Prospects for a Dark Matter annihilation signal towards the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy with ground based Cherenkov telescopes

Dwarf galaxies are widely believed to be among the best targets for indirect dark matter searches using high-energy gamma rays; and indeed gamma-ray emission from these objects has long been a subject of detailed study for ground-based atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. Here, we update current exclusion limits obtained on the closest dwarf, the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, in light of recent realistic dark matter halo models. The constraints on the velocity-weighted annihilation cross section of the dark matter particle are of a few 10$^{-23}$ cm$^{3}$s$^{-1}$ in the TeV energy range for a 50 h exposure. The limits are extrapolated to the sensitivities of future Cherenkov Telescope Arrays. For 200 h of observation time, the sensitivity at 95% C.L. reaches 10$^{-25}$ cm$^{3}$s$^{-1}$. Possible astrophysical backgrounds from gamma-ray sources dissembled in Sagittarius dwarf are studied. It is shown that with long-enough observation times, gamma-ray background from millisecond pulsars in a globular cluster contained within Sagittarius dwarf may limit the sensitivity to dark matter annihilations.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in Ap

Fermi-LAT Study of Gamma-ray Emission in the Direction of Supernova Remnant W49B

We present an analysis of the gamma-ray data obtained with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in the direction of SNR W49B (G43.3-0.2). A bright unresolved gamma-ray source detected at a significance of 38 sigma is found to coincide with SNR W49B. The energy spectrum in the 0.2-200 GeV range gradually steepens toward high energies. The luminosity is estimated to be 1.5x10^{36} (D/8 kpc)^2 erg s^-1 in this energy range. There is no indication that the gamma-ray emission comes from a pulsar. Assuming that the SNR shell is the site of gamma-ray production, the observed spectrum can be explained either by the decay of neutral pi mesons produced through the proton-proton collisions or by electron bremsstrahlung. The calculated energy density of relativistic particles responsible for the LAT flux is estimated to be remarkably large, U_{e,p}>10^4 eV cm^-3, for either gamma-ray production mechanism.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure

Fermi observations of high-energy gamma-ray emission from GRB 090217A

The Fermi observatory is advancing our knowledge of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) through pioneering observations at high energies, covering more than 7 decades in energy with the two on-board detectors, the Large Area Telescope (LAT) and the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM). Here we report on the observation of the long GRB 090217A which triggered the GBM and has been detected by the LAT with a significance greater than 9 sigma. We present the GBM and LAT observations and on-ground analyses, including the time-resolved spectra and the study of the temporal profile from 8 keV up to 1 GeV. All spectra are well reproduced by a Band model. We compare these observations to the first two LAT-detected, long bursts GRB 080825C and GRB 080916C. These bursts were found to have time-dependent spectra and exhibited a delayed onset of the high-energy emission, which are not observed in the case of GRB 090217A. We discuss some theoretical implications for the high-energy emission of GRBs.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures. Contact Authors: Fred, Piron; Sara, Cutini; Andreas, von Kienli

Constraints on dark matter models from a Fermi LAT search for high-energy cosmic-ray electrons from the Sun

During its first year of data taking, the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope has collected a large sample of high-energy cosmic-ray electrons and positrons (CREs). We present the results of a directional analysis of the CRE events, in which we searched for a flux excess correlated with the direction of the Sun. Two different and complementary analysis approaches were implemented, and neither yielded evidence of a significant CRE flux excess from the Sun. We derive upper limits on the CRE flux from the Sun's direction, and use these bounds to constrain two classes of dark matter models which predict a solar CRE flux: (1) models in which dark matter annihilates to CREs via a light intermediate state, and (2) inelastic dark matter models in which dark matter annihilates to CREs.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review D - contact authors: Francesco Loparco ([email protected]), M. Nicola Mazziotta ([email protected]) and Jennifer Siegal-Gaskins ([email protected]

GeV Gamma-ray Flux Upper Limits from Clusters of Galaxies

The detection of diffuse radio emission associated with clusters of galaxies indicates populations of relativistic leptons infusing the intracluster medium. Those electrons and positrons are either injected into and accelerated directly in the intracluster medium, or produced as secondary pairs by cosmic-ray ions scattering on ambient protons. Radiation mechanisms involving the energetic leptons together with decay of neutral pions produced by hadronic interactions have the potential to produce abundant GeV photons. Here, we report on the search for GeV emission from clusters of galaxies using data collected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi) from August 2008 to February 2010. Thirty-three galaxy clusters have been selected according to their proximity and high mass, X-ray flux and temperature, and indications of non-thermal activity for this study. We report upper limits on the photon flux in the range 0.2-100 GeV towards a sample of observed clusters (typical values 1-5 x 10^-9 ph cm^-2 s^-1) considering both point-like and spatially resolved models for the high-energy emission, and discuss how these results constrain the characteristics of energetic leptons and hadrons, and magnetic fields in the intracluster medium. The volume-averaged relativistic-hadron-to-thermal energy density ratio is found to be < 5-10% in several clusters.Comment: 9 pages, 3 tables, 1 figure, accepted for publication in ApJ 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

Constraints on the Cosmic-Ray Density Gradient beyond the Solar Circle from Fermi gamma-ray Observations of the Third Galactic Quadrant

We report an analysis of the interstellar $\gamma$-ray emission in the third Galactic quadrant measured by the {Fermi} Large Area Telescope. The window encompassing the Galactic plane from longitude 210\arcdeg to 250\arcdeg has kinematically well-defined segments of the Local and the Perseus arms, suitable to study the cosmic-ray densities across the outer Galaxy. We measure no large gradient with Galactocentric distance of the $\gamma$-ray emissivities per interstellar H atom over the regions sampled in this study. The gradient depends, however, on the optical depth correction applied to derive the \HI\ column densities. No significant variations are found in the interstellar spectra in the outer Galaxy, indicating similar shapes of the cosmic-ray spectrum up to the Perseus arm for particles with GeV to tens of GeV energies. The emissivity as a function of Galactocentric radius does not show a large enhancement in the spiral arms with respect to the interarm region. The measured emissivity gradient is flatter than expectations based on a cosmic-ray propagation model using the radial distribution of supernova remnants and uniform diffusion properties. In this context, observations require a larger halo size and/or a flatter CR source distribution than usually assumed. The molecular mass calibrating ratio, $X_{\rm CO} = N({\rm H_{2}})/W_{\rm CO}$, is found to be $(2.08 \pm 0.11) \times 10^{20} {\rm cm^{-2} (K km s^{-1})^{-1}}$ in the Local-arm clouds and is not significantly sensitive to the choice of \HI\ spin temperature. No significant variations are found for clouds in the interarm region.Comment: Corresponding authors: I. A. Grenier ([email protected]); T. Mizuno ([email protected]); L. Tibaldo ([email protected]) accepted for publication in Ap

Searches for Cosmic-Ray Electron Anisotropies with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

The Large Area Telescope on board the \textit{Fermi} satellite (\textit{Fermi}-LAT) detected more than 1.6 million cosmic-ray electrons/positrons with energies above 60 GeV during its first year of operation. The arrival directions of these events were searched for anisotropies of angular scale extending from $\sim$ 10 $^\circ$ up to 90$^\circ$, and of minimum energy extending from 60 GeV up to 480 GeV. Two independent techniques were used to search for anisotropies, both resulting in null results. Upper limits on the degree of the anisotropy were set that depended on the analyzed energy range and on the anisotropy's angular scale. The upper limits for a dipole anisotropy ranged from $\sim0.5$ to $\sim10$.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review D - contact authors: M.N. Mazziotta and V. Vasileio

Discovery of VHE gamma-rays from the high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object RGB J0152+017

Aims: The BL Lac object RGB J0152+017 (z=0.080) was predicted to be a very high-energy (VHE; > 100 GeV) gamma-ray source, due to its high X-ray and radio fluxes. Our aim is to understand the radiative processes by investigating the observed emission and its production mechanism using the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) experiment. Methods: We report recent observations of the BL Lac source RGB J0152+017 made in late October and November 2007 with the H.E.S.S. array consisting of four imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. Contemporaneous observations were made in X-rays by the Swift and RXTE satellites, in the optical band with the ATOM telescope, and in the radio band with the Nancay Radio Telescope. Results: A signal of 173 gamma-ray photons corresponding to a statistical significance of 6.6 sigma was found in the data. The energy spectrum of the source can be described by a powerlaw with a spectral index of 2.95+/-0.36stat+/-0.20syst. The integral flux above 300 GeV corresponds to ~2% of the flux of the Crab nebula. The source spectral energy distribution (SED) can be described using a two-component non-thermal synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) leptonic model, except in the optical band, which is dominated by a thermal host galaxy component. The parameters that are found are very close to those found in similar SSC studies in TeV blazars. Conclusions: RGB J0152+017 is discovered as a source of VHE gamma-rays by H.E.S.S. The location of its synchrotron peak, as derived from the SED in Swift data, allows clearly classification it as a high-frequency-peaked BL Lac (HBL).Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Letters (5 pages, 4 figures

Gamma-ray flares from the Crab Nebula

A young and energetic pulsar powers the well-known Crab Nebula. Here we describe two separate gamma-ray (photon energy >100 MeV) flares from this source detected by the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The first flare occurred in February 2009 and lasted approximately 16 days. The second flare was detected in September 2010 and lasted approximately 4 days. During these outbursts the gamma-ray flux from the nebula increased by factors of four and six, respectively. The brevity of the flares implies that the gamma rays were emitted via synchrotron radiation from PeV (10^15 eV) electrons in a region smaller than 1.4 10^-2 pc. These are the highest energy particles that can be associated with a discrete astronomical source, and they pose challenges to particle acceleration theory.Comment: Contact authors: Rolf Buehler,[email protected]; Stefan Funk,[email protected]; Roger Blandford,rdb3@stanford ; 16 pages,2 figure