Sensitivity of the Cherenkov Telescope Array to spectral signatures of hadronic PeVatrons with application to Galactic Supernova Remnants

0577866 - FZÚ 2024 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Acero, F. - Acharyya, A. - Adam, R. - Chudoba, Jiří - Janeček, Petr - Karas, Vladimír - Mandát, Dušan - Schovánek, Petr … Total 358 authors
Sensitivity of the Cherenkov Telescope Array to spectral signatures of hadronic PeVatrons with application to Galactic Supernova Remnants.
Astroparticle Physics. Roč. 150, Aug (2023), č. článku 102850. ISSN 0927-6505. E-ISSN 1873-2852
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) EF18_046/0016007; GA MŠMT EF16_013/0001403; GA MŠMT LTT17006
Research Infrastructure: CTA-CZ II - 90105; CTA-CZ III - 90247
Institutional support: RVO:68378271 ; RVO:67985815
Keywords : cosmic rays * Galactic PeVatrons * gamma rays * general * Stars) supernova * methods * data analysis * statistical
OECD category: Particles and field physics; Particles and field physics (ASU-R)
Impact factor: 3.5, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2023.102850

The local Cosmic Ray (CR) energy spectrum exhibits a spectral softening at energies around 3 PeV. Sources which are capable of accelerating hadrons to such energies are called hadronic PeVatrons. However, hadronic PeVatrons have not yet been firmly identified within the Galaxy. Several source classes, including Galactic Supernova Remnants (SNRs), have been proposed as PeVatron candidates. The potential to search for hadronic PeVatrons with the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is assessed. The focus is on the usage of very high energy y-ray spectral signatures for the identification of PeVatrons. Assuming that SNRs can accelerate CRs up to knee energies, the number of Galactic SNRs which can be identified as PeVatrons with CTA is estimated within a model for the evolution of SNRs. Additionally, the potential of a follow-up observation strategy under moonlight conditions for PeVatron searches is investigated.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0346963