Gamma Rays and Neutrinos from SNR RX J1713.7-3946

TL;DR

This paper investigates gamma rays and neutrinos from supernova remnant RX J1713.7-3946 to test the supernova origin of galactic cosmic rays, emphasizing how neutrino detection can confirm hadronic acceleration.

Contribution

It applies non-linear particle acceleration theory to RX J1713.7-3946 and discusses how neutrino telescopes can distinguish hadronic from leptonic gamma-ray origins.

Findings

Neutrino detection can confirm hadronic acceleration in RX J1713.7-3946.

A 3-sigma neutrino signal could be achieved in about two years.

Uncertainties in gamma-ray energy measurements affect interpretation.

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 cube 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.