrange and C. Deil and H. J. Dickinson and A. Djannati-Ataï and W. Domainko and L. O'C. Drury and F. Dubois and G. Dubus and J. Dyks and M. Dyrda and K. Egberts and P. Eger and P. Espigat and L. Fallon and C. Farnier and S. Fegan and F. Feinstein and M. V. Fernandes and A. Fiasson and G. Fontaine and A. Förster and M. Füßling and Y. A. Gallant and H. Gast and L. Gérard and D. Gerbig and B. Giebels and J. F. Glicenstein and B. Glück and P. Goret and D. Göring and S. Häffner and J. D. Hague and D. Hampf and M. Hauser and S. Heinz and G. Heinzelmann and G. Henri and G. Hermann and J. A. Hinton and A. Hoffmann and W. Hofmann and P. Hofverberg and M. Holler and D. Horns and A. Jacholkowska and O. C. de Jager and C. Jahn and M. Jamrozy and I. Jung and M. A. Kastendieck and K. Katarzynski and U. Katz and S. Kaufmann and D. Keogh and D. Khangulyan and B. Khélifi and D. Klochkov and W. Kluzniak and T. Kneiske and Nu. Komin and K. Kosack and R. Kossakowski and H. Laffon and G. Lamanna and D. Lennarz and T. Löhse and A. Lopatin and C. -C. Lu and V. Marandon and A. Marcowith and J. Masbou and D. Maurin and N. Maxted and T. J. L. McComb and M. C. Medina and J. Méhault and R. Moderski and E. Moulin and C. L. Naumann and M. Naumann-Godo and M. de Naurois and D. Nedbal and D. Nekrassov and N. Nguyen and B. Nicholas and J. Niemiec and S. J. Nolan and S. Ohm and J-P. Olive and E. de Oña Wilhelmi and B. Opitz and M. Ostrowski and M. Panter and M. Paz Arribas and G. Pedaletti and G. Pelletier and P. -O. Petrucci and S. Pita and G. Pühlhofer and M. Punch and A. Quirrenbach and M. Raue and S. M. Rayner and A. Reimer and O. Reimer and M. Renaud and R. de los Reyes and F. Rieger and J. Ripken and L. Rob and S. Rosier-Lees and G. Rowell and B. Rudak and C. B. Rulten and J. Ruppel and F. Ryde and V. Sahakian and A. Santangelo and R. Schlickeiser and F. M. Schöck and A. Schulz and U. Schwanke and S. Schwarzburg and S. Schwemmer and M. Sikora and J. L. Skilton and H. Sol and G. Spengle and L. Stawarz and R. Steenkamp and C. Stegmann and F. Stinzing and K. Stycz and I. Sushch and A. Szostek and J. -P. Tavernet and R. Terrier and O. Tibolla3 and M. Tluczykont and K. Valerius and C. van Eldik and G. Vasileiadis and C. Venter and J. P. Vialle and A. Viana and P. Vincent and M. Vivier and H. J. Völk and F. Volpe and S. Vorobiov and M. Vorster and S. J. Wagner and M. Ward and A. Wierzcholska and M. Zacharias and A. Zajczyk and A. A. Zdziarski and A. Zech and H. -S. Zechlin},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1105.3206},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
10 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&A