Journal article
DISCOVERY OF VERY HIGH ENERGY γ-RAY EMISSION FROM THE SNR G54.1+0.3
Astrophysical journal. Letters, Vol.719(1), pp.L69-L73
08/10/2010
DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L69
Abstract
We report the discovery of very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray emission from the direction of the SNR G54.1+0.3 using the VERITAS ground-based gamma-ray observatory. The TeV signal has an overall significance of 6.8σ and appears pointlike given the resolution of the instrument. The integral flux above 1 TeV is 2.5% of the Crab Nebula flux and significant emission is measured between 250 GeV and 4 TeV, well described by a power-law energy spectrum dN/dE ∼ E−Γ with a photon index Γ = 2.39 ± 0.23stat ± 0.30sys. We find no evidence of time variability among observations spanning almost two years. Based on the location, the morphology, the measured spectrum, the lack of variability, and a comparison with similar systems previously detected in the TeV band, the most likely counterpart of this new VHE gamma-ray source is the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) in the SNR G54.1+0.3. The measured X-ray to VHE gamma-ray luminosity ratio is the lowest among all the nebulae supposedly driven by young rotation-powered pulsars, which could indicate a particle-dominated PWN.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- DISCOVERY OF VERY HIGH ENERGY γ-RAY EMISSION FROM THE SNR G54.1+0.3
- Creators
- V. A Acciari - Harvard UniversityE Aliu - Columbia UniversityT Arlen - University of California, Los AngelesT Aune - University of California, Santa CruzM Bautista - McGill UniversityM Beilicke - Washington University in St. LouisW Benbow - Harvard UniversityD Boltuch - University of DelawareS. M Bradbury - University of LeedsJ. H Buckley - Washington University in St. LouisV Bugaev - Washington University in St. LouisY Butt - Harvard UniversityK Byrum - Argonne National LaboratoryA Cesarini - Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of GalwayL Ciupik - Adler PlanetariumW Cui - Purdue University West LafayetteR Dickherber - Washington University in St. LouisC Duke - Grinnell CollegeJ. P Finley - Purdue University West LafayetteG Finnegan - University of UtahL Fortson - Adler PlanetariumA Furniss - University of California, Santa CruzN Galante - Harvard UniversityD Gall - Purdue University West LafayetteG. H Gillanders - Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of GalwayS Godambe - University of UtahE. V Gotthelf - Columbia UniversityJ Grube - Adler PlanetariumR Guenette - McGill UniversityG Gyuk - Adler PlanetariumD Hanna - McGill UniversityJ Holder - University of DelawareC. M Hui - University of UtahT. B Humensky - University of ChicagoA Imran - Iowa State UniversityP Kaaret - University of IowaN Karlsson - Adler PlanetariumM Kertzman - DePauw UniversityD Kieda - University of UtahA Konopelko - Pittsburg State UniversityH Krawczynski - Washington University in St. LouisF Krennrich - Iowa State UniversityM. J Lang - Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of GalwayS LeBohec - University of UtahG Maier - McGill UniversityS McArthur - Washington University in St. LouisA McCann - McGill UniversityM McCutcheon - McGill UniversityP Moriarty - Galway-Mayo Institute of TechnologyR Muhkerjee - Columbia UniversityR. A Ong - University of California, Los AngelesA. N Otte - University of California, Santa CruzD Pandel - University of IowaJ. S Perkins - Harvard UniversityM Pohl - University of PotsdamJ Quinn - University College DublinK Ragan - McGill UniversityL. C Reyes - University of ChicagoP. T Reynolds - Cork Institute of TechnologyE Roache - Harvard UniversityH. J Rose - University of LeedsM Schroedter - Iowa State UniversityG. H Sembroski - Purdue University West LafayetteG. Demet SenturkP Slane - Harvard UniversityD Steele - Adler PlanetariumA. W Smith - Argonne National LaboratoryS. P Swordy - University of ChicagoG Těsić - McGill UniversityM Theiling - Harvard UniversityS Thibadeau - Washington University in St. LouisV. V Vassiliev - University of California, Los AngelesS Vincent - University of UtahS. P Wakely - University of ChicagoJ. E Ward - University College DublinT. C Weekes - Harvard UniversityA Weinstein - University of California, Los AngelesT Weisgarber - University of ChicagoD. A Williams - University of California, Santa CruzS Wissel - University of ChicagoM Wood - University of California, Los AngelesB Zitzer - Purdue University West Lafayette
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Astrophysical journal. Letters, Vol.719(1), pp.L69-L73
- DOI
- 10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L69
- ISSN
- 2041-8205
- eISSN
- 2041-8213
- Publisher
- The American Astronomical Society
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/10/2010
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984199922502771
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