Ge Chong, Liu Ruo-Yu, Niu Shu, Chen Yang, Wang Xiang-Yu
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA.
School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
Innovation (Camb). 2021 May 5;2(2):100118. doi: 10.1016/j.xinn.2021.100118. eCollection 2021 May 28.
Supernova remnants (SNRs) have long been considered as one of the most promising sources of Galactic cosmic rays. In the SNR paradigm, petaelectronvolt (PeV) proton acceleration may only be feasible at the early evolution stage, lasting a few hundred years, when the SNR shock speed is high. While evidence supporting the acceleration of PeV protons in young SNRs has yet to be discovered, X-ray synchrotron emission is an important indicator of fast shock. Here, we report the first discovery of X-ray synchrotron emission from the possibly middle-aged SNR G106.3+2.7, implying that this SNR is still an energetic particle accelerator despite its age. This discovery, along with the ambient environmental information, multiwavelength observation, and theoretical arguments, supports SNR G106.3+2.7 as a likely powerful proton PeV accelerator.
超新星遗迹（SNRs）长期以来一直被认为是银河系宇宙射线最有希望的来源之一。在超新星遗迹范式中，只有在早期演化阶段，即持续数百年、超新星遗迹激波速度较高时，拍电子伏特（PeV）质子加速才可能可行。虽然尚未发现支持年轻超新星遗迹中PeV质子加速的证据，但X射线同步辐射是快速激波的重要指标。在此，我们首次报告了可能处于中年的超新星遗迹G106.3+2.7的X射线同步辐射，这意味着该超新星遗迹尽管已到中年，但仍是一个高能粒子加速器。这一发现，连同周围环境信息、多波长观测和理论论证，支持超新星遗迹G106.3+2.7是一个可能强大的质子PeV加速器。
