A dense gas survey of the gamma-ray sources HESS J1731-347 and HESS J1729-345

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The results of Mopra molecular spectral line observations towards the supernova remnant HESSJ1731-347 (G353.6-0.7) and the unidentified gamma-ray source HESSJ1729-345 are presented. Dense molecular gas in three different velocity-bands (corresponding to three Galactic arms) are investigated using the CS(1-0) line. The CS-traced component provides information about the dense target material in a hadronic scenario for gamma-ray production (cosmic rays interacting with gas) and an understanding of the dynamics. Furthermore, the effects of cosmic ray diffusion into dense gas may alter the gamma-ray spectrum to cause a flattening of spectra towards such regions. Dense molecular gas mass at a level of 10⁵ Mo was revealed in this survey, with mass of the order of 10³ Mo towards HESSJ1729-345 in each coincident Galactic arm, but no significant detection of dense molecular gas towards HESSJ1731-347 at the currently-preferred distance of 5.2-6.2 kpc was discovered.