IT IS COMMONLY ACCEPTED THAT COSMIC RAY ELECTRONS ARE ACCELERATED BY SUPERNOVA REMNANTS (SNRS) BUT 99% OF THE COSMIC RAYS ARE HADRONS FOR WHICH SOLID EVIDENCE OF THE ACCELERATOR MECHANISM IS LACKING. TO TEST WHETHER SNRS ALSO ACCELERATE HADRONS ACCURATE ESTIMATES OF THE DISTANCE AND DENSITY IS REQUIRED MEASUREABLE USING METHANOL MASERS. WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT 36/44GHZ METHANOL MASERS ARE FOUND IN SNRS ALTHOUGH COMPLETE SEARCHES FOR THESE MASERS ARE TIME CONSUMING DUE TO THE SMALL 36/44GHZ BEAMS. WE PROPOSE A FERMI/NRAO GBT PROJECT OF NH3(3 3) TO DETERMINE SUITABLE 36/44GHZ POINTING POSITIONS. OUR LONG TERM GOAL IS TO USE THE METHANOL MASERS TO DETERMINE THE AMBIENT GAS DENSITY AND THE DISTANCE TO FERMI-DETECTED SNRS. THIS IS PART OF A PHD PROJECT.

University Of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM

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