521 research outputs found
Complex Spectral Variability from Intensive Multi-wavelength Monitoring of Mrk421 in 1998
We conducted a multi-frequency campaign for the TeV blazar Mrk~421 in 1998
April. The campaign started from a pronounced high amplitude flare recorded by
SAX and Whipple; ASCA observation started three days later. In the X-ray data,
we detected multiple flares, occuring on time scales of about one day. ASCA
data clearly reveal spectral variability. The comparison of the data from ASCA,
EUVE and RXTE indicates that the variability amplitudes in the low energy
synchrotron component are larger at higher photon energies. In TeV Gamma-rays,
large intra-day variations -- which were correlated with the X-ray flux -- were
observed when results from three Cherenkov telescopes are combined. The RMS
variability of TeV Gamma--rays was similar to that observed in hard X-rays,
above 10 keV. The X-ray light curve reveals flares which are almost symmetric
for most of cases, implying the dominant time scale is the light crossing time
through the emitting region. The structure function analysis based on the
continuous X-ray light curve of seven days indicates that the characteristic
time scale is ~0.5 day. The analysis of ASCA light curves in various energy
bands appears to show both soft (positive) and hard (negative) lags. These may
not be real, as systematic effects could also produce these lags, which are all
much smaller than an orbit. If the lags of both signs are real, these imply
that the particle acceleration and X-ray cooling time scales are similar.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
The camera of the fifth H.E.S.S. telescope. Part I: System description
In July 2012, as the four ground-based gamma-ray telescopes of the H.E.S.S.
(High Energy Stereoscopic System) array reached their tenth year of operation
in Khomas Highlands, Namibia, a fifth telescope took its first data as part of
the system. This new Cherenkov detector, comprising a 614.5 m^2 reflector with
a highly pixelized camera in its focal plane, improves the sensitivity of the
current array by a factor two and extends its energy domain down to a few tens
of GeV.
The present part I of the paper gives a detailed description of the fifth
H.E.S.S. telescope's camera, presenting the details of both the hardware and
the software, emphasizing the main improvements as compared to previous
H.E.S.S. camera technology.Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in NIM
Observation of the Crab Nebula Gamma-Ray Emission Above 220 Gev by the Cat Cherenkov Imaging Telescope
The CAT imaging telescope, recently built on the site of the former solar
plant Themis (French Pyrenees), observed gamma-rays from the Crab nebula from
October 1996 to March 1997. This steady source, often considered as the
standard candle of very-high-energy gamma-ray astronomy, is used as a test-beam
to probe the performances of the new telescope, particularly its energy
threshold (220 GeV at 20 degrees zenith angle) and the stability of its
response. Due to the fine-grain camera, an accurate analysis of the
longitudinal profiles of shower images is performed, yielding the source
position in two dimensions for each individual shower.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, Tex, contribution to 25th ICRC Durba
Detection of Vhe Gamma-Rays from MRK 501 with the Cat Imaging Telescope
The CAT imaging telescope on the site on the former solar plant Themis has
been observing gamma-rays from Mrk501 above 220 GeV in March and April 1997.
This source is shown to be highly variable and the light curve is presented.
The detected gamma-ray rate for the most intense flare is in excess of 10 per
minute.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Tex, contribution to 25th ICRC Durba
Very High Energy Gamma-ray spectral properties of Mrk 501 from CAT Cerenkov telescope observations in 1997
The BL Lac object Mrk 501 went into a very high state of activity during
1997, both in VHE gamma-rays and X-rays. We present here results from
observations at energies above 250 GeV carried out between March and October
1997 with the CAT Cerenkov imaging Telescope. The average differential spectrum
between 30 GeV and 13 TeV shows significant curvature and is well represented
by phi_0 * E_TeV^{-(alpha + beta*log10(E_TeV))}, with: phi_0 = 5.19 +/- 0.13
{stat} +/- 0.12 {sys-MC} +1.66/-1.04 {sys-atm} * 10^-11 /cm^2/s/TeV alpha =
2.24 +/- 0.04 {stat} +/- 0.05 {sys} beta = 0.50 +/- 0.07 {stat} (negligible
systematics). The TeV spectral energy distribution of Mrk 501 clearly peaks in
the range 500 GeV-1 TeV. Investigation of spectral variations shows a
significant hardness-intensity correlation with no measurable effect on the
curvature. This can be described as an increase of the peak TeV emission energy
with intensity. Simultaneous and quasi-simultaneous CAT VHE gamma-ray and
BeppoSAX hard X-ray detections for the highest recorded flare on 16th April and
for lower-activity states of the same period show correlated variability with a
higher luminosity in X-rays than in gamma-rays. The observed spectral energy
distribution and the correlated variability between X-rays and gamma-rays, both
in amplitude and in hardening of spectra, favour a two-component emission
scheme where the low and high energy components are attributed to synchrotron
and inverse Compton (IC) radiation, respectively.Comment: Submitted to Astronomy and Astrophysics, 8 pages including 6 figures.
Published with minor change
The CAT Imaging Telescope for Very-High-Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy
The CAT (Cherenkov Array at Themis) imaging telescope, equipped with a
very-high-definition camera (546 fast phototubes with 0.12 degrees spacing
surrounded by 54 larger tubes in two guard rings) started operation in Autumn
1996 on the site of the former solar plant Themis (France). Using the
atmospheric Cherenkov technique, it detects and identifies very high energy
gamma-rays in the range 250 GeV to a few tens of TeV. The instrument, which has
detected three sources (Crab nebula, Mrk 421 and Mrk 501), is described in
detail.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures. submitted to Elsevier Preprin
First detection of a VHE gamma-ray spectral maximum from a Cosmic source: H.E.S.S. discovery of the Vela X nebula
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 H.E.S.S. gamma-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 deg. around the position (RA = 08h 35m 00s, dec = -45 deg. 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 = 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)) x 10^{-11} cm^{-2} s^{-1}. This result is the first clear
measurement of a peak in the spectral energy distribution from a VHE gamma-ray
source, likely related to inverse Compton emission. A fit of an Inverse Compton
model to the H.E.S.S. spectral energy distribution gives a total energy in
non-thermal electrons of ~2 x 10^{45} 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.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysics letter
H.E.S.S. observations of gamma-ray bursts in 2003-2007
Very-high-energy (VHE; >~100 GeV) gamma-rays are expected from gamma-ray
bursts (GRBs) in some scenarios. Exploring this photon energy regime is
necessary for understanding the energetics and properties of GRBs. GRBs have
been one of the prime targets for the H.E.S.S. experiment, which makes use of
four Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) to detect VHE gamma-rays.
Dedicated observations of 32 GRB positions were made in the years 2003-2007 and
a search for VHE gamma-ray counterparts of these GRBs was made. Depending on
the visibility and observing conditions, the observations mostly start minutes
to hours after the burst and typically last two hours. Results from
observations of 22 GRB positions are presented and evidence of a VHE signal was
found neither in observations of any individual GRBs, nor from stacking data
from subsets of GRBs with higher expected VHE flux according to a
model-independent ranking scheme. Upper limits for the VHE gamma-ray flux from
the GRB positions were derived. For those GRBs with measured redshifts,
differential upper limits at the energy threshold after correcting for
absorption due to extra-galactic background light are also presented.Comment: 9 pages, 4 tables, 3 figure
Observations of Mkn 421 in 2004 with H.E.S.S. at large zenith angles
Mkn 421 was observed during a high flux state for nine nights in April and
May 2004 with the fully operational High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.)
in Namibia. The observations were carried out at zenith angles of
60--65, which result in an average energy threshold of 1.5 TeV
and a collection area reaching 2~km at 10~TeV. Roughly 7000 photons from
Mkn~421 were accumulated with an average gamma-ray rate of 8 photons/min. The
overall significance of the detection exceeds 100 standard deviations. The
light-curve of integrated fluxes above 2~TeV shows changes of the diurnal flux
up to a factor of 4.3. For nights of high flux, intra-night variability is
detected with a decay time of less than 1 hour. The time averaged energy
spectrum is curved and is well described by a power-law with a photon index
\egamm and an exponential cutoff at \ecut~TeV and an average integral flux
above 2~TeV of 3 Crab flux units. Significant variations of the spectral shape
are detected with a spectral hardening as the flux increases. Contemporaneous
multi-wavelength observations at lower energies (X-rays and gamma-rays above
~GeV) indicate smaller relative variability amplitudes than seen
above 2~TeV during high flux state observed in April 2004.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, published in A&
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