Secondary-electron radiation accompanying hadronic GeV-TeV gamma-rays from supernova remnants

TL;DR

This paper presents a method to derive secondary electron and positron spectra from gamma-ray observations of supernova remnants, predicting distinctive synchrotron signatures that can confirm hadronic cosmic ray acceleration.

Contribution

The authors develop a direct method linking gamma-ray flux to secondary electron spectra, applied to SNRs to distinguish hadronic from leptonic gamma-ray origins.

Findings

In young SNR RX J1713.7-3946, SEP synchrotron may produce detectable spectral features.

In middle-aged SNRs IC443 and W44, SEP radiation can explain observed radio emissions.

Future multi-wavelength observations can help determine gamma-ray origins in SNRs.

Abstract

The synchrotron radiation from secondary electrons and positrons (SEPs) generated by hadronic interactions in the shock of supernova remnant (SNR) could be a distinct evidence of cosmic ray (CR) production in SNR shocks. Here we provide a method where the observed gamma-ray flux from SNRs, created by pion decays, is directly used to derive the SEP distribution and hence the synchrotron spectrum. We apply the method to three gamma-ray bright SNRs. In the young SNR RX J1713.7-3946, if the observed GeV-TeV gamma-rays are of hadronic origin and the magnetic field in the SNR shock is $B\gtrsim 0.5$mG, the SEPs may produce a spectral bump at $10^{-5}-10^{-2}$eV, exceeding the predicted synchrotron component of the leptonic model, and a soft spectral tail at $\gtrsim 100$keV, distinct from the hard spectral slope in the leptonic model. In the middle-aged SNRs IC443 and W44, if the observed gamma-rays are of hadronic origin, the SEP synchrotron radiation with $B\sim 400 - 500 \mu$G can well account for the observed radio flux and spectral slopes, supporting the hadronic origin of gamma-rays. Future microwave to far-infrared and hard X-ray (>100keV) observations are encouraged to constraining the SEP radiation and the gamma-ray origin in SNRs.