What Can We Learn about Cosmic Rays from the UV, Optical, Radio and X-ray Observations of Supernova 1979c in M 100?

Abstract

Theories on the Origin of Cosmic Rays almost invariably invoke the Supernova (SN) phenomenon in its early phases as the cause for production and acceleration of high energy particles. So far only optical information about SNe has been available and from it there is no direct evidence of Cosmic Rays. It is not surprising then that models of Cosmic Ray production are still rich in free parameters. On April 19th 1979 a very bright (~12 mag) SN, labelled 1979c, was detected in the relatively nearby galaxy (~16 Mpc) M 100 (≡NGC 4321). This galaxy, incidentally has produced 4 SNe in 78 years. Event 1979c was followed quite intensively in the optical and UV (with IUE) regions of the spectrum as well as observed at radio and X-ray frequencies. A detailed account of these observations is in press (Panagia et al. 1980). Here we summarize only very briefly the results relevant to the present discussion.