A low level of extragalactic background light as revealed by γ-rays from blazars

F. Aharonian; A. G. Akhperjanian; A. R. Bazer-Bachi; M. Beilicke; W. Benbow; D. Berge; K. Bernlöhr; C. Boisson; O. Bolz; V. Borrel; I. Braun; F. Breitling; A. M. Brown; P. M. Chadwick; L. M. Chounet; R. Cornils; L. Costamante; B. Degrange; H. J. Dickinson; A. Djannati-Ataï; L. O C Drury; G. Dubus; D. Emmanoulopoulos; P. Espigat; F. Feinstein; G. Fontaine; Y. Fuchs; S. Funk; Y. A. Gallant; B. Giebels; S. Gillessen; J. F. Glicenstein; P. Goret; C. Hadjichristidis; D. Hauser; M. Hauser; G. Heinzelmann; G. Henri; G. Hermann; J. A. Hinton; W. Hofmann; M. Holleran; D. Horns; A. Jacholkowska; O. C. De Jager; B. Khélifi; S. Klages; Nu Komin; A. Konopelko; I. J. Latham; R. Le Gallou; A. Lemière; M. Lemoine-Goumard; N. Leroy; T. Lohse; J. M. Martin; O. Martineau-Huynh; A. Marcowith; C. Masterson; T. J L McComb; M. De Naurois; S. J. Nolan; A. Noutsos; K. J. Orford; J. L. Osborne; M. Ouchrif; M. Panter; G. Pelletier; S. Pita; G. Pühlhofer; M. Punch; B. C. Raubenheimer; M. Raue; J. Raux; S. M. Rayner; A. Reimer; O. Reimer; J. Ripken; L. Rob; L. Rolland; G. Rowell; V. Sahakian; L. Saugé; S. Schlenker; R. Schlickeiser; C. Schuster; U. Schwanke; M. Siewert; H. Sol; D. Spangler; R. Steenkamp; C. Stegmann; J. P. Tavernet; R. Terrier; C. G. Théoret; M. Tluczykont; C. Van Eldik; G. Vasileiadis; C. Venter; P. Vincent; H. J. Völk; S. J. Wagner

doi:10.1038/nature04680

A low level of extragalactic background light as revealed by γ-rays from blazars

F. Aharonian, A. G. Akhperjanian, A. R. Bazer-Bachi, M. Beilicke, W. Benbow, D. Berge, K. Bernlöhr, C. Boisson, O. Bolz, V. Borrel, I. Braun, F. Breitling, A. M. Brown, P. M. Chadwick, L. M. Chounet, R. Cornils, L. Costamante, B. Degrange, H. J. Dickinson, A. Djannati-AtaïL. O C Drury, G. Dubus, D. Emmanoulopoulos, P. Espigat, F. Feinstein, G. Fontaine, Y. Fuchs, S. Funk, Y. A. Gallant, B. Giebels, S. Gillessen, J. F. Glicenstein, P. Goret, C. Hadjichristidis, D. Hauser, M. Hauser, G. Heinzelmann, G. Henri, G. Hermann, J. A. Hinton, W. Hofmann, M. Holleran, D. Horns, A. Jacholkowska, O. C. De Jager, B. Khélifi, S. Klages, Nu Komin, A. Konopelko, I. J. Latham, R. Le Gallou, A. Lemière, M. Lemoine-Goumard, N. Leroy, T. Lohse, J. M. Martin, O. Martineau-Huynh, A. Marcowith, C. Masterson, T. J L McComb, M. De Naurois, S. J. Nolan, A. Noutsos, K. J. Orford, J. L. Osborne, M. Ouchrif, M. Panter, G. Pelletier, S. Pita, G. Pühlhofer, M. Punch, B. C. Raubenheimer, M. Raue, J. Raux, S. M. Rayner, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, J. Ripken, L. Rob, L. Rolland, G. Rowell, V. Sahakian, L. Saugé, S. Schlenker, R. Schlickeiser, C. Schuster, U. Schwanke, M. Siewert, H. Sol, D. Spangler, R. Steenkamp, C. Stegmann, J. P. Tavernet, R. Terrier, C. G. Théoret, M. Tluczykont, C. Van Eldik, G. Vasileiadis, C. Venter, P. Vincent, H. J. Völk, S. J. Wagner

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

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

535 Scopus citations

Abstract

The diffuse extragalactic background light consists of the sum of the starlight emitted by galaxies through the history of the Universe, and it could also have an important contribution from the 'first stars', which may have formed before galaxy formation began. Direct measurements are difficult and not yet conclusive, owing to the large uncertainties caused by the bright foreground emission associated with zodiacal light¹. An alternative approach^2-5 is to study the absorption features imprinted on the γ-ray spectra of distant extragalactic objects by interactions of those photons with the background light photons⁶. Here we report the discovery of γ-ray emission from the blazars⁷ H 2356-309 and 1ES 1101-232, at redshifts z = 0.165 and z = 0.186, respectively. Their unexpectedly hard spectra provide an upper limit on the background light at optical/near-infrared wavelengths that appears to be very close to the lower limit given by the integrated light of resolved galaxies⁸. The background flux at these wavelengths accordingly seems to be strongly dominated by the direct starlight from galaxies, thus excluding a large contribution from other sources - in particular from the first stars formed⁹. This result also indicates that intergalactic space is more transparent to γ-rays than previously thought.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1018-1021
Number of pages	4
Journal	Nature
Volume	440
Issue number	7087
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04680
State	Published - Apr 20 2006

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgements The support of the Namibian authorities and of the University of Namibia in facilitating the construction and operation of HESS is gratefully acknowledged, as is the support by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), the Max Planck Society, the French Ministry for Research, the CNRS-IN2P3 and the Astroparticle Interdisciplinary Programme of the CNRS, the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC), the IPNP of the Charles University, the South African Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation, and by the University of Namibia. We appreciate the excellent work of the technical support staff in Berlin, Durham, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Palaiseau, Paris, Saclay, and in Namibia in the construction and operation of the equipment. The European Associated Laboratory for Gamma-Ray Astronomy is jointly supported by CNRS and MPG.

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Aharonian, F., Akhperjanian, A. G., Bazer-Bachi, A. R., Beilicke, M., Benbow, W., Berge, D., Bernlöhr, K., Boisson, C., Bolz, O., Borrel, V., Braun, I., Breitling, F., Brown, A. M., Chadwick, P. M., Chounet, L. M., Cornils, R., Costamante, L., Degrange, B., Dickinson, H. J., ... Wagner, S. J. (2006). A low level of extragalactic background light as revealed by γ-rays from blazars. Nature, 440(7087), 1018-1021. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04680

Aharonian, F, Akhperjanian, AG, Bazer-Bachi, AR, Beilicke, M, Benbow, W, Berge, D, Bernlöhr, K, Boisson, C, Bolz, O, Borrel, V, Braun, I, Breitling, F, Brown, AM, Chadwick, PM, Chounet, LM, Cornils, R, Costamante, L, Degrange, B, Dickinson, HJ, Djannati-Ataï, A, Drury, LOC, Dubus, G, Emmanoulopoulos, D, Espigat, P, Feinstein, F, Fontaine, G, Fuchs, Y, Funk, S, Gallant, YA, Giebels, B, Gillessen, S, Glicenstein, JF, Goret, P, Hadjichristidis, C, Hauser, D, Hauser, M, Heinzelmann, G, Henri, G, Hermann, G, Hinton, JA, Hofmann, W, Holleran, M, Horns, D, Jacholkowska, A, De Jager, OC, Khélifi, B, Klages, S, Komin, N, Konopelko, A, Latham, IJ, Le Gallou, R, Lemière, A, Lemoine-Goumard, M, Leroy, N, Lohse, T, Martin, JM, Martineau-Huynh, O, Marcowith, A, Masterson, C, McComb, TJL, De Naurois, M, Nolan, SJ, Noutsos, A, Orford, KJ, Osborne, JL, Ouchrif, M, Panter, M, Pelletier, G, Pita, S, Pühlhofer, G, Punch, M, Raubenheimer, BC, Raue, M, Raux, J, Rayner, SM, Reimer, A, Reimer, O, Ripken, J, Rob, L, Rolland, L, Rowell, G, Sahakian, V, Saugé, L, Schlenker, S, Schlickeiser, R, Schuster, C, Schwanke, U, Siewert, M, Sol, H, Spangler, D, Steenkamp, R, Stegmann, C, Tavernet, JP, Terrier, R, Théoret, CG, Tluczykont, M, Van Eldik, C, Vasileiadis, G, Venter, C, Vincent, P, Völk, HJ & Wagner, SJ 2006, 'A low level of extragalactic background light as revealed by γ-rays from blazars', Nature, vol. 440, no. 7087, pp. 1018-1021. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04680

@article{eac1c8eb80314c7ebe19c27f02d5d062,

title = "A low level of extragalactic background light as revealed by γ-rays from blazars",

abstract = "The diffuse extragalactic background light consists of the sum of the starlight emitted by galaxies through the history of the Universe, and it could also have an important contribution from the 'first stars', which may have formed before galaxy formation began. Direct measurements are difficult and not yet conclusive, owing to the large uncertainties caused by the bright foreground emission associated with zodiacal light1. An alternative approach2-5 is to study the absorption features imprinted on the γ-ray spectra of distant extragalactic objects by interactions of those photons with the background light photons6. Here we report the discovery of γ-ray emission from the blazars7 H 2356-309 and 1ES 1101-232, at redshifts z = 0.165 and z = 0.186, respectively. Their unexpectedly hard spectra provide an upper limit on the background light at optical/near-infrared wavelengths that appears to be very close to the lower limit given by the integrated light of resolved galaxies8. The background flux at these wavelengths accordingly seems to be strongly dominated by the direct starlight from galaxies, thus excluding a large contribution from other sources - in particular from the first stars formed9. This result also indicates that intergalactic space is more transparent to γ-rays than previously thought.",

author = "F. Aharonian and Akhperjanian, {A. G.} and Bazer-Bachi, {A. R.} and M. Beilicke and W. Benbow and D. Berge and K. Bernl{\"o}hr and C. Boisson and O. Bolz and V. Borrel and I. Braun and F. Breitling and Brown, {A. M.} and Chadwick, {P. M.} and Chounet, {L. M.} and R. Cornils and L. Costamante and B. Degrange and Dickinson, {H. J.} and A. Djannati-Ata{\"i} and Drury, {L. O C} and G. Dubus and D. Emmanoulopoulos and P. Espigat and F. Feinstein and G. Fontaine and Y. Fuchs and S. Funk and Gallant, {Y. A.} and B. Giebels and S. Gillessen and Glicenstein, {J. F.} and P. Goret and C. Hadjichristidis and D. Hauser and M. Hauser and G. Heinzelmann and G. Henri and G. Hermann and Hinton, {J. A.} and W. Hofmann and M. Holleran and D. Horns and A. Jacholkowska and {De Jager}, {O. C.} and B. Kh{\'e}lifi and S. Klages and Nu Komin and A. Konopelko and Latham, {I. J.} and {Le Gallou}, R. and A. Lemi{\`e}re and M. Lemoine-Goumard and N. Leroy and T. Lohse and Martin, {J. M.} and O. Martineau-Huynh and A. Marcowith and C. Masterson and McComb, {T. J L} and {De Naurois}, M. and Nolan, {S. J.} and A. Noutsos and Orford, {K. J.} and Osborne, {J. L.} and M. Ouchrif and M. Panter and G. Pelletier and S. Pita and G. P{\"u}hlhofer and M. Punch and Raubenheimer, {B. C.} and M. Raue and J. Raux and Rayner, {S. M.} and A. Reimer and O. Reimer and J. Ripken and L. Rob and L. Rolland and G. Rowell and V. Sahakian and L. Saug{\'e} and S. Schlenker and R. Schlickeiser and C. Schuster and U. Schwanke and M. Siewert and H. Sol and D. Spangler and R. Steenkamp and C. Stegmann and Tavernet, {J. P.} and R. Terrier and Th{\'e}oret, {C. G.} and M. Tluczykont and {Van Eldik}, C. and G. Vasileiadis and C. Venter and P. Vincent and V{\"o}lk, {H. J.} and Wagner, {S. J.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements The support of the Namibian authorities and of the University of Namibia in facilitating the construction and operation of HESS is gratefully acknowledged, as is the support by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), the Max Planck Society, the French Ministry for Research, the CNRS-IN2P3 and the Astroparticle Interdisciplinary Programme of the CNRS, the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC), the IPNP of the Charles University, the South African Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation, and by the University of Namibia. We appreciate the excellent work of the technical support staff in Berlin, Durham, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Palaiseau, Paris, Saclay, and in Namibia in the construction and operation of the equipment. The European Associated Laboratory for Gamma-Ray Astronomy is jointly supported by CNRS and MPG.",

year = "2006",

month = apr,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1038/nature04680",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "440",

pages = "1018--1021",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

number = "7087",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A low level of extragalactic background light as revealed by γ-rays from blazars

AU - Aharonian, F.

AU - Akhperjanian, A. G.

AU - Bazer-Bachi, A. R.

AU - Beilicke, M.

AU - Benbow, W.

AU - Berge, D.

AU - Bernlöhr, K.

AU - Boisson, C.

AU - Bolz, O.

AU - Borrel, V.

AU - Braun, I.

AU - Breitling, F.

AU - Brown, A. M.

AU - Chadwick, P. M.

AU - Chounet, L. M.

AU - Cornils, R.

AU - Costamante, L.

AU - Degrange, B.

AU - Dickinson, H. J.

AU - Djannati-Ataï, A.

AU - Drury, L. O C

AU - Dubus, G.

AU - Emmanoulopoulos, D.

AU - Espigat, P.

AU - Feinstein, F.

AU - Fontaine, G.

AU - Fuchs, Y.

AU - Funk, S.

AU - Gallant, Y. A.

AU - Giebels, B.

AU - Gillessen, S.

AU - Glicenstein, J. F.

AU - Goret, P.

AU - Hadjichristidis, C.

AU - Hauser, D.

AU - Hauser, M.

AU - Heinzelmann, G.

AU - Henri, G.

AU - Hermann, G.

AU - Hinton, J. A.

AU - Hofmann, W.

AU - Holleran, M.

AU - Horns, D.

AU - Jacholkowska, A.

AU - De Jager, O. C.

AU - Khélifi, B.

AU - Klages, S.

AU - Komin, Nu

AU - Konopelko, A.

AU - Latham, I. J.

AU - Le Gallou, R.

AU - Lemière, A.

AU - Lemoine-Goumard, M.

AU - Leroy, N.

AU - Lohse, T.

AU - Martin, J. M.

AU - Martineau-Huynh, O.

AU - Marcowith, A.

AU - Masterson, C.

AU - McComb, T. J L

AU - De Naurois, M.

AU - Nolan, S. J.

AU - Noutsos, A.

AU - Orford, K. J.

AU - Osborne, J. L.

AU - Ouchrif, M.

AU - Panter, M.

AU - Pelletier, G.

AU - Pita, S.

AU - Pühlhofer, G.

AU - Punch, M.

AU - Raubenheimer, B. C.

AU - Raue, M.

AU - Raux, J.

AU - Rayner, S. M.

AU - Reimer, A.

AU - Reimer, O.

AU - Ripken, J.

AU - Rob, L.

AU - Rolland, L.

AU - Rowell, G.

AU - Sahakian, V.

AU - Saugé, L.

AU - Schlenker, S.

AU - Schlickeiser, R.

AU - Schuster, C.

AU - Schwanke, U.

AU - Siewert, M.

AU - Sol, H.

AU - Spangler, D.

AU - Steenkamp, R.

AU - Stegmann, C.

AU - Tavernet, J. P.

AU - Terrier, R.

AU - Théoret, C. G.

AU - Tluczykont, M.

AU - Van Eldik, C.

AU - Vasileiadis, G.

AU - Venter, C.

AU - Vincent, P.

AU - Völk, H. J.

AU - Wagner, S. J.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements The support of the Namibian authorities and of the University of Namibia in facilitating the construction and operation of HESS is gratefully acknowledged, as is the support by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), the Max Planck Society, the French Ministry for Research, the CNRS-IN2P3 and the Astroparticle Interdisciplinary Programme of the CNRS, the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC), the IPNP of the Charles University, the South African Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation, and by the University of Namibia. We appreciate the excellent work of the technical support staff in Berlin, Durham, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Palaiseau, Paris, Saclay, and in Namibia in the construction and operation of the equipment. The European Associated Laboratory for Gamma-Ray Astronomy is jointly supported by CNRS and MPG.

PY - 2006/4/20

Y1 - 2006/4/20

N2 - The diffuse extragalactic background light consists of the sum of the starlight emitted by galaxies through the history of the Universe, and it could also have an important contribution from the 'first stars', which may have formed before galaxy formation began. Direct measurements are difficult and not yet conclusive, owing to the large uncertainties caused by the bright foreground emission associated with zodiacal light1. An alternative approach2-5 is to study the absorption features imprinted on the γ-ray spectra of distant extragalactic objects by interactions of those photons with the background light photons6. Here we report the discovery of γ-ray emission from the blazars7 H 2356-309 and 1ES 1101-232, at redshifts z = 0.165 and z = 0.186, respectively. Their unexpectedly hard spectra provide an upper limit on the background light at optical/near-infrared wavelengths that appears to be very close to the lower limit given by the integrated light of resolved galaxies8. The background flux at these wavelengths accordingly seems to be strongly dominated by the direct starlight from galaxies, thus excluding a large contribution from other sources - in particular from the first stars formed9. This result also indicates that intergalactic space is more transparent to γ-rays than previously thought.

AB - The diffuse extragalactic background light consists of the sum of the starlight emitted by galaxies through the history of the Universe, and it could also have an important contribution from the 'first stars', which may have formed before galaxy formation began. Direct measurements are difficult and not yet conclusive, owing to the large uncertainties caused by the bright foreground emission associated with zodiacal light1. An alternative approach2-5 is to study the absorption features imprinted on the γ-ray spectra of distant extragalactic objects by interactions of those photons with the background light photons6. Here we report the discovery of γ-ray emission from the blazars7 H 2356-309 and 1ES 1101-232, at redshifts z = 0.165 and z = 0.186, respectively. Their unexpectedly hard spectra provide an upper limit on the background light at optical/near-infrared wavelengths that appears to be very close to the lower limit given by the integrated light of resolved galaxies8. The background flux at these wavelengths accordingly seems to be strongly dominated by the direct starlight from galaxies, thus excluding a large contribution from other sources - in particular from the first stars formed9. This result also indicates that intergalactic space is more transparent to γ-rays than previously thought.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33646197412&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33646197412&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/nature04680

DO - 10.1038/nature04680

M3 - Article

C2 - 16625189

AN - SCOPUS:33646197412

VL - 440

SP - 1018

EP - 1021

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

SN - 0028-0836

IS - 7087

ER -

A low level of extragalactic background light as revealed by γ-rays from blazars

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