VERITAS Observations of a Very High Energy Gamma-ray Flare from the
  Blazar 3C 66A

A. Cannon; A. Cesarini; A. Falcone; A. Furniss; A. Imran; A. Konopelko; A. McCann; A. N. Otte; A. Varlotta; A. W. Smith; A. Weinstein; Acciari; Aharonian; Aliu; B. Zitzer; Bramel; C. M. Hui; Cogan; D. A. Williams; D. Gall; D. Hanna; D. Horan; D. Kieda; D. Pandel; D. Petry; D. Steele; Daniel; E. Aliu; E. Hays; E. Roache; F. Krennrich; F. Pizlo; G. Gyuk; G. H. Gillanders; G. H. Sembroski; G. Maier; H. J. Rose; H. Krawczynski; Hartman; Hillas; Holder; Horan; J. A. Toner; J. E. Ward; J. Grube; J. H. Buckley; J. Holder; J. Kildea; J. Millis; J. P. Finley; J. Quinn; J. S. Perkins; K. Byrum; K. Gibbs; K. Ragan; Kuiper; L. C. Reyes; L. Ciupik; L. Fortson; Larionov; M. Beilicke; M. Böttcher; M. J. Lang; M. K. Daniel; M. Kertzman; M. McCutcheon; M. Pohl; M. Schroedter; M. Theiling; M. Wood; Maccagni; Miller; N. Karlsson; Nandikotkur; O. Celik; P. Cogan; P. Fortin; P. Kaaret; P. Moriarty; P. T. Reynolds; R. A. Ong; R. Dickherber; R. G. Wagner; R. Guenette; R. Mukherjee; S. Godambe; S. J. Fegan; S. LeBohec; S. M. Bradbury; S. P. Swordy; S. P. Wakely; S. Wissel; Swordy; T. Arlen; T. B. Humensky; T. C. Weekes; T. Ergin; T. Nagai; Tavecchio; Tosti; V. A. Acciari; V. Bugaev; V. V. Vassiliev; W. Benbow; W. Cui; Y. Butt; Y. C. Chow

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VERITAS Observations of a Very High Energy Gamma-ray Flare from the Blazar 3C 66A

Authors: A. Cannon
A. Cesarini
A. Falcone
A. Furniss
A. Imran
A. Konopelko
A. McCann
A. N. Otte
A. Varlotta
A. W. Smith
A. Weinstein
Acciari
Aharonian
Aliu
B. Zitzer
Bramel
C. M. Hui
Cogan
D. A. Williams
D. Gall
D. Hanna
D. Horan
D. Kieda
D. Pandel
D. Petry
D. Steele
Daniel
E. Aliu
E. Hays
E. Roache
F. Krennrich
F. Pizlo
G. Gyuk
G. H. Gillanders
G. H. Sembroski
G. Maier
H. J. Rose
H. Krawczynski
Hartman
Hillas
Holder
Horan
J. A. Toner
J. E. Ward
J. Grube
J. H. Buckley
J. Holder
J. Kildea
J. Millis
J. P. Finley
J. Quinn
J. S. Perkins
K. Byrum
K. Gibbs
K. Ragan
Kuiper
L. C. Reyes
L. Ciupik
L. Fortson
Larionov
M. Beilicke
M. Böttcher
M. J. Lang
M. K. Daniel
M. Kertzman
M. McCutcheon
M. Pohl
M. Schroedter
M. Theiling
M. Wood
Maccagni
Miller
N. Karlsson
Nandikotkur
O. Celik
P. Cogan
P. Fortin
P. Kaaret
P. Moriarty
P. T. Reynolds
R. A. Ong
R. Dickherber
R. G. Wagner
R. Guenette
R. Mukherjee
S. Godambe
S. J. Fegan
S. LeBohec
S. M. Bradbury
S. P. Swordy
S. P. Wakely
S. Wissel
Swordy
T. Arlen
T. B. Humensky
T. C. Weekes
T. Ergin
T. Nagai
Tavecchio
Tosti
V. A. Acciari
V. Bugaev
V. V. Vassiliev
W. Benbow
W. Cui
Y. Butt
Y. C. Chow
Publication date: 18 February 2009
Publisher: 'IOP Publishing'
Doi

Abstract

The intermediate-frequency peaked BL Lacertae (IBL) object 3C 66A is detected during 2007 - 2008 in VHE (very high energy: E > 100 GeV) gamma-rays with the VERITAS stereoscopic array of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. An excess of 1791 events is detected, corresponding to a significance of 21.2 standard deviations (sigma), in these observations (32.8 hours live time). The observed integral flux above 200 GeV is 6% of the Crab Nebula's flux and shows evidence for variability on the time-scale of days. The measured energy spectrum is characterized by a soft power law with photon index Gamma = 4.1 +- 0.4_stat +- 0.6_sys. The radio galaxy 3C 66B is excluded as a possible source of the VHE emission.Comment: 13 Pages, 4 Figures. Published in ApJL. This new version correctly calculates the intrinsic photon index (see Erratum: ApJL, 721:L203-L204