Abstract
Supernovae have long been considered as likely sites of cosmic-ray acceleration. Interaction of newly accelerated cosmic-ray nuclei with target material within the expanding supernova is expected to produce an observable flux from SN1987A of very high-energy and possibly ultra high-energy γ-rays in the TeV and PeV (1015 eV) ranges, and several experiments are being constructed to detect this radiation. The presence of intense infrared emission from the supernova itself will, however, make some regions of SN1987A opaque to TeV and PeV γ-rays due to pair-production interactions. Observations at these energies, combined with a knowledge of which regions of SN1987A could be contributing γ-rays may thus give information about the nature and location of particle accelerators in supernovae. Here I discuss the important question of photon–photon pair-production interactions and calculate from which regions of SN1987A may be observed TeV and PeV γ-rays.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
White, G. L. & Malin, D. F. Nature 327, 36–38 (1987).
Woosley, S. E. & Weaver, T. A. A. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 24, 205–253 (1986).
Trimble, V. Rev. mod. Phys. 54, 1183–1224 (1982).
Trimble, V., Rev. mod. Phys. 55, 511–563 (1983).
Gaisser, T. K., Harding, A. & Stanev, T. Nature (in the press).
Bird, D. J. et al. Proc. astr. Soc. Aust. (in the press).
Bionta, R. M. et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 1494–1496 (1987).
Hirata, K. et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 1490–1493 (1987).
Protheroe, R. J. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 221, 769–788 (1986).
Pomerantz, M. A. Proc. astr. Soc. Aust. 6, 403–415 (1986).
Protheroe, R. J. Proc. astr. Soc. Aust. 6, 280–289 (1986).
Clay, R. W. et al. Proc. astr. Soc. Aust. 6, 338–343 (1986).
Clay, R. W. et al. in Very High Energy Gamma Ray Astronomy (ed. Turver, K. E.) 231–234 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1987).
Carstairs, I. et al. in Very High Energy Gamma Ray Astronomy (ed. Turver, K. E.) 221–223 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1987).
de Jager, H. I. et al. S. Af. J. Phys. 9, 107–118 (1986).
Bouchet, P. et al. Astr. Astrophys. 177, L9–L12 (1987).
Dopita, M. A. Proc. astr. Soc. Aust. (1987).
Berezinsky, V. S. & Prilutsky, O. F. Astron. Astrophys. 66, 325–334 (1978).
Jauch, J. M. & Rohrlich, F. The Theory of Photons and Electrons (Springer, Berlin, 1976).
Colgate, S. A. & Petschek, A. G. Astrophys. J. 229, 682–693 (1979).
Scott, J. A. & Chevalier, R. A. Astrophys. J. 197, L5–L8 (1975).
Axford, W. I., Leer, E. & Skadron, G. Proc. 15th Int. Cosmic Ray Conf. 2, 273–278 (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, 1977).
Axford, W. I. Proc. 17th Int. Cosmic Ray Conf. 12, 155–203 (CEN, Saclay, 1981).
Ostriker, J. P. & Gunn, J. E. Phys. Rev. Lett. 22, 728–731 (1969).
Goldreich, P. & Julian, W. Astrophys. J. 157, 869–880 (1969).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Protheroe, R. Photon–photon pair production and the opacity of SN1987A to TeV and PeV γ-rays. Nature 329, 135–138 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/329135a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/329135a0
This article is cited by
-
Search for 100 TeV gamma-rays from SN 1987 A
Il Nuovo Cimento C (1990)
-
Particle acceleration and production of energetic photons in SN1987A
Nature (1987)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
