arXiv subjects

Phoebe de Wilt

Publications and source records attributed to Phoebe de Wilt.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2016

Molecular Shocks and the Gamma-ray Clouds of the W28 Supernova Remnant

Interstellar medium clouds in the W28 region are emitting gamma-rays and it is likely that the W28 supernova remnant is responsible, making W28 a prime candidate for the study of cosmic-ray acceleration and diffusion. Understanding the influence of both supernova remnant shocks and cosmic rays on local molecular clouds can help to identify multi-wavelength signatures of probable cosmic-ray sources. To this goal, transitions of OH, SiO, NH3, HCO+ and CS have complemented CO in allowing a characterization of the chemically rich environment surrounding W28. This remnant has been an ideal test-bed for techniques that will complement arcminute-scale studies of cosmic-ray source candidates with future GeV-PeV gamma-ray observations.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

Ammonia excitation imaging of shocked gas towards the W28 gamma-ray source HESS J1801-233

We present 12 mm Mopra observations of the dense (>10^3 cm^-3 ) molecular gas towards the north-east (NE) of the W28 supernova remnant (SNR). This cloud is spatially well-matched to the TeV gamma-ray source HESS J1801-233 and is known to be a SNR-molecular cloud interaction region. Shock-disruption is evident from broad NH3 (1,1) spectral line-widths in regions towards the W28 SNR, while strong detections of spatially-extended NH3(3,3), NH3(4,4) and NH3(6,6) inversion emission towards the cloud strengthen the case for the existence of high temperatures within the cloud. Velocity dispersion measurements and NH3(n,n)/(1,1) ratio maps, where n=2, 3, 4 and 6, indicate that the source of disruption is from the side of the cloud nearest to the W28 SNR, suggesting that it is the source of cloud-disruption. Towards part of the cloud, the ratio of ortho to para-NH3 is observed to exceed 2, suggesting gas-phase NH3 enrichment due to NH3 liberation from dust grain mantles. The measured NH3 abundance with respect to H2 is ~(1.2+/-0.5)*10^-9, which is not high, as might be expected for a hot, dense molecular cloud enriched by sublimated grain-surface molecules. The results are suggestive of NH3 sublimation and destruction in this molecular cloud, which is likely to be interacting with the W28 SNR shock.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

A dense gas survey of the gamma-ray sources HESS J1731-347 and HESS J1729-345

The results of Mopra molecular spectral line observations towards the supernova remnant HESSJ1731-347 (G353.6-0.7) and the unidentified gamma-ray source HESSJ1729-345 are presented. Dense molecular gas in three different velocity-bands (corresponding to three Galactic arms) are investigated using the CS(1-0) line. The CS-traced component provides information about the dense target material in a hadronic scenario for gamma-ray production (cosmic rays interacting with gas) and an understanding of the dynamics. Furthermore, the effects of cosmic ray diffusion into dense gas may alter the gamma-ray spectrum to cause a flattening of spectra towards such regions. Dense molecular gas mass at a level of ~10^5 Mo was revealed in this survey, with mass of the order of ~10^3 Mo towards HESSJ1729-345 in each coincident Galactic arm, but no significant detection of dense molecular gas towards HESSJ1731-347 at the currently-preferred distance of ~5.2-6.2 kpc was discovered.

astro-ph.HE↗