Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userObservations of the BL Lac Object 3C 66A with STACEE
128
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
We present the analysis and results of recent high-energy gamma-ray observations of the BL Lac object 3C 66A conducted with the Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment (STACEE). During the 2003-2004 observing season, STACEE extensively observed 3C 66A as part of a multiwavelength campaign on the source. A total of 33.7 hours of data was taken on the source, plus an equivalent-duration background observation. After cleaning the data set a total of 16.3 hours of live time remained, and a net on-source excess of 1134 events was seen against a background of 231742 events. At a significance of 2.2 standard deviations this excess is insufficient to claim a detection of 3C 66A, but is used to establish flux upper limits for the source.
rate research
Read More
We present results from VERITAS observations of the BL Lac object PG 1553+113 spanning the years 2010, 2011, and 2012. The time-averaged spectrum, measured between 160 and 560,GeV, is well described by a power law with a spectral index of $4.33 pm 0.09$. The time-averaged integral flux above $200,$GeV measured for this period was $(1.69 pm 0.06) times 10^{-11} , mathrm{ph} , mathrm{cm}^{-2} , mathrm{s}^{-1}$, corresponding to 6.9% of the Crab Nebula flux. We also present the combined $gamma$-ray spectrum from the Fermi Large Area Telescope and VERITAS covering an energy range from 100~MeV to 560~GeV. The data are well fit by a power law with an exponential cutoff at $rm {101.9 pm 3.2 , mathrm{GeV}} $. The origin of the cutoff could be intrinsic to PG~1553+113 or be due to the $gamma$-ray opacity of our universe through pair production off the extragalactic background light (EBL). Given lower limits to the redshift of $rm z egthinspace > egthinspace 0.395$ based on optical/UV observations of PG~1553+113, the cutoff would be dominated by EBL absorption. Conversely, the small statistical uncertainties of the VERITAS energy spectrum have allowed us to provide a robust upper limit on the redshift of PG 1553+113 of $z egthinspace leq egthinspace 0.62$. A strongly-elevated mean flux of $(2.50 pm 0.14) times 10^{-11} , mathrm{ph} , mathrm{cm}^{-2} , mathrm{s}^{-1}$ (10.3% of the Crab Nebula flux) was observed during 2012, with the daily flux reaching as high as $(4.44 pm 0.71) times 10^{-11} , mathrm{ph} , mathrm{cm}^{-2} , mathrm{s}^{-1}$ (18.3% of the Crab Nebula flux) on MJD 56048. The light curve measured during the 2012 observing season is marginally inconsistent with a steady flux, giving a $chi^2$ probability for a steady flux of 0.03%.
On 2017 September 22, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory reported the detection of the high-energy neutrino event icnu, of potential astrophysical origin. It was soon determined that the neutrino direction was consistent with the location of the gamma-ray blazar txs~(3FGL J0509.4+0541), which was in an elevated gamma-ray emission state as measured by the emph{Fermi} satellite. VERITAS observations of the neutrino/blazar region started on 2017 September 23 in response to the neutrino alert and continued through 2018 February 6. While no significant very-high-energy (VHE; E $>$ 100 GeV) emission was observed from the blazar by VERITAS in the two-week period immediately following the IceCube alert, TXS 0506+056 was detected by VERITAS with a significance of 5.8 standard deviations ($sigma$) in the full 35-hour data set. The average photon flux of the source during this period was $(8.9 pm 1.6) times 10^{-12} ; mathrm{cm}^{-2} , mathrm{s}^{-1}$, or 1.6% of the Crab Nebula flux, above an energy threshold of 110 GeV, with a soft spectral index of $4.8 pm 1.3$.
The Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) observed the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 16 times from 1996, May 7 to June 8, with both the ISOCAM camera and the ISOPHOT photometer, as part of a more general multiwavelength campaign. Two additional observations were performed on 1996, November 23 and 1997, May 15. This is the first time that there are simultaneous mid and far infrared data in a multiwavelength monitoring of a BL Lac object. We obtained four light curves at 4.0, 14.3, 60 and 90 microns, and a broad-band filter spectrum from 2.8 to 170 micron. No variability was detected in the infrared, although the source was varying at shorter wavelengths. The IR spectrum can be fitted by a single power law with an energy spectral index alfa = 0.40 +/- 0.06 and it can be explained as due to synchrotron emission only, with no noticeable contributions from thermal sources. Using the simultaneous data, we constructed the SED of PKS 2155-304.
Only BL Lac objects have been detected as extragalactic sources of very high energy (E > 300 GeV) gamma rays. Using the Whipple Observatory Gamma-ray Telescope, we have attempted to detect more BL Lacs using three approaches. First, we have conducted surveys of nearby BL Lacs, which led to the detections of Mrk 501 and 1ES 2344+514. Second, we have observed X-ray bright BL Lacs when the RXTE All-Sky Monitor identifies high state X-ray emission in an object, in order to efficiently detect extended high emission states. Third, we have conducted rapid observations of several BL Lacs and QSOs located close together in the sky to search for very high flux, short time-scale flare states such as have been seen from Mrk 421. We will present the results of a survey using the third observational technique.
The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory has been shown to be sensitive to non-transient hard X-ray sources in our galaxy, down to flux levels of 100 mCrab for daily measurements, 3 mCrab for integrations over several years. We use the continuous BATSE database and the Earth Occultation technique to extract average flux values between 20 and 200 keV from complete radio- and X-ray- selected BL Lac samples over a 2 year period.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
