Emission from the active nucleus in the core of the brightest cluster galaxy of the Perseus cluster, NGC 1275, has varied dramatically over the past four decades. Prompted by the Fermi detection of flaring in the gamma-ray band, we present the recent
increased activity of this source in the context of its past radio and gamma-ray output. The broad correspondence between the high-frequency radio data and the high-energy (HE) emission is striking. However, on short timescales this correlation breaks down and the 1.3 mm Submillimeter Array flux is apparently unaffected during Fermi-detected flaring activity. The fact that NGC 1275 is also detected at TeV energies during the periods of HE gamma-ray flaring suggests that the short-timescale variation might be primarily related to changes in the inverse Compton scattering of photons by the electron population in the jet. The longer-timescale changes suggest a 30--40 year variation in the fuelling of the black hole, that affects the power of the inner jet. NCG 1275 is a laboratory for the class of brightest cluster galaxies, and its variability on these timescales has implications for our understanding of massive galaxies in cooling-core clusters. The case of NGC 1275 highlights the need for wide coverage across the radio band to correctly account for the contribution to emission from a synchrotron self-absorbed core (for example when considering contamination of Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect observations), and the danger of variability biases in radio surveys of galaxies.
Cosmic explosions dissipate energy into their surroundings on a very wide range of time-scales: producing shock waves and associated particle acceleration. The historical culprits for the acceleration of the bulk of Galactic cosmic rays are supernova
remnants: explosions on ~10000 year time-scales. Increasingly however, time-variable emission points to rapid and efficient particle acceleration in a range of different astrophysical systems. Gamma-ray bursts have the shortest time-scales, with inferred bulk Lorentz factors of ~1000 and photons emitted beyond 100 GeV, but active galaxies, pulsar wind nebulae and colliding stellar winds are all now associated with time-variable emission at ~TeV energies. Cosmic photons and neutrinos at these energies offer a powerful probe of the underlying physical mechanisms of cosmic explosions, and a tool for exploring fundamental physics with these systems. Here we discuss the motivations for high-energy observations of transients, the current experimental situation, and the prospects for the next decade, with particular reference to the major next-generation high-energy observatory CTA.
The High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) survey of the Galactic plane has established the existence of a substantial number (~40) of Galactic TeV gamma-ray sources, a large fraction of which remain unidentified. HESS J0632+057 is one of a small fra
ction of these objects which is point-like in nature(<2 rms), and is one of only two point-like sources that remain unidentified. Follow-up observations of this object with XMM-Newton have revealed an X-ray source coincident with the TeV source and with the massive star MWC 148, of the spectral type B0pe. This source exhibits a hard spectrum, consistent with an absorbed power law with Gamma = 1.26 +/- 0.04, and shows significant variability on hour timescales. We discuss this spatial coincidence and the implied spectral energy distribution of this object and argue that it is likely a new gamma-ray binary system with a close resemblance to the three known members of this class, and in particular to LS I +61 303. Further X-ray, radio and optical observations of this system are needed to firmly establish HESS J0632+057 as a new member of this rare class of Galactic objects.
In this poster contribution we highlight the equivalence between an Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescope (IACT) array and an Intensity Interferometer for a range of technical requirements. We touch on the differences between a Michelson and an Intensity I
nterferometer and give a brief overview of the current IACT arrays, their upgrades and next generation concepts (CTA, AGIS, completion 2015). The latter are foreseen to include 30-90 telescopes that will provide 400-4000 different baselines that range in length between 50m and a kilometre. Intensity interferometry with such arrays of telescopes attains 50 micro-arcseconds resolution for a limiting V magnitude of ~8.5. This technique opens the possibility of a wide range of studies, amongst others, probing the stellar surface activity and the dynamic AU scale circumstellar environment of stars in various crucial evolutionary stages. Here we discuss possibilities for using IACT arrays as optical Intensity Interferometers.
Intensity interferometry exploits a quantum optical effect in order to measure objects with extremely small angular scales. The first experiment to use this technique was the Narrabri intensity interferometer, which was successfully used in the 1970s
to measure 32 stellar diameters at optical wavelengths; some as small as 0.4 milli-arcseconds. The advantage of this technique, in comparison with Michelson interferometers, is that it requires only relatively crude, but large, light collectors equipped with fast (nanosecond) photon detectors. Ground-based gamma-ray telescope arrays have similar specifications, and a number of these observatories are now operating worldwide, with more extensive installations planned for the future. These future instruments (CTA, AGIS, completion 2015) with 30-90 telescopes will provide 400-4000 different baselines that range in length between 50m and a kilometre. Intensity interferometry with such arrays of telescopes attains $50 mu$-arcsecond resolution for a limiting visual magnitude ~8.5. Phase information can be extracted from the interferometric measurement with phase closure, allowing image reconstruction. This technique opens the possibility of a wide range of studies amongst others, probing the stellar surface activity and the dynamic AU scale circumstellar environment of stars in various crucial evolutionary stages. Here we focuse on the astrophysical potential of an intensity interferometer utilising planned new gamma-ray instrumentation.
Motivated by recent detections of pulsar wind nebulae in very-high-energy (VHE) gamma rays, a systematic search for VHE gamma-ray sources associated with energetic pulsars was performed, using data obtained with the H.E.S.S. (High Energy Stereoscopic
System) instrument. The search for VHE gamma-ray sources near the pulsar PSR J1718-3825 revealed the new VHE gamma-ray source HESS J1718-385. We report on the results from the HESS data analysis of this source and on possible associations with the pulsar and at other wavelengths. We investigate the energy spectrum of HESS J1718-385 that shows a clear peak. This is only the second time a VHE gamma-ray spectral maximum from a cosmic source was observed, the first being the Vela X pulsar wind nebula.
The H.E.S.S. telescope array has observed the complex Monoceros Loop SNR/Rosette Nebula region which contains unidentified high energy EGRET sources and potential very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray source. We announce the discovery of a new point-like
VHE gamma-ray sources, HESS J0632+057. It is located close to the rim of the Monoceros SNR and has no clear counterpart at other wavelengths. Data from the NANTEN telescope have been used to investigate hadronic interactions with nearby molecular clouds. We found no evidence for a clear association. The VHE gamma-ray emission is possibly associated with the lower energy gamma-ray source 3EG J0634+0521, a weak X-ray source 1RXS J063258.3+054857 and the Be-star MWC 148.
Recent observations have revealed the existence of an enormously energetic > 10^61 erg AGN outburst in the Hydra A cluster of galaxies. This outburst has produced cavities in the intra-cluster medium, apparently supported by pressure from cosmic rays
. Here we argue that if these cavities are filled with > GeV particles, these particles are very likely protons and nuclei. For a plausible spatial distribution of the target gas, based on observations and hydrodynamical simulations, we show that the pi^0-decay gamma-rays from these cosmic-rays may be detectable with the H.E.S.S.experiment.
