168 research outputs found
Guidelines for negotiating social research in communities living adjacent to transboundary protected areas: Kruger National Park
The objective with these Guidelines is to assist local people and social researchers to negotiate equitable research agreements. This document lays out the purpose of the guidelines, provides some background information about the process that led to this document, and provides some general principles and practical guidelines for social research in local communities. The Guidelines have their origins in a long process of consultation, discussion and exchange between social researchers and local people, which took place in South Africa over a period of three years (2005-2008). It draws on the substantial experience of people living adjacent to the Kruger National Park with research and researchers; also on the collective experience of the informal network of researchers that participated in the development of the guidelines. Local people have experienced research in positive and negative ways. Some communities in the area adjacent to the Kruger National Park can justifiably feel over-exposed to researchers, while others feel that opportunities and insights potentially generated by research passes them by. Yet even these often feel that some guidelines are required to avoid duplication and negative engagement. Important is to mention that the engagement between social researchers and communities is not a matter of these two groups alone. Many facilitating, structurating stakeholders such as NGOs, parastatals conservation organisations and government organisations, are important influencing players in this engagement. Therefore, while the guidelines focus specifically on researcher-community interactions, these other players should not be forgotten and should themselves be aware of their effects in these interactions. The guidelines outline opportunities and constraints that arise when local people and social researchers engage one another. The guidelines are not prescriptive, but raise issues and suggest ways in which these can be dealt with
Detailed spectral and morphological analysis of the shell type SNR RCW 86
Aims: We aim for an understanding of the morphological and spectral
properties of the supernova remnant RCW~86 and for insights into the production
mechanism leading to the RCW~86 very high-energy gamma-ray emission. Methods:
We analyzed High Energy Spectroscopic System data that had increased
sensitivity compared to the observations presented in the RCW~86 H.E.S.S.
discovery publication. Studies of the morphological correlation between the
0.5-1~keV X-ray band, the 2-5~keV X-ray band, radio, and gamma-ray emissions
have been performed as well as broadband modeling of the spectral energy
distribution with two different emission models. Results:We present the first
conclusive evidence that the TeV gamma-ray emission region is shell-like based
on our morphological studies. The comparison with 2-5~keV X-ray data reveals a
correlation with the 0.4-50~TeV gamma-ray emission.The spectrum of RCW~86 is
best described by a power law with an exponential cutoff at TeV and a spectral index of ~. A static
leptonic one-zone model adequately describes the measured spectral energy
distribution of RCW~86, with the resultant total kinetic energy of the
electrons above 1 GeV being equivalent to 0.1\% of the initial kinetic
energy of a Type I a supernova explosion. When using a hadronic model, a
magnetic field of ~100G is needed to represent the measured data.
Although this is comparable to formerly published estimates, a standard
E spectrum for the proton distribution cannot describe the gamma-ray
data. Instead, a spectral index of ~1.7 would be required, which
implies that ~erg has been transferred into
high-energy protons with the effective density cm^-3. This
is about 10\% of the kinetic energy of a typical Type Ia supernova under the
assumption of a density of 1~cm^-3.Comment: accepted for publication by A&
Detection of variable VHE gamma-ray emission from the extra-galactic gamma-ray binary LMC P3
Context. Recently, the high-energy (HE, 0.1-100 GeV) -ray emission
from the object LMC P3 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) has been discovered
to be modulated with a 10.3-day period, making it the first extra-galactic
-ray binary.
Aims. This work aims at the detection of very-high-energy (VHE, >100 GeV)
-ray emission and the search for modulation of the VHE signal with the
orbital period of the binary system.
Methods. LMC P3 has been observed with the High Energy Stereoscopic System
(H.E.S.S.); the acceptance-corrected exposure time is 100 h. The data set has
been folded with the known orbital period of the system in order to test for
variability of the emission. Energy spectra are obtained for the orbit-averaged
data set, and for the orbital phase bin around the VHE maximum.
Results. VHE -ray emission is detected with a statistical
significance of 6.4 . The data clearly show variability which is
phase-locked to the orbital period of the system. Periodicity cannot be deduced
from the H.E.S.S. data set alone. The orbit-averaged luminosity in the
TeV energy range is erg/s. A luminosity of erg/s is reached during 20% of the orbit. HE and VHE
-ray emissions are anti-correlated. LMC P3 is the most luminous
-ray binary known so far.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in A&
Characterizing the gamma-ray long-term variability of PKS 2155-304 with H.E.S.S. and Fermi-LAT
Studying the temporal variability of BL Lac objects at the highest energies
provides unique insights into the extreme physical processes occurring in
relativistic jets and in the vicinity of super-massive black holes. To this
end, the long-term variability of the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 is analyzed in
the high (HE, 100 MeV 200 GeV)
gamma-ray domain. Over the course of ~9 yr of H.E.S.S observations the VHE
light curve in the quiescent state is consistent with a log-normal behavior.
The VHE variability in this state is well described by flicker noise
(power-spectral-density index {\ss}_VHE = 1.10 +0.10 -0.13) on time scales
larger than one day. An analysis of 5.5 yr of HE Fermi LAT data gives
consistent results ({\ss}_HE = 1.20 +0.21 -0.23, on time scales larger than 10
days) compatible with the VHE findings. The HE and VHE power spectral densities
show a scale invariance across the probed time ranges. A direct linear
correlation between the VHE and HE fluxes could neither be excluded nor firmly
established. These long-term-variability properties are discussed and compared
to the red noise behavior ({\ss} ~ 2) seen on shorter time scales during
VHE-flaring states. The difference in power spectral noise behavior at VHE
energies during quiescent and flaring states provides evidence that these
states are influenced by different physical processes, while the compatibility
of the HE and VHE long-term results is suggestive of a common physical link as
it might be introduced by an underlying jet-disk connection.Comment: 11 pages, 16 figure
The exceptionally powerful TeV gamma-ray emitters in the Large Magellanic Cloud
The Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, has been
observed with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) above an energy of
100 billion electron volts for a deep exposure of 210 hours. Three sources of
different types were detected: the pulsar wind nebula of the most energetic
pulsar known N 157B, the radio-loud supernova remnant N 132D and the largest
non-thermal X-ray shell - the superbubble 30 Dor C. The unique object SN 1987A
is, surprisingly, not detected, which constrains the theoretical framework of
particle acceleration in very young supernova remnants. These detections reveal
the most energetic tip of a gamma-ray source population in an external galaxy,
and provide via 30 Dor C the unambiguous detection of gamma-ray emission from a
superbubble.Comment: Published in Science Magazine (Jan. 23, 2015). This ArXiv version has
the supplementary online material incorporated as an appendix to the main
pape
Constraints on axionlike particles with H.E.S.S. from the irregularity of the PKS 2155-304 energy spectrum
Axionlike particles (ALPs) are hypothetical light (sub-eV) bosons predicted in some extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics. In astrophysical environments comprising high-energy gamma rays and turbulent magnetic fields, the existence of ALPs can modify the energy spectrum of the gamma rays for a sufficiently large coupling between ALPs and photons. This modification would take the form of an irregular behavior of the energy spectrum in a limited energy range. Data from the H.E.S.S. observations of the distant BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 (z=0.116) are used to derive upper limits at the 95% C.L. on the strength of the ALP coupling to photons, ggammaa<2.1×10-11GeV-1 for an ALP mass between 15 and 60 neV. The results depend on assumptions on the magnetic field around the source, which are chosen conservatively. The derived constraints apply to both light pseudoscalar and scalar bosons that couple to the electromagnetic fieldFil: Medina, Maria Clementina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomia (i); ArgentinaFil: H.E.S. S. collaboration
Discovery of the Hard Spectrum VHE γ-Ray Source HESS J1641-463
This Letter reports the discovery of a remarkably hard spectrum source, HESS J1641−463, by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) in the very high energy (VHE) domain. HESS J1641−463 remained unnoticed by the usual analysis techniques due to confusion with the bright nearby source HESS J1640−465. It emerged at a significance level of 8.5 standard deviations after restricting the analysis to events with energies above 4 TeV. It shows a moderate flux level of phgr(E>1 TeV) = (3.64 ± 0.44stat ± 0.73sys) × 10−13 cm−2 s−1, corresponding to 1.8% of the Crab Nebula flux above the same energy, and a hard spectrum with a photon index of Γ = 2.07 ± 0.11stat ± 0.20sys. It is a point-like source, although an extension up to a Gaussian width of σ = 3 arcmin cannot be discounted due to uncertainties in the H.E.S.S. point-spread function. The VHE γ-ray flux of HESS J1641−463 is found to be constant over the observed period when checking time binnings from the year-by-year to the 28 minute exposure timescales. HESS J1641−463 is positionally coincident with the radio supernova remnant SNR G338.5+0.1. No X-ray candidate stands out as a clear association; however, Chandra and XMM-Newton data reveal some potential weak counterparts. Various VHE γ-ray production scenarios are discussed. If the emission from HESS J1641−463 is produced by cosmic ray protons colliding with the ambient gas, then their spectrum must extend close to 1 PeV. This object may represent a source population contributing significantly to the galactic cosmic ray flux around the knee
Diffuse Galactic gamma-ray emission with H.E.S.S
Diffuse γ-ray emission is the most prominent observable signature of celestial cosmic-ray interactions at high energies. While already being investigated at GeV energies over several decades, assessments of diffuse γ-ray emission at TeV energies remain sparse. After completion of the systematic survey of the inner Galaxy, the H.E.S.S. experiment is in a prime position to observe large-scale diffuse emission at TeV energies. Data of the H.E.S.S. Galactic Plane Survey are investigated in regions off known γ-ray sources. Corresponding γ-ray flux measurements were made over an extensive grid of celestial locations. Longitudinal and latitudinal profiles of the observed γ-ray fluxes show characteristic excess emission not attributable to known γ-ray sources. For the first time large-scale γ-ray emission along the Galactic plane using imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes has been observed. While the background subtraction technique limits the ability to recover modest variation on the scale of the H.E.S.S. field of view or larger, which is characteristic of the inverse Compton scatter-induced Galactic diffuse emission, contributions of neutral pion decay as well as emission from unresolved γ-ray sources can be recovered in the observed signal to a large fraction. Calculations show that the minimum γ-ray emission from π0 decay represents a significant contribution to the total signal. This detection is interpreted as a mix of diffuse Galactic γ-ray emission and unresolved sources
Probing the gamma-ray emission from HESS J1834-087 using H.E.S.S. and Fermi LAT observations
Aims. Previous observations with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) have revealed an extended very-high-energy (VHE; E> 100 GeV) γ-ray source, HESS J1834−087, coincident with the supernova remnant (SNR) W41. The origin of the γ-ray emission was investigated in more detail with the H.E.S.S. array and the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Methods. The γ-ray data provided by 61 h of observations with H.E.S.S., and four years with the Fermi LAT were analyzed, covering over five decades in energy from 1.8 GeV up to 30 TeV. The morphology and spectrum of the TeV and GeV sources were studied and multiwavelength data were used to investigate the origin of the γ-ray emission toward W41. Results. The TeV source can be modeled with a sum of two components: one point-like and one significantly extended (σTeV = 0.17° ± 0.01°), both centered on SNR W41 and exhibiting spectra described by a power law with index ΓTeV ≃ 2.6. The GeV source detected with Fermi LAT is extended (σGeV = 0.15° ± 0.03°) and morphologically matches the VHE emission. Its spectrum can be described by a power-law model with an index ΓGeV = 2.15 ± 0.12 and smoothly joins the spectrum of the whole TeV source. A break appears in the γ-ray spectra around 100 GeV. No pulsations were found in the GeV range. Conclusions. Two main scenarios are proposed to explain the observed emission: a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) or the interaction of SNR W41 with an associated molecular cloud. X-ray observations suggest the presence of a point-like source (a pulsar candidate) near the center of the remnant and nonthermal X-ray diffuse emission that could arise from the possibly associated PWN. The PWN scenario is supported by the compatible positions of the TeV and GeV sources with the putative pulsar. However, the spectral energy distribution from radio to γ-rays is reproduced by a one-zone leptonic model only if an excess of low-energy electrons is injected following a Maxwellian distribution by a pulsar with a high spin-down power (>1037 erg s-1). This additional low-energy component is not needed if we consider that the point-like TeV source is unrelated to the extended GeV and TeV sources. The interacting SNR scenario is supported by the spatial coincidence between the γ-ray sources, the detection of OH (1720 MHz) maser lines, and the hadronic modeling
Simultaneous observations of PKS 2155-304 with H.E.S.S., Fermi, RXTE and ATOM: spectral energy distributions and variability in a low state
We report on the first simultaneous observations that cover the optical,
X-ray, and high energy gamma-ray bands of the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304. The
gamma-ray bands were observed for 11 days, between 25 August and 6 September
2008, jointly with the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the H.E.S.S.
atmospheric Cherenkov array, providing the first simultaneous MeV-TeV spectral
energy distribution with the new generation of gamma-ray telescopes. The ATOM
telescope and the RXTE and Swift observatories provided optical and X-ray
coverage of the low-energy component over the same time period. The object was
close to the lowest archival X-ray and Very High Energy state, whereas the
optical flux was much higher. The light curves show relatively little (~30%$)
variability overall when compared to past flaring episodes, but we find a clear
optical/VHE correlation and evidence for a correlation of the X-rays with the
high energy spectral index. Contrary to previous observations in the flaring
state, we do not find any correlation between the X-ray and VHE components.
Although synchrotron self-Compton models are often invoked to explain the SEDs
of BL Lac objects, the most common versions of these models are at odds with
the correlated variability we find in the various bands for PKS 2155-304.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
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