VERITAS Observations of the BL Lac Object TXS 0506+056

A. U. Abeysekara; A. Archer; W. Benbow; R. Bird; A. Brill; R. Brose; J. H. Buckley; J. L. Christiansen; A. J. Chromey; M. K. Daniel; A. Falcone; Q. Feng; J. P. Finley; L. Fortson; A. Furniss; G. H. Gillanders; O. Gueta; D. Hanna; O. Hervet; J. Holder; G. Hughes; T. B. Humensky; C. A. Johnson; P. Kaaret; P. Kar; N. Kelley-Hoskins; M. Kertzman; D. Kieda; M. Krause; F. Krennrich; M. J. Lang; P. Moriarty; R. Mukherjee; S. O'Brien; R. A. Ong; A. N. Otte; N. Park; A. Petrashyk; M. Pohl; E. Pueschel; J. Quinn; K. Ragan; P. T. Reynolds; G. T. Richards; E. Roache; C. Rulten; I. Sadeh; M. Santander; S. S. Scott; G. H. Sembroski; K. Shahinyan; J. Tyler; S. P. Wakely; A. Weinstein; R. M. Wells; P. Wilcox; A. Wilhelm; D. A. Williams; T. J. Williamson; B. Zitzer; A. Kaur

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aad053

VERITAS Observations of the BL Lac Object TXS 0506+056

A. U. Abeysekara, A. Archer, W. Benbow, R. Bird, A. Brill, R. Brose, J. H. Buckley, J. L. Christiansen, A. J. Chromey, M. K. Daniel, A. Falcone, Q. Feng, J. P. Finley, L. Fortson, A. Furniss, G. H. Gillanders, O. Gueta, D. Hanna, O. Hervet, J. HolderG. Hughes, T. B. Humensky, C. A. Johnson, P. Kaaret, P. Kar, N. Kelley-Hoskins, M. Kertzman, D. Kieda, M. Krause, F. Krennrich, M. J. Lang, P. Moriarty, R. Mukherjee, S. O'Brien, R. A. Ong, A. N. Otte, N. Park, A. Petrashyk, M. Pohl, E. Pueschel, J. Quinn, K. Ragan, P. T. Reynolds, G. T. Richards, E. Roache, C. Rulten, I. Sadeh, M. Santander, S. S. Scott, G. H. Sembroski, K. Shahinyan, J. Tyler, S. P. Wakely, A. Weinstein, R. M. Wells, P. Wilcox, A. Wilhelm, D. A. Williams, T. J. Williamson, B. Zitzer, A. Kaur

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

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Abstract

On 2017 September 22, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory reported the detection of the high-energy neutrino event IC 170922A, of potential astrophysical origin. It was soon determined that the neutrino direction was consistent with the location of the gamma-ray blazar TXS 0506+056 (3FGL J0509.4+0541), which was in an elevated gamma-ray emission state as measured by the Fermi satellite. Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) observations of the neutrino/blazar region started on 2017 September 23 in response to the neutrino alert and continued through 2018 February 6. While no significant very-high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) emission was observed from the blazar by VERITAS in the two-week period immediately following the IceCube alert, TXS 0506+056 was detected by VERITAS with a significance of 5.8 standard deviations (σ) in the full 35 hr data set. The average photon flux of the source during this period was (8.9 1.6) 10^-12 cm^-2 s^-1, or 1.6% of the Crab Nebula flux, above an energy threshold of 110 GeV, with a soft spectral index of 4.8 1.3.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	L20
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	861
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aad053
State	Published - Jul 10 2018

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© 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

Keywords

BL Lacertae objects: individual (TXS 0506+056, VER J0509+057)
astroparticle physics
gamma rays: galaxies
neutrinos
quasars: general

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Abeysekara, A. U., Archer, A., Benbow, W., Bird, R., Brill, A., Brose, R., Buckley, J. H., Christiansen, J. L., Chromey, A. J., Daniel, M. K., Falcone, A., Feng, Q., Finley, J. P., Fortson, L., Furniss, A., Gillanders, G. H., Gueta, O., Hanna, D., Hervet, O., ... Kaur, A. (2018). VERITAS Observations of the BL Lac Object TXS 0506+056. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 861(2), Article L20. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aad053

Abeysekara, AU, Archer, A, Benbow, W, Bird, R, Brill, A, Brose, R, Buckley, JH, Christiansen, JL, Chromey, AJ, Daniel, MK, Falcone, A, Feng, Q, Finley, JP, Fortson, L, Furniss, A, Gillanders, GH, Gueta, O, Hanna, D, Hervet, O, Holder, J, Hughes, G, Humensky, TB, Johnson, CA, Kaaret, P, Kar, P, Kelley-Hoskins, N, Kertzman, M, Kieda, D, Krause, M, Krennrich, F, Lang, MJ, Moriarty, P, Mukherjee, R, O'Brien, S, Ong, RA, Otte, AN, Park, N, Petrashyk, A, Pohl, M, Pueschel, E, Quinn, J, Ragan, K, Reynolds, PT, Richards, GT, Roache, E, Rulten, C, Sadeh, I, Santander, M, Scott, SS, Sembroski, GH, Shahinyan, K, Tyler, J, Wakely, SP, Weinstein, A, Wells, RM, Wilcox, P, Wilhelm, A, Williams, DA, Williamson, TJ, Zitzer, B & Kaur, A 2018, 'VERITAS Observations of the BL Lac Object TXS 0506+056', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 861, no. 2, L20. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aad053

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title = "VERITAS Observations of the BL Lac Object TXS 0506+056",

abstract = "On 2017 September 22, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory reported the detection of the high-energy neutrino event IC 170922A, of potential astrophysical origin. It was soon determined that the neutrino direction was consistent with the location of the gamma-ray blazar TXS 0506+056 (3FGL J0509.4+0541), which was in an elevated gamma-ray emission state as measured by the Fermi satellite. Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) observations of the neutrino/blazar region started on 2017 September 23 in response to the neutrino alert and continued through 2018 February 6. While no significant very-high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) emission was observed from the blazar by VERITAS in the two-week period immediately following the IceCube alert, TXS 0506+056 was detected by VERITAS with a significance of 5.8 standard deviations (σ) in the full 35 hr data set. The average photon flux of the source during this period was (8.9 1.6) 10-12 cm-2 s-1, or 1.6% of the Crab Nebula flux, above an energy threshold of 110 GeV, with a soft spectral index of 4.8 1.3.",

keywords = "BL Lacertae objects: individual (TXS 0506+056, VER J0509+057), astroparticle physics, gamma rays: galaxies, neutrinos, quasars: general",

author = "Abeysekara, {A. U.} and A. Archer and W. Benbow and R. Bird and A. Brill and R. Brose and Buckley, {J. H.} and Christiansen, {J. L.} and Chromey, {A. J.} and Daniel, {M. K.} and A. Falcone and Q. Feng and Finley, {J. P.} and L. Fortson and A. Furniss and Gillanders, {G. H.} and O. Gueta and D. Hanna and O. Hervet and J. Holder and G. Hughes and Humensky, {T. B.} and Johnson, {C. A.} and P. Kaaret and P. Kar and N. Kelley-Hoskins and M. Kertzman and D. Kieda and M. Krause and F. Krennrich and Lang, {M. J.} and P. Moriarty and R. Mukherjee and S. O'Brien and Ong, {R. A.} and Otte, {A. N.} and N. Park and A. Petrashyk and M. Pohl and E. Pueschel and J. Quinn and K. Ragan and Reynolds, {P. T.} and Richards, {G. T.} and E. Roache and C. Rulten and I. Sadeh and M. Santander and Scott, {S. S.} and Sembroski, {G. H.} and K. Shahinyan and J. Tyler and Wakely, {S. P.} and A. Weinstein and Wells, {R. M.} and P. Wilcox and A. Wilhelm and Williams, {D. A.} and Williamson, {T. J.} and B. Zitzer and A. Kaur",

year = "2018",

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doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/aad053",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - VERITAS Observations of the BL Lac Object TXS 0506+056

AU - Abeysekara, A. U.

AU - Archer, A.

AU - Benbow, W.

AU - Bird, R.

AU - Brill, A.

AU - Brose, R.

AU - Buckley, J. H.

AU - Christiansen, J. L.

AU - Chromey, A. J.

AU - Daniel, M. K.

AU - Falcone, A.

AU - Feng, Q.

AU - Finley, J. P.

AU - Fortson, L.

AU - Furniss, A.

AU - Gillanders, G. H.

AU - Gueta, O.

AU - Hanna, D.

AU - Hervet, O.

AU - Holder, J.

AU - Hughes, G.

AU - Humensky, T. B.

AU - Johnson, C. A.

AU - Kaaret, P.

AU - Kar, P.

AU - Kelley-Hoskins, N.

AU - Kertzman, M.

AU - Kieda, D.

AU - Krause, M.

AU - Krennrich, F.

AU - Lang, M. J.

AU - Moriarty, P.

AU - Mukherjee, R.

AU - O'Brien, S.

AU - Ong, R. A.

AU - Otte, A. N.

AU - Park, N.

AU - Petrashyk, A.

AU - Pohl, M.

AU - Pueschel, E.

AU - Quinn, J.

AU - Ragan, K.

AU - Reynolds, P. T.

AU - Richards, G. T.

AU - Roache, E.

AU - Rulten, C.

AU - Sadeh, I.

AU - Santander, M.

AU - Scott, S. S.

AU - Sembroski, G. H.

AU - Shahinyan, K.

AU - Tyler, J.

AU - Wakely, S. P.

AU - Weinstein, A.

AU - Wells, R. M.

AU - Wilcox, P.

AU - Wilhelm, A.

AU - Williams, D. A.

AU - Williamson, T. J.

AU - Zitzer, B.

AU - Kaur, A.

PY - 2018/7/10

Y1 - 2018/7/10

N2 - On 2017 September 22, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory reported the detection of the high-energy neutrino event IC 170922A, of potential astrophysical origin. It was soon determined that the neutrino direction was consistent with the location of the gamma-ray blazar TXS 0506+056 (3FGL J0509.4+0541), which was in an elevated gamma-ray emission state as measured by the Fermi satellite. Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) observations of the neutrino/blazar region started on 2017 September 23 in response to the neutrino alert and continued through 2018 February 6. While no significant very-high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) emission was observed from the blazar by VERITAS in the two-week period immediately following the IceCube alert, TXS 0506+056 was detected by VERITAS with a significance of 5.8 standard deviations (σ) in the full 35 hr data set. The average photon flux of the source during this period was (8.9 1.6) 10-12 cm-2 s-1, or 1.6% of the Crab Nebula flux, above an energy threshold of 110 GeV, with a soft spectral index of 4.8 1.3.

AB - On 2017 September 22, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory reported the detection of the high-energy neutrino event IC 170922A, of potential astrophysical origin. It was soon determined that the neutrino direction was consistent with the location of the gamma-ray blazar TXS 0506+056 (3FGL J0509.4+0541), which was in an elevated gamma-ray emission state as measured by the Fermi satellite. Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) observations of the neutrino/blazar region started on 2017 September 23 in response to the neutrino alert and continued through 2018 February 6. While no significant very-high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) emission was observed from the blazar by VERITAS in the two-week period immediately following the IceCube alert, TXS 0506+056 was detected by VERITAS with a significance of 5.8 standard deviations (σ) in the full 35 hr data set. The average photon flux of the source during this period was (8.9 1.6) 10-12 cm-2 s-1, or 1.6% of the Crab Nebula flux, above an energy threshold of 110 GeV, with a soft spectral index of 4.8 1.3.

KW - BL Lacertae objects: individual (TXS 0506+056, VER J0509+057)

KW - astroparticle physics

KW - gamma rays: galaxies

KW - neutrinos

KW - quasars: general

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85050004763&partnerID=8YFLogxK

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DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/aad053

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85050004763

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 861

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 2

M1 - L20

ER -

VERITAS Observations of the BL Lac Object TXS 0506+056

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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