Shell-type SNRs as sources of cosmic rays

Investigations of VHE gamma-ray sources by any methods, including mirror Cherenkov telescopes, touch on the problem of the cosmic ray origin and, accordingly, the role of the Galaxy in their generation. SHALON observations have yielded results on Galactic supernova remnants (SNR) of different ages. Among them are: the shell-type SNRs Tycho's SNR (1572y), Cas A (1680y), IC 443 (age ∼ (3 ÷ 30) × 10 3  y), Cygni SNR (age ∼ (5 ÷ 7) × 10 3  y), G166.0 + 4.3 (age ∼ 24 × 10 3  y) and the classical nova GK Per (Nova 1901). Observation results are presented for each of the SNRs with spectral energy distributions by SHALON in comparison with other experiment data and images by SHALON together with data from X-rays by Chandra and radio-data by CGPS. The collected experimental data have confirmed the prediction of the theory about the hadronic generation mechanism of very high energy 800 GeV–100 TeV gamma-rays in Tycho's SNR, Cas A and IC443. For the first time, unique data on GK Per (Nova1901) TeV gamma-ray emission were obtained with the SHALON experiment. The X-ray data shows that the nova remnant of GK Per could be a younger remnant that will resemble older SNRs like IC 443 which interact with molecular clouds. GK Per is supposed to be a candidate for TeV gamma-ray emission due to accelerated particles in the reverse shock region.