arXiv · 2310.10100
An Ultrahigh-energy $\gamma$-ray Bubble Powered by a Super PeVatron
Abstract
We report the detection of a $\gamma$-ray bubble spanning at least 100$\rm deg^2$ in ultra high energy (UHE) up to a few PeV in the direction of the star-forming region Cygnus X, implying the presence Super PeVatron(s) accelerating protons to at least 10 PeV. A log-parabola form with the photon index $\Gamma (E) = (2.71 \pm 0.02) + (0.11 \pm 0.02) \times \log_{10} (E/10 \ {\rm TeV})$ is found fitting the gamma-ray energy spectrum of the bubble well. UHE sources, `hot spots' correlated with very massive molecular clouds, and a quasi-spherical amorphous $\gamma$-ray emitter with a sharp central brightening are observed in the bubble. In the core of $\sim 0.5^{\circ}$, spatially associating with a region containing massive OB association (Cygnus OB2) and a microquasar (Cygnus X-3), as well as previously reported multi-TeV sources, an enhanced concentration of UHE $\gamma$-rays are observed with 2 photons at energies above 1 PeV. The general feature of the bubble, the morphology and the energy spectrum, are reasonably reproduced by the assumption of a particle accelerator in the core, continuously injecting protons into the ambient medium.
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The LHAASO Collaboration, Z. Cao, F. Aharonian, Q. An, Axikegu, Y. X. Bai, Y. W. Bao, D. Bastieri, X. J. Bi, Y. J. Bi, J. T. Cai, Q. Cao, W. Y. Cao, Zhe Cao, J. Chang, J. F. Chang, A. M. Chen, E. S. Chen, Liang Chen, Lin Chen, Long Chen, M. J. Chen, M. L. Chen, Q. H. Chen, S. H. Chen, S. Z. Chen, T. L. Chen, Y. Chen, N. Cheng, Y. D. Cheng, M. Y. Cui, S. W. Cui, X. H. Cui, Y. D. Cui, B. Z. Dai, H. L. Dai, Z. G. Dai, Danzengluobu, D. della Volpe, X. Q. Dong, K. K. Duan, J. H. Fan, Y. Z. Fan, J. Fang, K. Fang, C. F. Feng, L. Feng, S. H. Feng, X. T. Feng, Y. L. Feng, S. Gabici, B. Gao, C. D. Gao, L. Q. Gao, Q. Gao, W. Gao, W. K. Gao, M. M. Ge, L. S. Geng, G. Giacinti, G. H. Gong, Q. B. Gou, M. H. Gu, F. L. Guo, X. L. Guo, Y. Q. Guo, Y. Y. Guo, Y. A. Han, H. H. He, H. N. He, J. Y. He, X. B. He, Y. He, M. Heller, Y. K. Hor, B. W. Hou, C. Hou, X. Hou, H. B. Hu, Q. Hu, S. C. Hu, D. H. Huang, T. Q. Huang, W. J. Huang, X. T. Huang, X. Y. Huang, Y. Huang, Z. C. Huang, X. L. Ji, H. Y. Jia, K. Jia, K. Jiang, . W. Jiang, Z. J. Jiang, M. Jin, M. M. Kang, T. Ke, D. Kuleshov, K. Kurinov, B. B. Li. 2023-10-16. An Ultrahigh-energy $\gamma$-ray Bubble Powered by a Super PeVatron. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scib.2023.12.040
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