Astronomy: Discovery of very high energy gamma rays associated with an X-ray binary

F. Aharonian, A. C. Akhperjanian, K. M. Aye, A. R. Bazer-Bachi, M. Beilicke, W. Benbow, D. Berge, P. Berghaus, K. Bernlöhr, C. Boisson, O. Bolz, V. Borrel, I. Braun, F. Breitling, A. M. Brown, J. Bussons Gordo, P. M. Chadwick, L. M. Chounet, R. Cornils, L. CostamanteB. Degrange, H. J. Dickinson, A. Djannati-Ataï, L. O C Drury, G. Dubus, D. Emmanoulopoulos, P. Espigat, F. Feinstein, P. Fleury, C. Fontaine, Y. Fuchs, S. Funk, Y. A. Gallant, B. Giebels, S. Gillessen, J. F. Glicenstein, P. Goret, C. Hadjichristidis, 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, Nu Komin, A. Konopelko, I. J. Latham, R. Le Gallou, A. Lemière, M. Lemoine-Goumard, N. Leroy, T. Lohse, A. Marcowith, J. M. Martin, O. Martineau-Huynh, 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, G. Vasileiadis, C. Venter, P. Vincent, H. J. Völk, S. J. Wagner

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334 Scopus citations

Abstract

X-ray binaries are composed of a normal star in orbit around a neutron star or stellar-mass black hole. Radio and x-ray observations have led to the presumption that some x-ray binaries called microquasars behave as scaled-down active galactic nuclei. Microquasars have resolved radio emission that is thought to arise from a relativistic outflow akin to active galactic nuclei jets, in which particles can be accelerated to large energies. Very high energy γ-rays produced by the interactions of these particles have been observed from several active galactic nuclei. Using the High Energy Stereoscopic System, we find evidence for gamma-ray emission of >100 gigaelectron volts from a candidate microquasar, LS 5039, showing that particles are also accelerated to very high energies in these systems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)746-749
Number of pages4
JournalScience
Volume309
Issue number5735
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 29 2005

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