Proposal Details - 0820027
Hard X-ray spectro-imagery of RX J1713.7-3946 (Terrier)

Proposal Summary (based on proposal abstract)

The SNR RX J1713.7-3946 is part of a class of remnants dominated by synchrotron emission in X-rays and is one of the few detected at the TeV. It is therefore an excellent target to study particle acceleration at SNR shocks. The nature of the particles producing TeV emission is still a matter of controversy. The strong similarities between X-ray and TeV images suggest a leptonic origin but the required magnetic field is quite low. On the other hand, to be viable, hadronic scenarios require high ambient matter density at odds the the absence of strong thermal X-ray emission. The hard X-rays probe the electrons in the spectral cutoffs region and are therefore fundamental to understand the mechanisms of acceleration to the highest energies. Suzaku has been able to measure the integrated spectrum of the remnant but so far no detailed spectro-imagery exist for this object. In the previous AO, a 4 Ms observation of RX J1713.7-3946 was proposed, to map the hard X-ray emission from the remnant from 10 keV up to 50 keV and to resolve spatially the hard X-ray spectrum of the remnant. 2 Ms of it will be done in 2010. It is proposed to complete this observation with another 2 Ms. This will allow a mapping of the spectral cutoffs in the shell and hopefully shed some light on the long standing problem of the origin of cosmic rays up to the knee.

Observation Strategy (Recommended by TAC)

1.25 Ms in the standard 5x5 dithering mode centered on RA, Dec = 256.855, -40.555 (l, b = -14, 0) and 750 ks in the standard 5x5 dithering mode centered on RA, Dec = 258.375, -39.717 (l, b = 347.374, -0.437). The observation centered on l, b = -14, 0 is amalgamated with part of the observations of the inner Galaxy (proposal 0820024), for a total of 1.25 Ms

Proposal grade: A

Data Rights (Recommended by TAC)

The TAC has allocated the following specific data rights to this proposal: RX J1713.7-3946

Exposure Map

Exposure maps are in units of s and shown using Galactic coordinates. The intensity scale is given by the colourbar, and there are contour levels at 100, 300 and 500 ks.