Detection of the Characteristic Pion-Decay Signature in Supernova Remnants
Detection of the Characteristic Pion-Decay Signature in Supernova Remnants
Cosmic rays are particles (mostly protons) accelerated to relativistic speeds. Despite wide agreement that supernova remnants (SNRs) are the sources of galactic cosmic rays, unequivocal evidence for the acceleration of protons in these objects is still lacking. When accelerated protons encounter interstellar material, they produce neutral pions, which in turn …