Title: A Case Study of Very-High-Energy γ-ray Emission from Galactic Supernova Remnant with VERITAS: γ Cygni
Speaker: Bihan Shen
Very-high-energy (VHE; E 100 GeV) γ-ray astronomy provides a powerful probe of non-thermal particle acceleration in extreme astrophysical environments. Supernova remnants (SNRs) are widely believed to be the primary sources of Galactic cosmic rays up to at least the “knee” of the cosmic-ray spectrum, yet the mechanisms responsible for accelerating particles to such energies and producing the observed γ-ray emission remain actively debated. Observations spanning the GeV–TeV energy range are particularly valu-able for distinguishing between leptonic and hadronic emission scenarios and for probing the interaction between expanding shock fronts and the surrounding interstellar medium.
This dissertation presents a detailed study of the Galactic supernova remnant G78.2+2.1 (γ Cygni) using observations from the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS). The goal of this work is to investigate the morphology and broad-band spectral properties of the VHE γ-ray emission from this complex region and to place new constraints on the particle acceleration processes responsible for the observed radiation. In conducting this analysis, particular attention is given to a comparison between traditional background estimation techniques and an independent Singular Templates of Imaging Cherenkov Shower distribution (STOICS) method designed to improve analyses of extended γ-ray sources. Independent analyses using multiple reconstruction pipelines show consistent morphology and spectral results, demonstrating the robustness of the analysis.
Zoom: https://umd.zoom.us/j/5239190437?omn=96604064202