Gamma-Ray Observations of Supernova Remnants

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Despite the growing evidence for shock acceleration of electrons in supernova remnants (SNR), there is still no direct evidence pointing unambiguously to SNR as sources of cosmic-ray nuclei. Observations of nonthermal synchrotron emission in the limbs of a number of shell-type SNR (SN1006, Tycho, Cas A, IC443, RCW86, and Kepler) provide convincing evidence for acceleration of electrons to energies greater than 10 TeV (Allen 1999). The CANGAROO group has now reported significant VHE gamma-ray emission from SN1006 (Tanimori et al. 1998) and RXJ1713-3946, and the HEGRA group has reported preliminary evidence for TeV emission from Cas A (Pülhofer et al. 1999); all of these measurements are consistent with the expected level of inverse-Compton emission in these objects. Following the predictions of an observable π^0-decay signal from nearby SNRs (e.g., Drury, Aharonian and Volk 1994) the discovery of >100 MeV emission from the direction of a number of SNR by the EGRET experiment (Esposito et al. 1996) and possible evidence for a π^0 component (Gaisser, Protheroe and Stanev 1996) led to some initial optimism that evidence for a SNR origin of cosmic-ray nuclei had been obtained. However, 200 GeV to 100 TeV measurements revealed no significant emission implying either a significantly steeper source spectrum than the canonical ~ E-2.1, a spectral cutoff below the knee energy in these sources, or that a re-interpretation of the EGRET results was required. I will discuss these results, as well as the considerable promise of future gamma-ray experiments to determine the sources of galactic cosmic-ray nuclei and to provide quantitative information about the acceleration mechanisms.

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