First detection of a VHE gamma-ray spectral maximum from a cosmic source: HESS discovery of the Vela X nebula

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; R. Bühler; I. Büsching; S. Carrigan; P. M. Chadwick; L. M. Chounet; R. Cornils; L. Costamante; B. Degrange; H. J. Dickinson; A. Djannati-Ataï; L. O C Drury; G. Dubus; K. Egberts; D. Emmanoulopoulos; B. Epinat; P. Espigat; F. Feinstein; E. Ferrero; G. Fontaine; S. Funk; S. Funk; Y. A. Gallant; B. Giebels; 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; N. Komin; A. Konopelko; I. J. Latham; R. le Gallou; A. Lemière; M. Lemoine-Goumard; T. Lohse; J. M. Martin; O. Martineau-Huynh; A. Marcowith; C. Masterson; T. J L McComb; M. de Naurois; D. Nedbal; 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; S. M. Rayner; A. Reimer; O. Reimer; J. Ripken; L. Rob; L. Rolland; G. Rowell; V. Sahakian; L. Saugé; S. Schlenker; R. Schlickeiser; U. Schwanke; H. Sol; D. Spangler; F. Spanier; R. Steenkamp; C. Stegmann; G. Superina; 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; M. Ward

doi:10.1051/0004-6361:200600014

First detection of a VHE gamma-ray spectral maximum from a cosmic source: HESS discovery of the Vela X nebula

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, R. Bühler, I. Büsching, S. Carrigan, P. M. Chadwick, L. M. Chounet, R. Cornils, L. CostamanteB. Degrange, H. J. Dickinson, A. Djannati-Ataï, L. O C Drury, G. Dubus, K. Egberts, D. Emmanoulopoulos, B. Epinat, P. Espigat, F. Feinstein, E. Ferrero, G. Fontaine, S. Funk, S. Funk, Y. A. Gallant, B. Giebels, 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, N. Komin, A. Konopelko, I. J. Latham, R. le Gallou, A. Lemière, M. Lemoine-Goumard, T. Lohse, J. M. Martin, O. Martineau-Huynh, A. Marcowith, C. Masterson, T. J L McComb, M. de Naurois, D. Nedbal, 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, S. M. Rayner, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, J. Ripken, L. Rob, L. Rolland, G. Rowell, V. Sahakian, L. Saugé, S. Schlenker, R. Schlickeiser, U. Schwanke, H. Sol, D. Spangler, F. Spanier, R. Steenkamp, C. Stegmann, G. Superina, 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, M. Ward

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

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

187 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Vela supernova remnant (SNR) is a complex region containing a number of sources of non-thermal radiation. The inner section of this SNR, within 2 degrees of the pulsar PSR B0833-45, has been observed by the HESS γ-ray atmospheric Cherenkov detector in 2004 and 2005. A strong signal is seen from an extended region to the south of the pulsar, within an integration region of radius 0.8° around the position (α = 08^h35 ^m00^s, δ = -45°36′ J2000.0). The excess coincides with a region of hard X-ray emission seen by the ROSAT and ASCA satellites. The observed energy spectrum of the source between 550 GeV and 65 TeV is well fit by a power law function with photon index Γ = 1.45 ± 0.09_stat ± 0.2_sys and an exponential cutoff at an energy of 13.8 ± 2.3_stat ± 4.1 _sys TeV. The integral flux above 1 TeV is (1.28 ± 0.17 _stat ± 0.38_sys) × 10^-11 cm ^-2 s^-1. This result is the first clear measurement of a peak in the spectral energy distribution from a VHE γ-ray source, likely related to inverse Compton emission. A fit of an Inverse Compton model to the HESS spectral energy distribution gives a total energy in non-thermal electrons of ∼2 × 10⁴⁵ erg between 5 TeV and 100 TeV, assuming a distance of 290 parsec to the pulsar. The best fit electron power law index is 2.0, with a spectral break at 67 TeV.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L43-L47
Journal	Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume	448
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:200600014
State	Published - Mar 2006

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors gratefully acknowledge the generous funding from (1) the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore under the Competitive Research Programme (CRP) Funding Scheme (R-265-000-466-281), (2) the National Research Foundation Singapore under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) programme and (3) the China Scholarship Council (CSC).

Keywords

Gamma rays: observations
Ism: plerions

Publisher link

10.1051/0004-6361:200600014

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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., Bühler, R., Büsching, I., Carrigan, S., Chadwick, P. M., Chounet, L. M., Cornils, R., ... Ward, M. (2006). First detection of a VHE gamma-ray spectral maximum from a cosmic source: HESS discovery of the Vela X nebula. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 448(2), L43-L47. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:200600014

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, Bühler, R, Büsching, I, Carrigan, S, Chadwick, PM, Chounet, LM, Cornils, R, Costamante, L, Degrange, B, Dickinson, HJ, Djannati-Ataï, A, Drury, LOC, Dubus, G, Egberts, K, Emmanoulopoulos, D, Epinat, B, Espigat, P, Feinstein, F, Ferrero, E, Fontaine, G, Funk, S, Funk, S, Gallant, YA, Giebels, B, 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, Komin, N, Konopelko, A, Latham, IJ, le Gallou, R, Lemière, A, Lemoine-Goumard, M, Lohse, T, Martin, JM, Martineau-Huynh, O, Marcowith, A, Masterson, C, McComb, TJL, de Naurois, M, Nedbal, D, Nolan, SJ, Noutsos, A, Orford, KJ, Osborne, JL, Ouchrif, M, Panter, M, Pelletier, G, Pita, S, Pühlhofer, G, Punch, M, Raubenheimer, BC, Raue, M, Rayner, SM, Reimer, A, Reimer, O, Ripken, J, Rob, L, Rolland, L, Rowell, G, Sahakian, V, Saugé, L, Schlenker, S, Schlickeiser, R, Schwanke, U, Sol, H, Spangler, D, Spanier, F, Steenkamp, R, Stegmann, C, Superina, G, Tavernet, JP, Terrier, R, Théoret, CG, Tluczykont, M, van Eldik, C, Vasileiadis, G, Venter, C, Vincent, P, Völk, HJ, Wagner, SJ & Ward, M 2006, 'First detection of a VHE gamma-ray spectral maximum from a cosmic source: HESS discovery of the Vela X nebula', Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 448, no. 2, pp. L43-L47. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:200600014

@article{81a2fa015ce0438982fd296d45dc9d04,

title = "First detection of a VHE gamma-ray spectral maximum from a cosmic source: HESS discovery of the Vela X nebula",

abstract = "The Vela supernova remnant (SNR) is a complex region containing a number of sources of non-thermal radiation. The inner section of this SNR, within 2 degrees of the pulsar PSR B0833-45, has been observed by the HESS γ-ray atmospheric Cherenkov detector in 2004 and 2005. A strong signal is seen from an extended region to the south of the pulsar, within an integration region of radius 0.8° around the position (α = 08h35 m00s, δ = -45°36′ J2000.0). The excess coincides with a region of hard X-ray emission seen by the ROSAT and ASCA satellites. The observed energy spectrum of the source between 550 GeV and 65 TeV is well fit by a power law function with photon index Γ = 1.45 ± 0.09stat ± 0.2sys and an exponential cutoff at an energy of 13.8 ± 2.3stat ± 4.1 sys TeV. The integral flux above 1 TeV is (1.28 ± 0.17 stat ± 0.38sys) × 10-11 cm -2 s-1. This result is the first clear measurement of a peak in the spectral energy distribution from a VHE γ-ray source, likely related to inverse Compton emission. A fit of an Inverse Compton model to the HESS spectral energy distribution gives a total energy in non-thermal electrons of ∼2 × 1045 erg between 5 TeV and 100 TeV, assuming a distance of 290 parsec to the pulsar. The best fit electron power law index is 2.0, with a spectral break at 67 TeV.",

keywords = "Gamma rays: observations, Ism: plerions",

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 R. B{\"u}hler and I. B{\"u}sching and S. Carrigan 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 K. Egberts and D. Emmanoulopoulos and B. Epinat and P. Espigat and F. Feinstein and E. Ferrero and G. Fontaine and S. Funk and S. Funk and Gallant, {Y. A.} and B. Giebels 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 N. Komin and A. Konopelko and Latham, {I. J.} and {le Gallou}, R. and A. Lemi{\`e}re and M. Lemoine-Goumard 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 D. Nedbal 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 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 U. Schwanke and H. Sol and D. Spangler and F. Spanier and R. Steenkamp and C. Stegmann and G. Superina 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.} and M. Ward",

note = "Funding Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge the generous funding from (1) the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore under the Competitive Research Programme (CRP) Funding Scheme (R-265-000-466-281), (2) the National Research Foundation Singapore under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) programme and (3) the China Scholarship Council (CSC).",

year = "2006",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1051/0004-6361:200600014",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "448",

pages = "L43--L47",

journal = "Astronomy and Astrophysics",

issn = "0004-6361",

publisher = "EDP Sciences",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - First detection of a VHE gamma-ray spectral maximum from a cosmic source

T2 - HESS discovery of the Vela X nebula

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 - Bühler, R.

AU - Büsching, I.

AU - Carrigan, S.

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 - Egberts, K.

AU - Emmanoulopoulos, D.

AU - Epinat, B.

AU - Espigat, P.

AU - Feinstein, F.

AU - Ferrero, E.

AU - Fontaine, G.

AU - Funk, S.

AU - Gallant, Y. A.

AU - Giebels, B.

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 - Komin, N.

AU - Konopelko, A.

AU - Latham, I. J.

AU - le Gallou, R.

AU - Lemière, A.

AU - Lemoine-Goumard, M.

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 - Nedbal, D.

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 - 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 - Schwanke, U.

AU - Sol, H.

AU - Spangler, D.

AU - Spanier, F.

AU - Steenkamp, R.

AU - Stegmann, C.

AU - Superina, G.

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.

AU - Ward, M.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge the generous funding from (1) the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore under the Competitive Research Programme (CRP) Funding Scheme (R-265-000-466-281), (2) the National Research Foundation Singapore under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) programme and (3) the China Scholarship Council (CSC).

PY - 2006/3

Y1 - 2006/3

N2 - The Vela supernova remnant (SNR) is a complex region containing a number of sources of non-thermal radiation. The inner section of this SNR, within 2 degrees of the pulsar PSR B0833-45, has been observed by the HESS γ-ray atmospheric Cherenkov detector in 2004 and 2005. A strong signal is seen from an extended region to the south of the pulsar, within an integration region of radius 0.8° around the position (α = 08h35 m00s, δ = -45°36′ J2000.0). The excess coincides with a region of hard X-ray emission seen by the ROSAT and ASCA satellites. The observed energy spectrum of the source between 550 GeV and 65 TeV is well fit by a power law function with photon index Γ = 1.45 ± 0.09stat ± 0.2sys and an exponential cutoff at an energy of 13.8 ± 2.3stat ± 4.1 sys TeV. The integral flux above 1 TeV is (1.28 ± 0.17 stat ± 0.38sys) × 10-11 cm -2 s-1. This result is the first clear measurement of a peak in the spectral energy distribution from a VHE γ-ray source, likely related to inverse Compton emission. A fit of an Inverse Compton model to the HESS spectral energy distribution gives a total energy in non-thermal electrons of ∼2 × 1045 erg between 5 TeV and 100 TeV, assuming a distance of 290 parsec to the pulsar. The best fit electron power law index is 2.0, with a spectral break at 67 TeV.

AB - The Vela supernova remnant (SNR) is a complex region containing a number of sources of non-thermal radiation. The inner section of this SNR, within 2 degrees of the pulsar PSR B0833-45, has been observed by the HESS γ-ray atmospheric Cherenkov detector in 2004 and 2005. A strong signal is seen from an extended region to the south of the pulsar, within an integration region of radius 0.8° around the position (α = 08h35 m00s, δ = -45°36′ J2000.0). The excess coincides with a region of hard X-ray emission seen by the ROSAT and ASCA satellites. The observed energy spectrum of the source between 550 GeV and 65 TeV is well fit by a power law function with photon index Γ = 1.45 ± 0.09stat ± 0.2sys and an exponential cutoff at an energy of 13.8 ± 2.3stat ± 4.1 sys TeV. The integral flux above 1 TeV is (1.28 ± 0.17 stat ± 0.38sys) × 10-11 cm -2 s-1. This result is the first clear measurement of a peak in the spectral energy distribution from a VHE γ-ray source, likely related to inverse Compton emission. A fit of an Inverse Compton model to the HESS spectral energy distribution gives a total energy in non-thermal electrons of ∼2 × 1045 erg between 5 TeV and 100 TeV, assuming a distance of 290 parsec to the pulsar. The best fit electron power law index is 2.0, with a spectral break at 67 TeV.

KW - Gamma rays: observations

KW - Ism: plerions

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33644957055&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33644957055&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1051/0004-6361:200600014

DO - 10.1051/0004-6361:200600014

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:33644957055

SN - 0004-6361

VL - 448

SP - L43-L47

JO - Astronomy and Astrophysics

JF - Astronomy and Astrophysics

IS - 2

ER -

First detection of a VHE gamma-ray spectral maximum from a cosmic source: HESS discovery of the Vela X nebula

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