GeV Emission in the Region of the Supernova Remnant G51.26+0.11

Abstract

The supernova remnant G51.26+0.11 was recently discovered and little is known about its properties and environment. Using data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope we study the GeV emission seen in the direction of G51.26+0.11 to constrain the origin of the gamma rays and their possible relation to this supernova remnant or to a star-forming region. We also search for emission from molecular gas in the region that could provide dense material for the production of gamma rays. By modeling the multiwavelength spectrum of G51.26+0.11 from radio to gamma rays we derive the properties of the particle populations that could produce the emission in several possible scenarios. We rule out the star-forming regions (such as G051.010+00.060) seen nearby as the origin of the GeV emission. The correspondence seen between the gamma-ray and radio morphologies supports a scenario in which G51.26+0.11 is the cause of the gamma rays. The flat spectral energy distribution observed at GeV energies is best fit by hadronic or inverse Compton emission, while a bremsstrahlung model cannot properly account for the radio fluxes under a simple one-zone scenario. A pulsar wind nebula origin of the high-energy photons cannot be ruled out or confirmed.