Discovery of very high energy γ -ray emission from the SNR G54.1+0.3

V. A. Acciari; E. Aliu; T. Arlen; T. Aune; M. Bautista; M. Beilicke; W. Benbow; D. Boltuch; S. M. Bradbury; J. H. Buckley; V. Bugaev; Y. Butt; K. Byrum; A. Cesarini; L. Ciupik; W. Cui; R. Dickherber; C. Duke; J. P. Finley; G. Finnegan; L. Fortson; A. Furniss; N. Galante; D. Gall; G. H. Gillanders; S. Godambe; E. V. Gotthelf; J. Grube; R. Guenette; G. Gyuk; D. Hanna; J. Holder; C. M. Hui; T. B. Humensky; A. Imran; P. Kaaret; N. Karlsson; M. Kertzman; D. Kieda; A. Konopelko; H. Krawczynski; F. Krennrich; M. J. Lang; S. LeBohec; G. Maier; S. McArthur; A. McCann; M. McCutcheon; P. Moriarty; R. Muhkerjee

doi:10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L69

Discovery of very high energy γ -ray emission from the SNR G54.1+0.3

V. A. Acciari, E. Aliu, T. Arlen, T. Aune, M. Bautista, M. Beilicke, W. Benbow, D. Boltuch, S. M. Bradbury, J. H. Buckley, V. Bugaev, Y. Butt, K. Byrum, A. Cesarini, L. Ciupik, W. Cui, R. Dickherber, C. Duke, J. P. Finley, G. FinneganL. Fortson, A. Furniss, N. Galante, D. Gall, G. H. Gillanders, S. Godambe, E. V. Gotthelf, J. Grube, R. Guenette, G. Gyuk, D. Hanna, J. Holder, C. M. Hui, T. B. Humensky, A. Imran, P. Kaaret, N. Karlsson, M. Kertzman, D. Kieda, A. Konopelko, H. Krawczynski, F. Krennrich, M. J. Lang, S. LeBohec, G. Maier, S. McArthur, A. McCann, M. McCutcheon, P. Moriarty, R. Muhkerjee

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

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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 ± 0.23 _stat ± 0.30_sys. 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.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L69-L73
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	719
Issue number	1 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L69
State	Published - Aug 10 2010

Keywords

Gamma rays: general
ISM: supernova remnants

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Acciari, V. A., Aliu, E., Arlen, T., Aune, T., Bautista, M., Beilicke, M., Benbow, W., Boltuch, D., Bradbury, S. M., Buckley, J. H., Bugaev, V., Butt, Y., Byrum, K., Cesarini, A., Ciupik, L., Cui, W., Dickherber, R., Duke, C., Finley, J. P., ... Muhkerjee, R. (2010). Discovery of very high energy γ -ray emission from the SNR G54.1+0.3. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 719(1 PART 2), L69-L73. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L69

Acciari, VA, Aliu, E, Arlen, T, Aune, T, Bautista, M, Beilicke, M, Benbow, W, Boltuch, D, Bradbury, SM, Buckley, JH, Bugaev, V, Butt, Y, Byrum, K, Cesarini, A, Ciupik, L, Cui, W, Dickherber, R, Duke, C, Finley, JP, Finnegan, G, Fortson, L, Furniss, A, Galante, N, Gall, D, Gillanders, GH, Godambe, S, Gotthelf, EV, Grube, J, Guenette, R, Gyuk, G, Hanna, D, Holder, J, Hui, CM, Humensky, TB, Imran, A, Kaaret, P, Karlsson, N, Kertzman, M, Kieda, D, Konopelko, A, Krawczynski, H, Krennrich, F, Lang, MJ, LeBohec, S, Maier, G, McArthur, S, McCann, A, McCutcheon, M, Moriarty, P & Muhkerjee, R 2010, 'Discovery of very high energy γ -ray emission from the SNR G54.1+0.3', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 719, no. 1 PART 2, pp. L69-L73. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L69

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title = "Discovery of very high energy γ -ray emission from the SNR G54.1+0.3",

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 ± 0.23 stat ± 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.",

keywords = "Gamma rays: general, ISM: supernova remnants",

author = "Acciari, {V. A.} and E. Aliu and T. Arlen and T. Aune and M. Bautista and M. Beilicke and W. Benbow and D. Boltuch and Bradbury, {S. M.} and Buckley, {J. H.} and V. Bugaev and Y. Butt and K. Byrum and A. Cesarini and L. Ciupik and W. Cui and R. Dickherber and C. Duke and Finley, {J. P.} and G. Finnegan and L. Fortson and A. Furniss and N. Galante and D. Gall and Gillanders, {G. H.} and S. Godambe and Gotthelf, {E. V.} and J. Grube and R. Guenette and G. Gyuk and D. Hanna and J. Holder and Hui, {C. M.} and Humensky, {T. B.} and A. Imran and P. Kaaret and N. Karlsson and M. Kertzman and D. Kieda and A. Konopelko and H. Krawczynski and F. Krennrich and Lang, {M. J.} and S. LeBohec and G. Maier and S. McArthur and A. McCann and M. McCutcheon and P. Moriarty and R. Muhkerjee",

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month = aug,

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doi = "10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L69",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Discovery of very high energy γ -ray emission from the SNR G54.1+0.3

AU - Acciari, V. A.

AU - Aliu, E.

AU - Arlen, T.

AU - Aune, T.

AU - Bautista, M.

AU - Beilicke, M.

AU - Benbow, W.

AU - Boltuch, D.

AU - Bradbury, S. M.

AU - Buckley, J. H.

AU - Bugaev, V.

AU - Butt, Y.

AU - Byrum, K.

AU - Cesarini, A.

AU - Ciupik, L.

AU - Cui, W.

AU - Dickherber, R.

AU - Duke, C.

AU - Finley, J. P.

AU - Finnegan, G.

AU - Fortson, L.

AU - Furniss, A.

AU - Galante, N.

AU - Gall, D.

AU - Gillanders, G. H.

AU - Godambe, S.

AU - Gotthelf, E. V.

AU - Grube, J.

AU - Guenette, R.

AU - Gyuk, G.

AU - Hanna, D.

AU - Holder, J.

AU - Hui, C. M.

AU - Humensky, T. B.

AU - Imran, A.

AU - Kaaret, P.

AU - Karlsson, N.

AU - Kertzman, M.

AU - Kieda, D.

AU - Konopelko, A.

AU - Krawczynski, H.

AU - Krennrich, F.

AU - Lang, M. J.

AU - LeBohec, S.

AU - Maier, G.

AU - McArthur, S.

AU - McCann, A.

AU - McCutcheon, M.

AU - Moriarty, P.

AU - Muhkerjee, R.

PY - 2010/8/10

Y1 - 2010/8/10

N2 - 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 ± 0.23 stat ± 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.

AB - 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 ± 0.23 stat ± 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.

KW - Gamma rays: general

KW - ISM: supernova remnants

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=78649298938&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L69

DO - 10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L69

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:78649298938

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 719

SP - L69-L73

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 1 PART 2

ER -

Discovery of very high energy γ -ray emission from the SNR G54.1+0.3

Abstract

Keywords

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