Discovery of the hard spectrum VHE γ-ray source HESS J1641-463

A. Abramowski; F. Aharonian; F. Ait Benkhali; A. G. Akhperjanian; E. O. Angüner; M. Backes; S. Balenderan; A. Balzer; A. Barnacka; Y. Becherini; J. Becker Tjus; D. Berge; S. Bernhard; K. Bernlöhr; E. Birsin; J. Biteau; M. Böttcher; C. Boisson; J. Bolmont; P. Bordas; J. Bregeon; F. Brun; P. Brun; M. Bryan; T. Bulik; S. Carrigan; S. Casanova; P. M. Chadwick; N. Chakraborty; R. Chalme-Calvet; R. C G Chaves; M. Chrétien; S. Colafrancesco; G. Cologna; J. Conrad; C. Couturier; Y. Cui; M. Dalton; I. D. Davids; B. Degrange; C. Deil; P. Dewilt; A. Djannati-Ataï; W. Domainko; A. Donath; L. O. Drury; G. Dubus; K. Dutson; J. Dyks; M. Dyrda; T. Edwards; K. Egberts; P. Eger; P. Espigat; C. Farnier; S. Fegan; F. Feinstein; M. V. Fernandes; D. Fernandez; A. Fiasson; G. Fontaine; A. Förster; M. Füßling; S. Gabici; M. Gajdus; Y. A. Gallant; T. Garrigoux; G. Giavitto; B. Giebels; J. F. Glicenstein; D. Gottschall; M. H. Grondin; M. Grudzińska; D. Hadasch; S. Häffner; J. Hahn; J. Harris; G. Heinzelmann; G. Henri; G. Hermann; O. Hervet; A. Hillert; J. A. Hinton; W. Hofmann; P. Hofverberg; M. Holler; D. Horns; A. Ivascenko; A. Jacholkowska; C. Jahn; M. Jamrozy; M. Janiak; F. Jankowsky; I. Jung-Richardt; M. A. Kastendieck; K. Katarzyński; U. Katz; S. Kaufmann; B. Khélifi; M. Kieffer; S. Klepser; D. Klochkov; W. Kluźniak; D. Kolitzus; Nu Komin; K. Kosack; S. Krakau; F. Krayzel; P. P. Krüger; H. Laffon; G. Lamanna; J. Lau; J. Lefaucheur; V. Lefranc; A. Lemière; M. Lemoine-Goumard; J. P. Lenain; T. Lohse; A. Lopatin; C. C. Lu; V. Marandon; A. Marcowith; R. Marx; G. Maurin; N. Maxted; M. Mayer; T. J L McComb; J. Méhault; P. J. Meintjes; U. Menzler; M. Meyer; A. M W Mitchell; R. Moderski; M. Mohamed; K. Morå; E. Moulin; T. Murach; M. De Naurois; J. Niemiec; S. J. Nolan; L. Oakes; H. Odaka; S. Ohm; B. Opitz; M. Ostrowski; I. Oya; M. Panter; R. D. Parsons; M. Paz Arribas; N. W. Pekeur; G. Pelletier; P. O. Petrucci; B. Peyaud; S. Pita; H. Poon; G. Pühlhofer; M. Punch; A. Quirrenbach; S. Raab; I. Reichardt; A. Reimer; O. Reimer; M. Renaud; R. De Los Reyes; F. Rieger; C. Romoli; S. Rosier-Lees; G. Rowell; B. Rudak; C. B. Rulten; V. Sahakian; D. Salek; D. A. Sanchez; A. Santangelo; R. Schlickeiser; F. Schüssler; A. Schulz; U. Schwanke; S. Schwarzburg; S. Schwemmer; H. Sol; F. Spanier; G. Spengler; F. Spies; [No Value] Stawarz; R. Steenkamp; C. Stegmann; F. Stinzing; K. Stycz; I. Sushch; J. P. Tavernet; T. Tavernier; A. M. Taylor; R. Terrier; M. Tluczykont; C. Trichard; K. Valerius; C. Van Eldik; B. Van Soelen; G. Vasileiadis; J. Veh; C. Venter; A. Viana; P. Vincent; J. Vink; H. J. Völk; F. Volpe; M. Vorster; T. Vuillaume; S. J. Wagner; P. Wagner; R. M. Wagner; M. Ward; M. Weidinger; Q. Weitzel; R. White; A. Wierzcholska; P. Willmann; A. Wörnlein; D. Wouters; R. Yang; V. Zabalza; D. Zaborov; M. Zacharias; A. A. Zdziarski; A. Zech; H. S. Zechlin; Y. Fukui; H. Sano; T. Fukuda; S. Yoshiike

doi:10.1088/2041-8205/794/1/L1

Discovery of the hard spectrum VHE γ-ray source HESS J1641-463

A. Abramowski, F. Aharonian, F. Ait Benkhali, A. G. Akhperjanian, E. O. Angüner, M. Backes, S. Balenderan, A. Balzer, A. Barnacka, Y. Becherini, J. Becker Tjus, D. Berge, S. Bernhard, K. Bernlöhr, E. Birsin, J. Biteau, M. Böttcher, C. Boisson, J. Bolmont, P. BordasJ. Bregeon, F. Brun, P. Brun, M. Bryan, T. Bulik, S. Carrigan, S. Casanova, P. M. Chadwick, N. Chakraborty, R. Chalme-Calvet, R. C G Chaves, M. Chrétien, S. Colafrancesco, G. Cologna, J. Conrad, C. Couturier, Y. Cui, M. Dalton, I. D. Davids, B. Degrange, C. Deil, P. Dewilt, A. Djannati-Ataï, W. Domainko, A. Donath, L. O. Drury, G. Dubus, K. Dutson, J. Dyks, M. Dyrda, T. Edwards, K. Egberts, P. Eger, P. Espigat, C. Farnier, S. Fegan, F. Feinstein, M. V. Fernandes, D. Fernandez, A. Fiasson, G. Fontaine, A. Förster, M. Füßling, S. Gabici, M. Gajdus, Y. A. Gallant, T. Garrigoux, G. Giavitto, B. Giebels, J. F. Glicenstein, D. Gottschall, M. H. Grondin, M. Grudzińska, D. Hadasch, S. Häffner, J. Hahn, J. Harris, G. Heinzelmann, G. Henri, G. Hermann, O. Hervet, A. Hillert, J. A. Hinton, W. Hofmann, P. Hofverberg, M. Holler, D. Horns, A. Ivascenko, A. Jacholkowska, C. Jahn, M. Jamrozy, M. Janiak, F. Jankowsky, I. Jung-Richardt, M. A. Kastendieck, K. Katarzyński, U. Katz, S. Kaufmann, B. Khélifi, M. Kieffer, S. Klepser, D. Klochkov, W. Kluźniak, D. Kolitzus, Nu Komin, K. Kosack, S. Krakau, F. Krayzel, P. P. Krüger, H. Laffon, G. Lamanna, J. Lau, J. Lefaucheur, V. Lefranc, A. Lemière, M. Lemoine-Goumard, J. P. Lenain, T. Lohse, A. Lopatin, C. C. Lu, V. Marandon, A. Marcowith, R. Marx, G. Maurin, N. Maxted, M. Mayer, T. J L McComb, J. Méhault, P. J. Meintjes, U. Menzler, M. Meyer, A. M W Mitchell, R. Moderski, M. Mohamed, K. Morå, E. Moulin, T. Murach, M. De Naurois, J. Niemiec, S. J. Nolan, L. Oakes, H. Odaka, S. Ohm, B. Opitz, M. Ostrowski, I. Oya, M. Panter, R. D. Parsons, M. Paz Arribas, N. W. Pekeur, G. Pelletier, P. O. Petrucci, B. Peyaud, S. Pita, H. Poon, G. Pühlhofer, M. Punch, A. Quirrenbach, S. Raab, I. Reichardt, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, M. Renaud, R. De Los Reyes, F. Rieger, C. Romoli, S. Rosier-Lees, G. Rowell, B. Rudak, C. B. Rulten, V. Sahakian, D. Salek, D. A. Sanchez, A. Santangelo, R. Schlickeiser, F. Schüssler, A. Schulz, U. Schwanke, S. Schwarzburg, S. Schwemmer, H. Sol, F. Spanier, G. Spengler, F. Spies, [No Value] Stawarz, R. Steenkamp, C. Stegmann, F. Stinzing, K. Stycz, I. Sushch, J. P. Tavernet, T. Tavernier, A. M. Taylor, R. Terrier, M. Tluczykont, C. Trichard, K. Valerius, C. Van Eldik, B. Van Soelen, G. Vasileiadis, J. Veh, C. Venter, A. Viana, P. Vincent, J. Vink, H. J. Völk, F. Volpe, M. Vorster, T. Vuillaume, S. J. Wagner, P. Wagner, R. M. Wagner, M. Ward, M. Weidinger, Q. Weitzel, R. White, A. Wierzcholska, P. Willmann, A. Wörnlein, D. Wouters, R. Yang, V. Zabalza, D. Zaborov, M. Zacharias, A. A. Zdziarski, A. Zech, H. S. Zechlin, Y. Fukui, H. Sano, T. Fukuda, S. Yoshiike

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

This Letter reports the discovery of a remarkably hard spectrum source, HESS J1641-463, by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) in the very high energy (VHE) domain. HESS J1641-463 remained unnoticed by the usual analysis techniques due to confusion with the bright nearby source HESS J1640-465. It emerged at a significance level of 8.5 standard deviations after restricting the analysis to events with energies above 4 TeV. It shows a moderate flux level of φ(E>1 TeV) = (3.64 ± 0.44_stat ± 0.73_sys) × 10^-13 cm^-2 s^-1, corresponding to 1.8% of the Crab Nebula flux above the same energy, and a hard spectrum with a photon index of Γ = 2.07 ± 0.11_stat ± 0.20_sys. It is a point-like source, although an extension up to a Gaussian width of σ = 3 arcmin cannot be discounted due to uncertainties in the H.E.S.S. point-spread function. The VHE γ-ray flux of HESS J1641-463 is found to be constant over the observed period when checking time binnings from the year-by-year to the 28 minute exposure timescales. HESS J1641-463 is positionally coincident with the radio supernova remnant SNR G338.5+0.1. No X-ray candidate stands out as a clear association; however, Chandra and XMM-Newton data reveal some potential weak counterparts. Various VHE γ-ray production scenarios are discussed. If the emission from HESS J1641-463 is produced by cosmic ray protons colliding with the ambient gas, then their spectrum must extend close to 1 PeV. This object may represent a source population contributing significantly to the galactic cosmic ray flux around the knee.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	L1
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	794
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/794/1/L1
State	Published - Oct 10 2014

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

Keywords

ISM: individual objects (SNR G338.30.0, SNR G338.5+0.1)
cosmic rays
gamma rays: general

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Abramowski, A., Aharonian, F., Ait Benkhali, F., Akhperjanian, A. G., Angüner, E. O., Backes, M., Balenderan, S., Balzer, A., Barnacka, A., Becherini, Y., Becker Tjus, J., Berge, D., Bernhard, S., Bernlöhr, K., Birsin, E., Biteau, J., Böttcher, M., Boisson, C., Bolmont, J., ... Yoshiike, S. (2014). Discovery of the hard spectrum VHE γ-ray source HESS J1641-463. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 794(1), Article L1. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/794/1/L1

Abramowski, A, Aharonian, F, Ait Benkhali, F, Akhperjanian, AG, Angüner, EO, Backes, M, Balenderan, S, Balzer, A, Barnacka, A, Becherini, Y, Becker Tjus, J, Berge, D, Bernhard, S, Bernlöhr, K, Birsin, E, Biteau, J, Böttcher, M, Boisson, C, Bolmont, J, Bordas, P, Bregeon, J, Brun, F, Brun, P, Bryan, M, Bulik, T, Carrigan, S, Casanova, S, Chadwick, PM, Chakraborty, N, Chalme-Calvet, R, Chaves, RCG, Chrétien, M, Colafrancesco, S, Cologna, G, Conrad, J, Couturier, C, Cui, Y, Dalton, M, Davids, ID, Degrange, B, Deil, C, Dewilt, P, Djannati-Ataï, A, Domainko, W, Donath, A, Drury, LO, Dubus, G, Dutson, K, Dyks, J, Dyrda, M, Edwards, T, Egberts, K, Eger, P, Espigat, P, Farnier, C, Fegan, S, Feinstein, F, Fernandes, MV, Fernandez, D, Fiasson, A, Fontaine, G, Förster, A, Füßling, M, Gabici, S, Gajdus, M, Gallant, YA, Garrigoux, T, Giavitto, G, Giebels, B, Glicenstein, JF, Gottschall, D, Grondin, MH, Grudzińska, M, Hadasch, D, Häffner, S, Hahn, J, Harris, J, Heinzelmann, G, Henri, G, Hermann, G, Hervet, O, Hillert, A, Hinton, JA, Hofmann, W, Hofverberg, P, Holler, M, Horns, D, Ivascenko, A, Jacholkowska, A, Jahn, C, Jamrozy, M, Janiak, M, Jankowsky, F, Jung-Richardt, I, Kastendieck, MA, Katarzyński, K, Katz, U, Kaufmann, S, Khélifi, B, Kieffer, M, Klepser, S, Klochkov, D, Kluźniak, W, Kolitzus, D, Komin, N, Kosack, K, Krakau, S, Krayzel, F, Krüger, PP, Laffon, H, Lamanna, G, Lau, J, Lefaucheur, J, Lefranc, V, Lemière, A, Lemoine-Goumard, M, Lenain, JP, Lohse, T, Lopatin, A, Lu, CC, Marandon, V, Marcowith, A, Marx, R, Maurin, G, Maxted, N, Mayer, M, McComb, TJL, Méhault, J, Meintjes, PJ, Menzler, U, Meyer, M, Mitchell, AMW, Moderski, R, Mohamed, M, Morå, K, Moulin, E, Murach, T, De Naurois, M, Niemiec, J, Nolan, SJ, Oakes, L, Odaka, H, Ohm, S, Opitz, B, Ostrowski, M, Oya, I, Panter, M, Parsons, RD, Arribas, MP, Pekeur, NW, Pelletier, G, Petrucci, PO, Peyaud, B, Pita, S, Poon, H, Pühlhofer, G, Punch, M, Quirrenbach, A, Raab, S, Reichardt, I, Reimer, A, Reimer, O, Renaud, M, De Los Reyes, R, Rieger, F, Romoli, C, Rosier-Lees, S, Rowell, G, Rudak, B, Rulten, CB, Sahakian, V, Salek, D, Sanchez, DA, Santangelo, A, Schlickeiser, R, Schüssler, F, Schulz, A, Schwanke, U, Schwarzburg, S, Schwemmer, S, Sol, H, Spanier, F, Spengler, G, Spies, F, Stawarz, NV, Steenkamp, R, Stegmann, C, Stinzing, F, Stycz, K, Sushch, I, Tavernet, JP, Tavernier, T, Taylor, AM, Terrier, R, Tluczykont, M, Trichard, C, Valerius, K, Van Eldik, C, Van Soelen, B, Vasileiadis, G, Veh, J, Venter, C, Viana, A, Vincent, P, Vink, J, Völk, HJ, Volpe, F, Vorster, M, Vuillaume, T, Wagner, SJ, Wagner, P, Wagner, RM, Ward, M, Weidinger, M, Weitzel, Q, White, R, Wierzcholska, A, Willmann, P, Wörnlein, A, Wouters, D, Yang, R, Zabalza, V, Zaborov, D, Zacharias, M, Zdziarski, AA, Zech, A, Zechlin, HS, Fukui, Y, Sano, H, Fukuda, T & Yoshiike, S 2014, 'Discovery of the hard spectrum VHE γ-ray source HESS J1641-463', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 794, no. 1, L1. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/794/1/L1

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title = "Discovery of the hard spectrum VHE γ-ray source HESS J1641-463",

abstract = "This Letter reports the discovery of a remarkably hard spectrum source, HESS J1641-463, by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) in the very high energy (VHE) domain. HESS J1641-463 remained unnoticed by the usual analysis techniques due to confusion with the bright nearby source HESS J1640-465. It emerged at a significance level of 8.5 standard deviations after restricting the analysis to events with energies above 4 TeV. It shows a moderate flux level of φ(E>1 TeV) = (3.64 ± 0.44stat ± 0.73sys) × 10-13 cm-2 s-1, corresponding to 1.8% of the Crab Nebula flux above the same energy, and a hard spectrum with a photon index of Γ = 2.07 ± 0.11stat ± 0.20sys. It is a point-like source, although an extension up to a Gaussian width of σ = 3 arcmin cannot be discounted due to uncertainties in the H.E.S.S. point-spread function. The VHE γ-ray flux of HESS J1641-463 is found to be constant over the observed period when checking time binnings from the year-by-year to the 28 minute exposure timescales. HESS J1641-463 is positionally coincident with the radio supernova remnant SNR G338.5+0.1. No X-ray candidate stands out as a clear association; however, Chandra and XMM-Newton data reveal some potential weak counterparts. Various VHE γ-ray production scenarios are discussed. If the emission from HESS J1641-463 is produced by cosmic ray protons colliding with the ambient gas, then their spectrum must extend close to 1 PeV. This object may represent a source population contributing significantly to the galactic cosmic ray flux around the knee.",

keywords = "ISM: individual objects (SNR G338.30.0, SNR G338.5+0.1), cosmic rays, gamma rays: general",

author = "A. Abramowski and F. Aharonian and {Ait Benkhali}, F. and Akhperjanian, {A. G.} and Ang{\"u}ner, {E. O.} and M. Backes and S. Balenderan and A. Balzer and A. Barnacka and Y. Becherini and {Becker Tjus}, J. and D. Berge and S. Bernhard and K. Bernl{\"o}hr and E. Birsin and J. Biteau and M. B{\"o}ttcher and C. Boisson and J. Bolmont and P. Bordas and J. Bregeon and F. Brun and P. Brun and M. Bryan and T. Bulik and S. Carrigan and S. Casanova and Chadwick, {P. M.} and N. Chakraborty and R. Chalme-Calvet and Chaves, {R. C G} and M. Chr{\'e}tien and S. Colafrancesco and G. Cologna and J. Conrad and C. Couturier and Y. Cui and M. Dalton and Davids, {I. D.} and B. Degrange and C. Deil and P. Dewilt and A. Djannati-Ata{\"i} and W. Domainko and A. Donath and Drury, {L. O.} and G. Dubus and K. Dutson and J. Dyks and M. Dyrda and T. Edwards and K. Egberts and P. Eger and P. Espigat and C. Farnier and S. Fegan and F. Feinstein and Fernandes, {M. V.} and D. Fernandez and A. Fiasson and G. Fontaine and A. F{\"o}rster and M. F{\"u}{\ss}ling and S. Gabici and M. Gajdus and Gallant, {Y. A.} and T. Garrigoux and G. Giavitto and B. Giebels and Glicenstein, {J. F.} and D. Gottschall and Grondin, {M. H.} and M. Grudzi{\'n}ska and D. Hadasch and S. H{\"a}ffner and J. Hahn and J. Harris and G. Heinzelmann and G. Henri and G. Hermann and O. Hervet and A. Hillert and Hinton, {J. A.} and W. Hofmann and P. Hofverberg and M. Holler and D. Horns and A. Ivascenko and A. Jacholkowska and C. Jahn and M. Jamrozy and M. Janiak and F. Jankowsky and I. Jung-Richardt and Kastendieck, {M. A.} and K. Katarzy{\'n}ski and U. Katz and S. Kaufmann and B. Kh{\'e}lifi and M. Kieffer and S. Klepser and D. Klochkov and W. Klu{\'z}niak and D. Kolitzus and Nu Komin and K. Kosack and S. Krakau and F. Krayzel and Kr{\"u}ger, {P. P.} and H. Laffon and G. Lamanna and J. Lau and J. Lefaucheur and V. Lefranc and A. Lemi{\`e}re and M. Lemoine-Goumard and Lenain, {J. P.} and T. Lohse and A. Lopatin and Lu, {C. C.} and V. Marandon and A. Marcowith and R. Marx and G. Maurin and N. Maxted and M. Mayer and McComb, {T. J L} and J. M{\'e}hault and Meintjes, {P. J.} and U. Menzler and M. Meyer and Mitchell, {A. M W} and R. Moderski and M. Mohamed and K. Mor{\aa} and E. Moulin and T. Murach and {De Naurois}, M. and J. Niemiec and Nolan, {S. J.} and L. Oakes and H. Odaka and S. Ohm and B. Opitz and M. Ostrowski and I. Oya and M. Panter and Parsons, {R. D.} and Arribas, {M. Paz} and Pekeur, {N. W.} and G. Pelletier and Petrucci, {P. O.} and B. Peyaud and S. Pita and H. Poon and G. P{\"u}hlhofer and M. Punch and A. Quirrenbach and S. Raab and I. Reichardt and A. Reimer and O. Reimer and M. Renaud and {De Los Reyes}, R. and F. Rieger and C. Romoli and S. Rosier-Lees and G. Rowell and B. Rudak and Rulten, {C. B.} and V. Sahakian and D. Salek and Sanchez, {D. A.} and A. Santangelo and R. Schlickeiser and F. Sch{\"u}ssler and A. Schulz and U. Schwanke and S. Schwarzburg and S. Schwemmer and H. Sol and F. Spanier and G. Spengler and F. Spies and Stawarz, {[No Value]} and R. Steenkamp and C. Stegmann and F. Stinzing and K. Stycz and I. Sushch and Tavernet, {J. P.} and T. Tavernier and Taylor, {A. M.} and R. Terrier and M. Tluczykont and C. Trichard and K. Valerius and {Van Eldik}, C. and {Van Soelen}, B. and G. Vasileiadis and J. Veh and C. Venter and A. Viana and P. Vincent and J. Vink and V{\"o}lk, {H. J.} and F. Volpe and M. Vorster and T. Vuillaume and Wagner, {S. J.} and P. Wagner and Wagner, {R. M.} and M. Ward and M. Weidinger and Q. Weitzel and R. White and A. Wierzcholska and P. Willmann and A. W{\"o}rnlein and D. Wouters and R. Yang and V. Zabalza and D. Zaborov and M. Zacharias and Zdziarski, {A. A.} and A. Zech and Zechlin, {H. S.} and Y. Fukui and H. Sano and T. Fukuda and S. Yoshiike",

year = "2014",

month = oct,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1088/2041-8205/794/1/L1",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "794",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Discovery of the hard spectrum VHE γ-ray source HESS J1641-463

AU - Abramowski, A.

AU - Aharonian, F.

AU - Ait Benkhali, F.

AU - Akhperjanian, A. G.

AU - Angüner, E. O.

AU - Backes, M.

AU - Balenderan, S.

AU - Balzer, A.

AU - Barnacka, A.

AU - Becherini, Y.

AU - Becker Tjus, J.

AU - Berge, D.

AU - Bernhard, S.

AU - Bernlöhr, K.

AU - Birsin, E.

AU - Biteau, J.

AU - Böttcher, M.

AU - Boisson, C.

AU - Bolmont, J.

AU - Bordas, P.

AU - Bregeon, J.

AU - Brun, F.

AU - Brun, P.

AU - Bryan, M.

AU - Bulik, T.

AU - Carrigan, S.

AU - Casanova, S.

AU - Chadwick, P. M.

AU - Chakraborty, N.

AU - Chalme-Calvet, R.

AU - Chaves, R. C G

AU - Chrétien, M.

AU - Colafrancesco, S.

AU - Cologna, G.

AU - Conrad, J.

AU - Couturier, C.

AU - Cui, Y.

AU - Dalton, M.

AU - Davids, I. D.

AU - Degrange, B.

AU - Deil, C.

AU - Dewilt, P.

AU - Djannati-Ataï, A.

AU - Domainko, W.

AU - Donath, A.

AU - Drury, L. O.

AU - Dubus, G.

AU - Dutson, K.

AU - Dyks, J.

AU - Dyrda, M.

AU - Edwards, T.

AU - Egberts, K.

AU - Eger, P.

AU - Espigat, P.

AU - Farnier, C.

AU - Fegan, S.

AU - Feinstein, F.

AU - Fernandes, M. V.

AU - Fernandez, D.

AU - Fiasson, A.

AU - Fontaine, G.

AU - Förster, A.

AU - Füßling, M.

AU - Gabici, S.

AU - Gajdus, M.

AU - Gallant, Y. A.

AU - Garrigoux, T.

AU - Giavitto, G.

AU - Giebels, B.

AU - Glicenstein, J. F.

AU - Gottschall, D.

AU - Grondin, M. H.

AU - Grudzińska, M.

AU - Hadasch, D.

AU - Häffner, S.

AU - Hahn, J.

AU - Harris, J.

AU - Heinzelmann, G.

AU - Henri, G.

AU - Hermann, G.

AU - Hervet, O.

AU - Hillert, A.

AU - Hinton, J. A.

AU - Hofmann, W.

AU - Hofverberg, P.

AU - Holler, M.

AU - Horns, D.

AU - Ivascenko, A.

AU - Jacholkowska, A.

AU - Jahn, C.

AU - Jamrozy, M.

AU - Janiak, M.

AU - Jankowsky, F.

AU - Jung-Richardt, I.

AU - Kastendieck, M. A.

AU - Katarzyński, K.

AU - Katz, U.

AU - Kaufmann, S.

AU - Khélifi, B.

AU - Kieffer, M.

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PY - 2014/10/10

Y1 - 2014/10/10

N2 - This Letter reports the discovery of a remarkably hard spectrum source, HESS J1641-463, by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) in the very high energy (VHE) domain. HESS J1641-463 remained unnoticed by the usual analysis techniques due to confusion with the bright nearby source HESS J1640-465. It emerged at a significance level of 8.5 standard deviations after restricting the analysis to events with energies above 4 TeV. It shows a moderate flux level of φ(E>1 TeV) = (3.64 ± 0.44stat ± 0.73sys) × 10-13 cm-2 s-1, corresponding to 1.8% of the Crab Nebula flux above the same energy, and a hard spectrum with a photon index of Γ = 2.07 ± 0.11stat ± 0.20sys. It is a point-like source, although an extension up to a Gaussian width of σ = 3 arcmin cannot be discounted due to uncertainties in the H.E.S.S. point-spread function. The VHE γ-ray flux of HESS J1641-463 is found to be constant over the observed period when checking time binnings from the year-by-year to the 28 minute exposure timescales. HESS J1641-463 is positionally coincident with the radio supernova remnant SNR G338.5+0.1. No X-ray candidate stands out as a clear association; however, Chandra and XMM-Newton data reveal some potential weak counterparts. Various VHE γ-ray production scenarios are discussed. If the emission from HESS J1641-463 is produced by cosmic ray protons colliding with the ambient gas, then their spectrum must extend close to 1 PeV. This object may represent a source population contributing significantly to the galactic cosmic ray flux around the knee.

AB - This Letter reports the discovery of a remarkably hard spectrum source, HESS J1641-463, by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) in the very high energy (VHE) domain. HESS J1641-463 remained unnoticed by the usual analysis techniques due to confusion with the bright nearby source HESS J1640-465. It emerged at a significance level of 8.5 standard deviations after restricting the analysis to events with energies above 4 TeV. It shows a moderate flux level of φ(E>1 TeV) = (3.64 ± 0.44stat ± 0.73sys) × 10-13 cm-2 s-1, corresponding to 1.8% of the Crab Nebula flux above the same energy, and a hard spectrum with a photon index of Γ = 2.07 ± 0.11stat ± 0.20sys. It is a point-like source, although an extension up to a Gaussian width of σ = 3 arcmin cannot be discounted due to uncertainties in the H.E.S.S. point-spread function. The VHE γ-ray flux of HESS J1641-463 is found to be constant over the observed period when checking time binnings from the year-by-year to the 28 minute exposure timescales. HESS J1641-463 is positionally coincident with the radio supernova remnant SNR G338.5+0.1. No X-ray candidate stands out as a clear association; however, Chandra and XMM-Newton data reveal some potential weak counterparts. Various VHE γ-ray production scenarios are discussed. If the emission from HESS J1641-463 is produced by cosmic ray protons colliding with the ambient gas, then their spectrum must extend close to 1 PeV. This object may represent a source population contributing significantly to the galactic cosmic ray flux around the knee.

KW - ISM: individual objects (SNR G338.30.0, SNR G338.5+0.1)

KW - cosmic rays

KW - gamma rays: general

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84907562988&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84907562988&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/2041-8205/794/1/L1

DO - 10.1088/2041-8205/794/1/L1

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84907562988

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 794

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 1

M1 - L1

ER -

Discovery of the hard spectrum VHE γ-ray source HESS J1641-463

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