Conveners
Gamma ray astronomy II
- Christo Venter (North-West University Potchefstroom Campus)
Gamma ray astronomy II
- Markus Boettcher
Gamma ray astronomy II
- Werner Hofmann (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (DE))
High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.)$^1$ is a very high energy gamma-ray observatory located in the Khomas Highlands in Namibia. It operates a hybrid set of five imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, with its one 28 m instrument being the largest in the World. For almost 20 years, since its beginning H.E.S.S. delivers high quality scientific results revolutionizing our understanding...
MAGIC is an array of two 17-m diameter Cherenkov telescopes observing gamma rays in the very-high-energy (VHE; above a few tens of GeV) range. MAGIC is in operation since 2003, leading a successful observational program covering a broad range of scientific topics. Observations of gamma-ray emission from Galactic or extragalactic sources allow us to probe the conditions of acceleration of...
Detection of 1.1 PeV photons from the Crab poses challenges to even classical electrodynamic theory and pure magnetohydrodynamics. Or, an accelerator that boosts protons to at highest energy of 30 PeV may be at the center of the nebula? LHAASO has found the most fascinating object, which was recorded as the first recognized supernova by Chinese in Song dynasty, so attractive that it may hint...
Massive stars with powerful winds represent alternatives to supernova remnants as major contributors to CRs. Currently, based on the spectral and morphological studies of GeV and TeV gamma-rays, the evidence is mounting that young massive stellar clusters are indeed the highest energy CR factories. The colliding stellar winds and SN explosions can drive superbubbles filled by highly turbulent...
The Galaxy hosts sources of cosmic rays up to PeV energies, so called PeVatrons. Gamma-rays at the highest energies turn out to be the most effective tracer of the highest energies cosmic rays in the Galaxy. I will here review current searches for the sources of the highest energy cosmic rays. I will also present prospectives for future gamma-ray observatories.
Although supernova remnants remain the main suspects as sources of Galactic cosmic rays up to the knee, the supernova paradigm still has many loose ends. The weakest point in this construction is the possibility that individual supernova remnants can accelerate particles to the rigidity of the knee, ~ 106 GV. This scenario heavily relies upon the possibility to excite current driven...
There are about 300 supernova remnants (SNRs) observed in our Galaxy. They evolve in interstellar medium which is not uniform. SNRs may be classified into a few morphological classes, based on their surface brightness morphologies in different photon energy ranges: shell-like (both in radio and X-rays), centrally-filled (as in radio as in X-rays), thermal X-ray composites (TXCs). The last...
