Detection of gamma-rays around SNR HB9 and its implications for the diffusive shock-acceleration history

Abstract

Abstract We analyze the GeV gamma-ray emission data from the vicinity of the supernova remnant (SNR) HB9 (G160.9+2.6) from the Fermi-LAT 12 yr observations to quantify the evolution of diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) in the SNR. In the vicinity of HB9, there are molecular clouds whose locations do not coincide with the SNR shell in the line of sight. We detect significant gamma-ray emissions above 1 GeV spatially coinciding with the two prominent cloud regions, as well as emission from the SNR shell, the latter of which is consistent with the results of previous studies. The energy spectrum above 1 GeV in each region is fitted with a simple power-law function of dN/dE ∝ E−Γ. The fitting result indicates harder spectra, with power-law indices of Γ = 1.84 ± 0.18 and 1.84 ± 0.14, than that at the SNR shell, with Γ = 2.55 ± 0.10. The observed spectra from the cloud regions are found to be consistent with the theoretically expected gamma-ray emissions originating in the protons that escaped from SNR HB9, where particles can be accelerated up to higher energies than those in the shell at present. The resultant diffusion coefficient in the vicinity of the SNR is comparable to that of the Galactic mean.