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Astrophysics and Astronomy

2012

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Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Constraints On Cosmic Rays, Magnetic Fields, And Dark Matter From Gamma-Ray Observations Of The Coma Cluster Of Galaxies With Veritas And Fermi, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al. Oct 2012

Constraints On Cosmic Rays, Magnetic Fields, And Dark Matter From Gamma-Ray Observations Of The Coma Cluster Of Galaxies With Veritas And Fermi, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al.

Physical Sciences Publications

Observations of radio halos and relics in galaxy clusters indicate efficient electron acceleration. Protons should likewise be accelerated and, on account of weak energy losses, can accumulate, suggesting that clusters may also be sources of very high energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray emission. We report here on VHE gamma-ray observations of the Coma galaxy cluster with the VERITAS array of imaging Cerenkov telescopes, with complementing Fermi Large Area Telescope observations at GeV energies. No significant gamma-ray emission from the Coma Cluster was detected. Integral flux upper limits at the 99% confidence level were measured to be on the order …


Variability Of The Blazar 4c 38.41 (B3 1633+382) From Ghz Frequencies To Gev Energies, Niall Smith, Et. Al. Sep 2012

Variability Of The Blazar 4c 38.41 (B3 1633+382) From Ghz Frequencies To Gev Energies, Niall Smith, Et. Al.

Blackrock Castle Observatory Publications

Context. After years of modest optical activity, the quasar-type blazar 4C 38.41 (B3 1633+382) experienced a large outburst in 2011, which was detected throughout the entire electromagnetic spectrum, renewing interest in this source.

Aims. We present the results of low-energy multifrequency monitoring by the GLAST-AGILE Support Program (GASP) of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) consortium and collaborators, as well as those of spectropolarimetric/spectrophotometric monitoring at the Steward Observatory. We also analyse high-energy observations of the Swift and Fermi satellites. This combined study aims to provide insights into the source broad-band emission and variability properties.

Methods. We assemble …


Multiwavelength Observations Of The Agn 1es 0414+009 With Veritas, Fermi-Lat, Swift-Xrt, And Mdm, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al. Aug 2012

Multiwavelength Observations Of The Agn 1es 0414+009 With Veritas, Fermi-Lat, Swift-Xrt, And Mdm, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al.

Physical Sciences Publications

We present observations of the BL Lac object 1ES 0414+009 in the >200 GeV gamma-ray band by the VERITAS array of Cherenkov telescopes. 1ES 0414+009 was observed by VERITAS between 2008 January and 2011 February, resulting in 56.2 hr of good quality pointed observations. These observations resulted in a detection of 822 events from the source corresponding to a statistical significance of 6.4 standard deviations (6.4σ) above the background. The source flux, showing no evidence for variability, is measured as (5.2 ± 1.1stat ± 2.6sys) × 10–12 photons cm–2 s–1 above 200 GeV, equivalent to approximately 2% of the Crab …


Veritas Observations Of The Nova In V407 Cygni, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al. Jul 2012

Veritas Observations Of The Nova In V407 Cygni, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al.

Physical Sciences Publications

We report on very high energy (E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray observations of V407 Cygni, a symbiotic binary that underwent a nova outburst producing 0.1-10 GeV gamma rays during 2010 March 10-26. Observations were made with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System during 2010 March 19-26 at relatively large zenith angles due to the position of V407 Cyg. An improved reconstruction technique for large zenith angle observations is presented and used to analyze the data. We do not detect V407 Cygni and place a differential upper limit on the flux at 1.6 TeV of 2.3 × 10–12 erg cm–2 …


Discovery Of Tev Gamma-Ray Emission Toward Supernova Remnant Snr G78.2+2.1, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al. Jun 2012

Discovery Of Tev Gamma-Ray Emission Toward Supernova Remnant Snr G78.2+2.1, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al.

Physical Sciences Publications

We report the discovery of an unidentified, extended source of very-high-energy gamma-ray emission, VER J2019+407, within the radio shell of the supernova remnant SNR G78.2+2.1, using 21.4 hr of data taken by the VERITAS gamma-ray observatory in 2009. These data confirm the preliminary indications of gamma-ray emission previously seen in a two-year (2007-2009) blind survey of the Cygnus region by VERITAS. VER J2019+407, which is detected at a post-trials significance of 7.5 standard deviations in the 2009 data, is localized to the northwestern rim of the remnant in a region of enhanced radio and X-ray emission. It has an intrinsic …


Discovery Of High-Energy And Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Emission From The Blazar Rbs 0413, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al. May 2012

Discovery Of High-Energy And Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Emission From The Blazar Rbs 0413, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al.

Physical Sciences Publications

We report on the discovery of high-energy (HE; E > 0.1 GeV) and very high energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) γ-ray emission from the high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object RBS 0413. VERITAS, a ground-based γ-ray observatory, detected VHE γ rays from RBS 0413 with a statistical significance of 5.5 standard deviations (σ) and a γ-ray flux of (1.5 ± 0.6stat ± 0.7syst) × 10–8 photons m–2 s–1 (~1% of the Crab Nebula flux) above 250 GeV. The observed spectrum can be described by a power law with a photon index of 3.18 ± 0.68stat ± 0.30syst. Contemporaneous observations with the Large Area …


Veritas Observations Of Day-Scale Flaring Of M 87 In 2010 April, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al. Feb 2012

Veritas Observations Of Day-Scale Flaring Of M 87 In 2010 April, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al.

Physical Sciences Publications

VERITAS has been monitoring the very-high-energy (VHE; > 100 GeV) gamma-ray activity of the radio galaxy M 87 since 2007. During 2008, flaring activity on a timescale of a few days was observed with a peak flux of (0.70 ± 0.16) × 10–11 cm–2 s–1 at energies above 350 GeV. In 2010 April, VERITAS detected a flare from M 87 with peak flux of (2.71 ± 0.68) × 10–11 cm–2 s–1 for E > 350 GeV. The source was observed for six consecutive nights during the flare, resulting in a total of 21 hr of good-quality data. The most rapid flux variation …


The 2010 Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Flare And 10 Years Of Multi-Wavelength Observations Of M 87, P. T. Reynolds, Hess, Magic, Veritas, Et. Al. Feb 2012

The 2010 Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Flare And 10 Years Of Multi-Wavelength Observations Of M 87, P. T. Reynolds, Hess, Magic, Veritas, Et. Al.

Physical Sciences Publications

The giant radio galaxy M 87 with its proximity (16 Mpc), famous jet, and very massive black hole ((3 – 6) × 109 M ☉) provides a unique opportunity to investigate the origin of very high energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) γ-ray emission generated in relativistic outflows and the surroundings of supermassive black holes. M 87 has been established as a VHE γ-ray emitter since 2006. The VHE γ-ray emission displays strong variability on timescales as short as a day. In this paper, results from a joint VHE monitoring campaign on M 87 by the MAGIC and VERITAS instruments in …