arXiv · 1308.0492
MAGIC Gamma-ray Observations of the Perseus Galaxy Cluster
Abstract
In order to detect the gamma-ray emission from cosmic ray (CR) interactions with the intra-cluster medium, the ground-based imaging Cherenkov telescope MAGIC conducted the deepest-to-date observational campaign targeting a galaxy cluster at very high-energies (> 100 GeV) and observed the Perseus cluster for a total of 85 hr during 2009-2011. The observations constrain the average CR-to-thermal pressure ratio to be 1-2% and the maximum CR acceleration efficiency at structure formation shocks to be <50%. Alternatively, this may argue for non-negligible CR transport processes such as CR streaming and diffusion into the outer cluster regions. Additionally, assuming that the Perseus radio mini-halo is generated by secondaries created in hadronic CR interactions, the central magnetic field is limited to be > 4-9 muG. This range is well below the field strength inferred from Faraday rotation measurements and, therefore, the hadronic model remains a plausible explanation of the Perseus radio mini-halo. Following this successful campaign, MAGIC is continuing collecting data on Perseus.
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Fabio Zandanel, Pierre Colin, Saverio Lombardi, Michele Doro, Dorit Eisenacher, Dorothee Hildebrand, Francisco Prada, Christoph Pfrommer, Anders Pinzke. 2013-08-02. MAGIC Gamma-ray Observations of the Perseus Galaxy Cluster. https://arxiv.org/abs/1308.0492
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