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Abstract

The shell-type supernova remnant (SNR) RX J1713.7-3946 (G347.3 - 0.5) was first discovered with ROSAT in X-rays [1] and later also observed to emit TeV γ-rays [2, 3]. This object, together with several other southern-hemisphere SNRs, is a prime target for observations with the High Energy Stereoscopic System(H.E.S.S.), a new system of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes which was completed at the end of 2003 in Namibia and is now in full operation [4, 5]. We present first results from deep observations of the SNR RX J1713.7-3946 conducted with the complete H.E.S.S. array in 2004. Almost all parts of the SNR emit gamma rays; the emission is found to resemble a shell structure with increased fluxes from the western and north-western part. The differential gamma-ray spectrum of the whole SNR extends over more than two orders of magnitude and appears rather hard with a power-law photon index of Γ = 2.27 ± 0.02 stat ± 0.20 (sys).The characteristics of the energy spectrum imply efficient acceleration of charged particles to energies well beyond 100 TeV, consistent with current ideas of particle acceleration in young SNR shocks.