Evidence for particle acceleration approaching PeV energies in the W51 complex

dc.contributor.authorCao Z.
dc.contributor.authorAharonian F.
dc.contributor.authorAxikegu
dc.contributor.authorBai Y.X.
dc.contributor.authorBao Y.W.
dc.contributor.authorBastieri D.
dc.contributor.authorBi X.J.
dc.contributor.authorBi Y.J.
dc.contributor.authorBian W.
dc.contributor.authorBukevich A.V.
dc.contributor.authorCao Q.
dc.contributor.authorCao W.Y.
dc.contributor.authorCao Z.
dc.contributor.authorChang J.
dc.contributor.authorChang J.F.
dc.contributor.authorChen A.M.
dc.contributor.authorChen E.S.
dc.contributor.authorChen H.X.
dc.contributor.authorChen L.
dc.contributor.authorChen L.
dc.contributor.authorChen L.
dc.contributor.authorChen M.J.
dc.contributor.authorChen M.L.
dc.contributor.authorChen Q.H.
dc.contributor.authorChen S.
dc.contributor.authorChen S.H.
dc.contributor.authorChen S.Z.
dc.contributor.authorChen T.L.
dc.contributor.authorChen Y.
dc.contributor.authorCheng N.
dc.contributor.authorCheng Y.D.
dc.contributor.authorCui M.Y.
dc.contributor.authorCui S.W.
dc.contributor.authorCui X.H.
dc.contributor.authorCui Y.D.
dc.contributor.authorDai B.Z.
dc.contributor.authorDai H.L.
dc.contributor.authorDai Z.G.
dc.contributor.authorDanzengluobu
dc.contributor.authorDong X.Q.
dc.contributor.authorDuan K.K.
dc.contributor.authorFan J.H.
dc.contributor.authorFan Y.Z.
dc.contributor.authorFang J.
dc.contributor.authorFang J.H.
dc.contributor.authorFang K.
dc.contributor.authorFeng C.F.
dc.contributor.authorFeng H.
dc.contributor.authorFeng L.
dc.contributor.authorFeng S.H.
dc.contributor.authorFeng X.T.
dc.contributor.authorFeng Y.
dc.contributor.authorFeng Y.L.
dc.contributor.authorGabici S.
dc.contributor.authorGao B.
dc.contributor.authorGao C.D.
dc.contributor.authorGao Q.
dc.contributor.authorGao W.
dc.contributor.authorGao W.K.
dc.contributor.authorGe M.M.
dc.contributor.authorGeng L.S.
dc.contributor.authorGiacinti G.
dc.contributor.authorGong G.H.
dc.contributor.authorGou Q.B.
dc.contributor.authorGu M.H.
dc.contributor.authorGuo F.L.
dc.contributor.authorGuo X.L.
dc.contributor.authorGuo Y.Q.
dc.contributor.authorGuo Y.Y.
dc.contributor.authorHan Y.A.
dc.contributor.authorHasan M.
dc.contributor.authorHe H.H.
dc.contributor.authorHe H.N.
dc.contributor.authorHe J.Y.
dc.contributor.authorHe Y.
dc.contributor.authorHor Y.K.
dc.contributor.authorHou B.W.
dc.contributor.authorHou C.
dc.contributor.authorHou X.
dc.contributor.authorHu H.B.
dc.contributor.authorHu Q.
dc.contributor.authorHu S.C.
dc.contributor.authorHuang D.H.
dc.contributor.authorHuang T.Q.
dc.contributor.authorHuang W.J.
dc.contributor.authorHuang X.T.
dc.contributor.authorHuang X.Y.
dc.contributor.authorHuang Y.
dc.contributor.authorJi X.L.
dc.contributor.authorJia H.Y.
dc.contributor.authorJia K.
dc.contributor.authorJiang K.
dc.contributor.authorJiang X.W.
dc.contributor.authorJiang Z.J.
dc.contributor.authorJin M.
dc.contributor.authorKang M.M.
dc.contributor.authorKarpikov I.
dc.contributor.authorKuleshov D.
dc.contributor.authorKurinov K.
dc.contributor.authorLi B.B.
dc.contributor.correspondenceCao Z.
dc.contributor.otherMahidol University
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-31T18:39:07Z
dc.date.available2024-08-31T18:39:07Z
dc.date.issued2024-01-01
dc.description.abstractThe γ-ray emission from the W51 complex is widely acknowledged to be attributed to the interaction between the cosmic rays (CRs) accelerated by the shock of supernova remnant (SNR) W51C and the dense molecular clouds in the adjacent star-forming region, W51B. However, the maximum acceleration capability of W51C for CRs remains elusive. Based on observations conducted with the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), we report a significant detection of γ rays emanating from the W51 complex, with energies from 2 to 200 TeV. The LHAASO measurements, for the first time, extend the γ-ray emission from the W51 complex beyond 100 TeV and reveal a significant spectrum bending at tens of TeV. By combining the “π0-decay bump” featured data from Fermi-LAT, the broadband γ-ray spectrum of the W51 region can be well-characterized by a simple pp-collision model. The observed spectral bending feature suggests an exponential cutoff at ∼400 TeV or a power-law break at ∼200 TeV in the CR proton spectrum, most likely providing the first evidence of SNRs serving as CR accelerators approaching the PeV regime. Additionally, two young star clusters within W51B could also be theoretically viable to produce the most energetic γ rays observed by LHAASO. Our findings strongly support the presence of extreme CR accelerators within the W51 complex and provide new insights into the origin of Galactic CRs.
dc.identifier.citationScience Bulletin (2024)
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.scib.2024.07.017
dc.identifier.eissn20959281
dc.identifier.issn20959273
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-85201679997
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/100696
dc.rights.holderSCOPUS
dc.subjectMultidisciplinary
dc.titleEvidence for particle acceleration approaching PeV energies in the W51 complex
dc.typeArticle
mu.datasource.scopushttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85201679997&origin=inward
oaire.citation.titleScience Bulletin
oairecerif.author.affiliationZhejiang Lab
oairecerif.author.affiliationState Key Laboratory of Particle Detection & Electronics
oairecerif.author.affiliationUniversité Paris Cité
oairecerif.author.affiliationYunnan Observatories
oairecerif.author.affiliationNanjing University
oairecerif.author.affiliationShanghai Astronomical Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciences
oairecerif.author.affiliationInstitute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences
oairecerif.author.affiliationShandong University
oairecerif.author.affiliationYunnan University
oairecerif.author.affiliationInstitute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
oairecerif.author.affiliationUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences
oairecerif.author.affiliationGuangzhou University
oairecerif.author.affiliationTsinghua University
oairecerif.author.affiliationShanghai Jiao Tong University
oairecerif.author.affiliationSun Yat-Sen University
oairecerif.author.affiliationUniversity of Science and Technology of China
oairecerif.author.affiliationZhengzhou University
oairecerif.author.affiliationInstitiúid Ard-Lénn Bhaile Átha Cliath
oairecerif.author.affiliationSichuan University
oairecerif.author.affiliationNational Astronomical Observatories Chinese Academy of Sciences
oairecerif.author.affiliationMax-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
oairecerif.author.affiliationSouthwest Jiaotong University
oairecerif.author.affiliationChina Center of Advanced Science and Technology World Laboratory
oairecerif.author.affiliationPurple Mountain Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciences
oairecerif.author.affiliationHebei Normal University
oairecerif.author.affiliationTibet University
oairecerif.author.affiliationTIANFU Cosmic Ray Research Center

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