Fermi Large Area Telescope detection of gamma-ray emission from the direction of supernova iPTF14hls

TL;DR

This paper reports the potential first detection of high-energy gamma-ray emission from a supernova, which could imply rapid particle acceleration in supernova remnants, based on Fermi LAT observations of supernova iPTF14hls.

Contribution

It presents the possible first observation of gamma-ray emission from a supernova, indicating very fast particle acceleration, if confirmed.

Findings

Detection of a variable gamma-ray source near supernova iPTF14hls

Potential association with a blazar candidate SDSS J092054.04+504251.5

Implication of rapid particle acceleration in supernovae

Abstract

The remnant of supernova explosion is widely believed to be the acceleration site of high-energy cosmic ray particles. The acceleration timescale is, however, typically very long. Here we report the detection of a variable $\gamma$-ray source with the Fermi Large Area Telescope, which is positionally and temporally consistent with a peculiar supernova, iPTF14hls. A quasi-stellar object SDSS J092054.04+504251.5, which is probably a blazar according to the infrared data, is found in the error circle of the $\gamma$-ray source. More data about the $\gamma$-ray source and SDSS J092054.04+504251.5 are needed to confirm their association. On the other hand, if the association between the $\gamma$-ray source and the supernova is confirmed, this would be the first time to detect high-energy $\gamma$-ray emission from a supernova, suggesting very fast particle acceleration by supernova explosions.