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Exploring Galactic TeV Neutrino Sources with High-Energy Observations

Discover the significance of neutrinos in galactic astrophysics by examining TeV sources and cosmic ray production mechanisms. Learn about methods of neutrino detection, potential sources like Vela Jr, and the implications of high-energy neutrino events.

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Exploring Galactic TeV Neutrino Sources with High-Energy Observations

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  1. Guaranteed and Prospective Galactic TeV Neutrino Sources Matt Kistler Ohio State University In Collaboration With John Beacom astro-ph/0607082, PRD accepted TeVParticle Astrophysics II Madison – Aug. 29, 2006

  2. Why Bother With Neutrinos? • HESS has greatly expanded the list of known TeV sources (see talk by D. Horns) • Gamma-ray production mechanism is uncertain • High-energy spectral characteristics are difficult to observe • Neutrinos can provide unique information • Observation of neutrinos clinches means of production • High energy events would confirm very energetic proton acceleration TeVII

  3. An (Over)Abundance of Gamma-ray Sources • TeV sources with limited spectral information discovered by Whipple, HEGRA, CANGAROO, Milagro • Precision era started with HESS (southern sky) • MAGIC, VERITAS will cover northern sky • Many unknown EGRET sources (MeV-GeV) • GLAST will clarify TeVII

  4. Still Much to Learn • Leptonic… • …or hadronic? • What are the unknown HESS and EGRET sources? • Where are Galactic cosmic rays produced? • Can we examine the end of a source spectrum?  Neutrinos can give answers TeVII

  5. Methods of Neutrino Detection • Muons provide good angular resolution • Best for locating point-like sources • Only upgoing events Simulated IceCube muon event • Showers have better energy resolution • All-sky (in principle) • Measures e, t neutrino fluxes TeVII Simulated IceCube shower

  6. Gigaton Weak Force Converters • IceCube (under construction, see talk by K. Hanson) • Well understood techniques • Full time coverage of northern sky • Mediterranean km³ (see talk by P. Coyle) • Improved shower angular resolution • Can “see” southern sky sources TeVII ANTARES

  7. Neutrinos as Tools • Where is the cutoff? • IACT: Excellent for ~1-10 TeV, declining signal above • Benefits of n: • Rising n-N cross section • Increasing muon range • ~ 24/7/365 • Rapidly falling background • Maximum likelihood approach • Muonrates sensitive toneutrinocutoff TeVII

  8. Galactic Center Diffuse Emission • Best motivated n source • Powerful (2 × GC point source), but distant • Near threshold of detection Muons • Well correlated with molecular clouds TeVII

  9. Vela Jr • One of brightest TeV g sources • Southern sky object • Shell-type SNR • See talk by D. Horns Muons Muon energy entering detector TeVII

  10. Vela Jr (cont.) • Potential for shower measurements and flavor ratio • Neutrino map? Showers astro-ph/0601012 TeVII

  11. Other Prospective Sources • SNR RX J1713-3946 (Alvarez-Muniz & Halzen, Costantini & Vissani) • PWN Vela X (Horns, Aharonian, Santangelo, Hoffmann, & Masterson) • Unidentified HESS and EGRET sources • Stacking and maximum likelihood analysis may help • See MDK & Beacom (2006) and Kappes, Hinton, Stegmann, & Aharonian (2006) for more TeVII

  12. Summary • Many prospective Galactic neutrino sources (also see talk by A. Kappes) • Neutrino observations break leptonic/hadronic production degeneracy • Maximum likelihood analysis increases detectability • High energy neutrino events would extend measurements of source spectrum • Confirmation of cosmic ray production in SNR TeVII

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