Evidence for gamma-ray emission from the remnant of Kepler's supernova based on deep H.E.S.S. observations

TL;DR

Deep H.E.S.S. observations provide the first statistical evidence of very-high-energy gamma-ray emission from Kepler's supernova remnant, linking it to GeV emissions and similar to Tycho's remnant, revealing insights into young supernova remnants.

Contribution

This study presents the first evidence of VHE gamma-ray emission from Kepler's supernova remnant, expanding understanding of gamma-ray sources in young supernova remnants.

Findings

4.6 sigma detection significance

Integral flux ~0.3% of Crab Nebula

Spectral energy distribution links VHE and GeV emissions

Abstract

Observations with imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) have enhanced our knowledge of nearby supernova (SN) remnants with ages younger than 500 years by establishing Cassiopeia A and the remnant of Tycho's SN as very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray sources. The remnant of Kepler's SN, which is the product of the most recent naked-eye supernova in our Galaxy, is comparable in age to the other two, but is significantly more distant. If the gamma-ray luminosities of the remnants of Tycho's and Kepler's SNe are similar, then the latter is expected to be one of the faintest gamma-ray sources within reach of the current generation IACT arrays. Here we report evidence at a statistical level of 4.6 sigma for a VHE signal from the remnant of Kepler's SN based on deep observations by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) with an exposure of 152 hours. The measured integral flux above an energy of 226 GeV is ~0.3% of the flux of the Crab Nebula. The spectral energy distribution (SED) reveals a gamma-ray emitting component connecting the VHE emission observed with H.E.S.S. to the emission observed at GeV energies with Fermi-LAT. The overall SED is similar to that of the remnant of Tycho's SN, possibly indicating the same non-thermal emission processes acting in both these young remnants of thermonuclear SNe.