Statistics of VHE \u3b3-rays in temporal association with radio giant pulses from the Crab pulsar

Aims. The aim of this study is to search for evidence of a common emission engine between radio giant pulses (GPs) and very-high-energy (VHE, E& x2004;> & x2004;100 GeV) gamma-rays from the Crab pulsar. Methods. We performed 16 h of simultaneous observations of the Crab pulsar at 1.4 GHz with the Effelsberg radio telescope and the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT), and at energies above 60 GeV we used the Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC) telescopes. We searched for a statistical correlation between the radio and VHE gamma-ray emission with search windows of different lengths and different time lags to the arrival times of a radio GP. A dedicated search for an enhancement in the number of VHE gamma-rays correlated with the occurrence of radio GPs was carried out separately for the P1 and P2 phase ranges, respectively. Results. In the radio data sample, 99444 radio GPs were detected. We find no significant correlation between the GPs and VHE photons in any of the search windows. Depending on phase cuts and the chosen search windows, we find upper limits at a 95% confidence level on an increase in VHE gamma-ray events correlated with radio GPs between 7% and 61% of the average Crab pulsar VHE flux for the P1 and P2 phase ranges, respectively. This puts upper limits on the flux increase during a radio GP between 12% and 2900% of the pulsed VHE flux, depending on the search window duration and phase cuts. This is the most stringent upper limit on a correlation between gamma-ray emission and radio GPs reported so far

The extreme HBL behaviour of Markarian 501 during 2012

A multiwavelength campaign was organized to take place between March and July of 2012. Excellent temporal coverage was obtained with more than 25 instruments, including the MAGIC, FACT and VERITAS Cherenkov telescopes, the instruments on board the Swift and Fermi spacecraft, and the telescopes operated by the GASP-WEBT collaboration. Mrk 501 showed a very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray flux above 0.2 TeV of $\sim$0.5 times the Crab Nebula flux (CU) for most of the campaign. The highest activity occurred on 2012 June 9, when the VHE flux was $\sim$3 CU, and the peak of the high-energy spectral component was found to be at $\sim$2 TeV. This study reports very hard X-ray spectra, and the hardest VHE spectra measured to date for Mrk 501. The fractional variability was found to increase with energy, with the highest variability occurring at VHE, and a significant correlation between the X-ray and VHE bands. The unprecedentedly hard X-ray and VHE spectra measured imply that their low- and high-energy components peaked above 5 keV and 0.5 TeV, respectively, during a large fraction of the observing campaign, and hence that Mrk 501 behaved like an extreme high-frequency- peaked blazar (EHBL) throughout the 2012 observing season. This suggests that being an EHBL may not be a permanent characteristic of a blazar, but rather a state which may change over time. The one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) scenario can successfully describe the segments of the SED where most energy is emitted, with a significant correlation between the electron energy density and the VHE gamma-ray activity, suggesting that most of the variability may be explained by the injection of high-energy electrons. The one-zone SSC scenario used reproduces the behaviour seen between the measured X-ray and VHE gamma-ray fluxes, and predicts that the correlation becomes stronger with increasing energy of the X-rays

Periastron Observations of TeV Gamma-Ray Emission from a Binary System with a 50-year Period

We report on observations of the pulsar / Be star binary system PSR J2032+4127 / MT91 213 in the energy range between 100 GeV and 20 TeV with the VERITAS and MAGIC imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope arrays. The binary orbit has a period of approximately 50 years, with the most recent periastron occurring on 2017 November 13. Our observations span from 18 months prior to periastron to one month after. A new, point-like, gamma-ray source is detected, coincident with the location of PSR J2032+4127 / MT91 213. The gamma-ray light curve and spectrum are well-characterized over the periastron passage. The flux is variable over at least an order of magnitude, peaking at periastron, thus providing a firm association of the TeV source with the pulsar / Be star system. Observations prior to periastron show a cutoff in the spectrum at an energy around 0.5 TeV. This result adds a new member to the small population of known TeV binaries, and it identifies only the second source of this class in which the nature and properties of the compact object are firmly established. We compare the gamma-ray results with the light curve measured with the X-ray Telescope (XRT) on board the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and with the predictions of recent theoretical models of the system. We conclude that significant revision of the models is required to explain the details of the emission we have observed, and we discuss the relationship between the binary system and the overlapping steady extended source, TeV J2032+4130

Search for very high-energy gamma-ray emission from the microquasar Cygnus X-1 with the MAGIC telescopes

he microquasar Cygnus X-1 displays the two typical soft and hard X-ray states of a black hole transient. During the latter, Cygnus X-1 shows a one-sided relativistic radio-jet. Recent detection of the system in the high energy (HE; E 73 60 MeV) gamma-ray range with Fermi-LAT associates this emission with the outflow. Former MAGIC observations revealed a hint of flaring activity in the very high-energy (VHE; E 73 100 GeV) regime during this X-ray state. We analyse 3c97 h of Cygnus X-1 data taken with the MAGIC telescopes between July 2007 and October 2014. To shed light on the correlation between hard X-ray and VHE gamma rays as previously suggested, we study each main X-ray state separately. We perform an orbital phase-folded analysis to look for variability in the VHE band. Additionally, to place this variability behaviour in a multiwavelength context, we compare our results with Fermi-LAT, AGILE, Swift-BAT, MAXI, RXTE-ASM, AMI and RATAN-600 data. We do not detect Cygnus X-1 in the VHE regime. We establish upper limits for each X-ray state, assuming a power-law distribution with photon index \u393 = 3.2. For steady emission in the hard and soft X-ray states, we set integral upper limits at 95 per cent confidence level for energies above 200 GeV at 2.6 7 10-12 photons cm-2 s-1 and 1.0 7 10-11 photons cm-2 s-1, respectively. We rule out steady VHE gamma-ray emission above this energy range, at the level of the MAGIC sensitivity, originating in the interaction between the relativistic jet and the surrounding medium, while the emission above this flux level produced inside the binary still remains a valid possibility

Deep observations of the globular cluster M15 with the MAGIC telescopes

A population of globular clusters (GCs) has been recently established by the Fermi-LAT telescope as a new class of GeV γ-ray sources. Leptons accelerated to TeV energies, in the inner magnetospheres of MSPs or in their wind regions, should produce γ-rays through the inverse Compton scattering in the dense radiation field from the huge population of stars. We have conducted deep observations of the GC M15 with the MAGIC telescopes and used 165 h in order to search for γ-ray emission. A strong upper limit on the TeV γ-ray flux < 3.2× 10^{-13} cm^{-2 s^{-1}} above 300 GeV (< 0.26{{ per cent}} of the Crab nebula flux) has been obtained. We interpret this limit as a constraint on the efficiency of the acceleration of leptons in the magnetospheres of the MSPs. We constrain the injection rate of relativistic leptons, ηe, from the MSPs magnetospheres and their surrounding. We conclude that ηe must be lower than expected from the modelling of high-energy processes in MSP inner magnetospheres. For leptons accelerated with the power-law spectrum in the MSP wind regions, ηe is constrained to be much lower than derived for the wind regions around classical pulsars. These constraints are valid for the expected range of magnetic field strengths within the GC and for the range of likely energies of leptons injected from the inner magnetospheres, provided that the leptons are not removed from the GC very efficiently due to advection process. We discuss consequences of these constraints for the models of radiation processes around millisecond pulsars. </p

A fast, very-high-energy gamma-ray flare from BL Lacertae during a period of multi-wavelength activity in June 2015

The mechanisms producing fast variability of the gamma-ray emission in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are under debate. The MAGIC telescopes detected a fast, very-high-energy (VHE, E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray flare from BL Lacertae on 2015 June 15. The flare had a maximum flux of (1.5 +/- 0.3)-10(-10) photons cm(-2) s(-1) and halving time of 26 +/- 8 min. The MAGIC observations were triggered by a high state in the optical and high-energy (HE, E > 100 MeV) gamma-ray bands. In this paper we present the MAGIC VHE gamma-ray data together with multi-wavelength data from radio, optical, X-rays, and HE gamma rays from 2015 May 1 to July 31. Well-sampled multi-wavelength data allow us to study the variability in detail and compare it to the other epochs when fast, VHE gamma-ray flares have been detected from this source. Interestingly, we find that the behaviour in radio, optical, X-rays, and HE gamma-rays is very similar to two other observed VHE gamma-ray flares. In particular, also during this flare there was an indication of rotation of the optical polarization angle and of activity at the 43 GHz core. These repeating patterns indicate a connection between the three events. We also test modelling of the spectral energy distribution based on constraints from the light curves and VLBA observations, with two different geometrical setups of two-zone inverse Compton models. In addition we model the gamma-ray data with the star-jet interaction model. We find that all of the tested emission models are compatible with the fast VHE gamma-ray flare, but all have some tension with the multi-wavelength observations

Multi-wavelength characterization of the blazar S5~0716+714 during an unprecedented outburst phase

The BL Lac object S5~0716+714, a highly variable blazar, underwent an impressive outburst in January 2015 (Phase A), followed by minor activity in February (Phase B). The MAGIC observations were triggered by the optical flux observed in Phase A, corresponding to the brightest ever reported state of the source in the R-band. The comprehensive dataset collected is investigated in order to shed light on the mechanism of the broadband emission. Multi-wavelength light curves have been studied together with the broadband Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs). The data set collected spans from radio, optical photometry and polarimetry, X-ray, high-energy (HE, 0.1 GeV 100 GeV) with MAGIC. The flaring state of Phase A was detected in all the energy bands, providing for the first time a multi-wavelength sample of simultaneous data from the radio band to the VHE. In the constructed SED the \textit{Swift}-XRT+\textit{NuSTAR} data constrain the transition between the synchrotron and inverse Compton components very accurately, while the second peak is constrained from 0.1~GeV to 600~GeV by \textit{Fermi}+MAGIC data. The broadband SED cannot be described with a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model as it severely underestimates the optical flux in order to reproduce the X-ray to $\gamma$-ray data. Instead we use a two-zone model. The EVPA shows an unprecedented fast rotation. An estimation of the redshift of the source by combined HE and VHE data provides a value of $z = 0.31 \pm 0.02_{stats} \pm 0.05_{sys}$, confirming the literature value. The data show the VHE emission originating in the entrance and exit of a superluminal knot in and out a recollimation shock in the inner jet. A shock-shock interaction in the jet seems responsible for the observed flares and EVPA swing. This scenario is also consistent with the SED modelling

Multiwavelength observations of a VHE gamma-ray flare from PKS 1510-089 in 2015

Context. PKS 1510-089 is one of only a few flat spectrum radio quasars detected in the VHE (very-high-energy, > 100 GeV) gamma-ray band. Aims. We study the broadband spectral and temporal properties of the PKS 1510-089 emission during a high gamma-ray state. Methods. We performed VHE gamma-ray observations of PKS 1510-089 with the MAGIC telescopes during a high gamma-ray state in May 2015. In order to perform broad-band modelling of the source, we have also gathered contemporaneous multiwavelength data in radio, IR, optical photometry and polarization, UV, X-ray and GeV gamma-ray ranges. We construct a broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) in two periods, selected according to VHE gamma-ray state. Results. PKS 1510-089 has been detected in a high optical and gamma-ray state, showing for the first time a significant VHE gamma-ray variability. Similarly to the optical and gamma-ray high state of the source detected in 2012, it was accompanied by a rotation of the optical polarization angle and the emission of a new jet component observed in radio. The spectral shape in the VHE band during the flare is similar to the ones obtained during previous measurements of the source. The observed flux variability sets for the first time constraints on the size of the region from which VHE gamma rays are emitted. The broadband SED can be explained in the External Compton scenario

Semimetallic and charge-ordered α

$\alpha$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$I$_3$ is a prominent example of charge ordering among organic conductors. In this work we explore the details of transport within the charge-ordered as well as semimetallic phase at ambient pressure. In the high-temperature semimetallic phase, the mobilities and concentrations of both electrons and holes conspire in such a way to create an almost temperature-independent conductivity as well as a low Hall effect. We explain these phenomena as a consequence of a predominantly inter-pocket scattering which equalizes mobilities of the two types of charge carriers. At low temperatures, within the insulating charge-ordered phase two channels of conduction can be discerned: a temperature-dependent activation which follows the mean-field behavior, and a nearest-neighbor hopping contribution. Together with negative magnetoresistance, the latter relies on the presence of disorder. The charge-ordered phase also features a prominent dielectric peak which bears a similarity to relaxor ferroelectrics. Its dispersion is determined by free-electron screening and pushed by disorder well below the transition temperature. The source of this disorder can be found in the anion layers which randomly perturb BEDT-TTF molecules through hydrogen bonds.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Physical Review