Ponente
Descripción
LHAASO has recently detected ultra-high-energy (UHE, >100 TeV) γ-rays from various Galactic sources, including supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae, microquasars, and young massive clusters. The presence of these UHE γ-rays indicates the potential acceleration of cosmic rays to PeV energies. A leading explanation for this emission involves CRs from sources interacting with nearby molecular clouds, generating γ-rays via neutral pion decay. This has sparked interest in galactic particle accelerators with associated molecular clouds.
In this contribution, I will discuss whether galactic accelerators like supernova remnants, illuminating/interacting with molecular clouds can explain the UHE γ-ray emission detected by LHAASO. As a case study, I will mainly focus on the W51 Complex with different active acceleration sites especially supernova remnant W51C and analyze source-molecular cloud interactions contributing to the observed UHE emission. Two theoretical frameworks will be discussed: one involving direct remnant shock and cloud interaction, where the clouds are crushed and a second scenario in which cosmic rays from an earlier supernova remnant phase or neighboring sources illuminate nearby clouds. We will also present simulations for Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) and ASTRI Mini-Array, highlighting their potential role in spatially resolving the UHE emission region.
