Observations of supernova remnants and pulsar wind nebulae at gamma-ray energies

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent gamma-ray observations of supernova remnants and pulsar wind nebulae, discussing their roles in cosmic ray origins and the advancements enabled by Cherenkov telescopes and Fermi LAT.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of gamma-ray detections of SNRs and PWNe, highlighting their significance in understanding Galactic cosmic ray sources.

Findings

Increased number of gamma-ray detected SNRs across different types.

Evidence linking SNRs and PWNe to cosmic ray acceleration.

Insights into the gamma-ray emission mechanisms of SNRs and PWNe.

Abstract

In the past few years, gamma-ray astronomy has entered a golden age thanks to two major breakthroughs: Cherenkov telescopes on the ground and the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi satellite. The sample of supernova remnants (SNRs) detected at gamma-ray energies is now much larger: it goes from evolved supernova remnants interacting with molecular clouds up to young shell-type supernova remnants and historical supernova remnants. Studies of SNRs are of great interest, as these analyses are directly linked to the long standing issue of the origin of the Galactic cosmic rays. In this context, pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) need also to be considered since they evolve in conjunction with SNRs. As a result, they frequently complicate interpretation of the gamma-ray emission seen from SNRs and they could also contribute directly to the local cosmic ray spectrum, particularly the leptonic component. This paper reviews the current results and thinking on SNRs and PWNe and their connection to cosmic ray production.