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Measuring the Broad-Band X-Ray Spectrum from 400eV to 40keV in the Southwest Part of the Supernova Remnant RXJ1713.7 $-$ 3946
We report on results from Suzaku broadband X-ray observations of the southwest part of the galactic supernova remnant (SNR) RXJ1713.7 $-$ 3946 with an energy coverage of 0.4-40keV. The X-ray spectrum, presumably of synchrotron origin, is known to be completely lineless, making this SNR ideally suite...
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Published in: | Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan 2008-02, Vol.60 (sp1), p.S131-S140 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | We report on results from Suzaku broadband X-ray observations of the southwest part of the galactic supernova remnant (SNR) RXJ1713.7
$-$
3946 with an energy coverage of 0.4-40keV. The X-ray spectrum, presumably of synchrotron origin, is known to be completely lineless, making this SNR ideally suited for a detailed study of the X-ray spectral shape formed through efficient particle acceleration at high-speed shocks. With a sensitive hard X-ray measurement from the HXD PIN aboard Suzaku, we determined the hard X-ray spectrum in the 12-40keV range to be described by a power law with photon index of
$\Gamma =$
3.2
$\pm$
0.2, significantly steeper than the soft X-ray index of
$\Gamma =$
2.4
$\pm$
0.05 measured previously with ASCA and other missions. We find that a simple power law fails to describe the full spectral range of 0.4-40keV, and instead a power-law with an exponential cutoff with a hard index of
$\Gamma =$
1.50
$\pm$
0.09 and a high-energy cutoff of
$\epsilon_{\rm c} =$
1.2
$\pm$
0.3keV formally provides an excellent fit over the full bandpass. If we use the so-called SRCUT model, as an alternative model, it gives a best-fit rolloff energy of
$\epsilon_{\rm roll}$
$=$
0.95
$\pm$
0.04keV. Together with the TeV
$\gamma$
-ray spectrum, ranging from 0.3 to 100TeV, recently obtained by HESS observations, our Suzaku observations of RXJ1713.7
$-$
3946 provide stringent constraints on the highest-energy particles accelerated in a supernova shock. |
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ISSN: | 0004-6264 2053-051X |
DOI: | 10.1093/pasj/60.sp1.S131 |