Theory of cosmic ray production in the supernova remnant RX J1713.7-3946

E. G. Berezhko; H. J. Völk

doi:doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20054595

Free access

Issue		A&A Volume 451, Number 3, June I 2006


Page(s)		981 - 990
Section		Interstellar and circumstellar matter
DOI		http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20054595

A&A 451, 981-990 (2006)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20054595

Theory of cosmic ray production in the supernova remnant RX J1713.7-3946

E. G. Berezhko¹ and H. J. Völk²

¹ Yu. G. Shafer Institute of Cosmophysical Research and Aeronomy, 31 Lenin Ave., 677980 Yakutsk, Russia
e-mail: berezhko@ikfia.ysn.ru
² Max Planck Institut für Kernphysik, Postfach 103980, 69029 Heidelberg, Germany
e-mail: Heinrich.Voelk@mpi-hd.mpg.de

(Received 26 November 2005 / Accepted 30 January 2006 )

Abstract
Aims.A nonlinear kinetic theory of cosmic ray (CR) acceleration in supernova remnants (SNRs) is employed to investigate the properties of SNR RX J1713.7-3946.
Methods.Observations of the nonthermal radio and X-ray emission spectra as well as the HESS measurements of the very high energy $\gamma$ -ray emission are used to constrain the astronomical and the particle acceleration parameters of the system.
Results.Under the assumptions that RX J1713.7-3946 was a core collapse supernova (SN) of type II/Ib with a massive progenitor, has an age of ${\approx} 1600$ yr and is at a distance of ${\approx} 1$ kpc, the theory gives indeed a consistent description for all the existing observational data. Specifically it is shown that an efficient production of nuclear CRs, leading to strong shock modification, and a large downstream magnetic field strength $B_{\mathrm{d}}\sim100$ $\mu$ G can reproduce in detail the observed synchrotron emission from radio to X-ray frequencies together with the $\gamma$ -ray spectral characteristics as observed by the HESS telescopes. Small-scale filamentary structures observed in nonthermal X-rays provide empirical confirmation for the field amplification scenario which leads to a strong depression of the inverse Compton and Bremsstrahlung fluxes. Going beyond that and using a semi-empirical relation for young SNRs between the resulting CR pressure and the amplified magnetic field energy upstream of the outer SN shock as well as a moderate upper bound for the mechanical explosion energy, it is possible to also demonstrate the actual need for a considerable shock modification in RX J1713.7-3946. It is consistent with RX J1713.7-3946 being an efficient source of nuclear cosmic rays.

Key words: cosmic rays -- acceleration of particles -- supernovae: individual: SNR RX J1713.7-3946 -- gamma rays: theory -- shock waves -- X-rays: stars

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