Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

P. Kaaret

Publications and source records attributed to P. Kaaret.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
arXiv2012

VERITAS Observations of Six Bright, Hard-Spectrum Fermi-LAT Blazars

We report on VERITAS very-high-energy (VHE; E>100 GeV) observations of six blazars selected from the Fermi Large Area Telescope First Source Catalog (1FGL). The gamma-ray emission from 1FGL sources was extrapolated up to the VHE band, taking gamma-ray absorption by the extragalactic background light into account. This allowed the selection of six bright, hard-spectrum blazars that were good candidate TeV emitters. Spectroscopic redshift measurements were attempted with the Keck Telescope for the targets without Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectroscopic data. No VHE emission is detected during the observations of the six sources described here. Corresponding TeV upper limits are presented, along with contemporaneous Fermi observations and non-concurrent Swift UVOT and XRT data. The blazar broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) are assembled and modeled with a single-zone synchrotron self-Compton model. The SED built for each of the six blazars show a synchrotron peak bordering between the intermediate- and high-spectrum-peak classifications, with four of the six resulting in particle-dominated emission regions.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2012

Search for a correlation between very-high-energy gamma rays and giant radio pulses in the Crab pulsar

We present the results of a joint observational campaign between the Green Bank radio telescope and the VERITAS gamma-ray telescope, which searched for a correlation between the emission of very-high-energy (VHE) gamma rays ($E_γ >$ 150 GeV) and Giant Radio Pulses (GRPs) from the Crab pulsar at 8.9 GHz. A total of 15366 GRPs were recorded during 11.6 hours of simultaneous observations, which were made across four nights in December 2008 and in November and December 2009. We searched for an enhancement of the pulsed gamma-ray emission within time windows placed around the arrival time of the GRP events. In total, 8 different time windows with durations ranging from 0.033 ms to 72 s were positioned at three different locations relative to the GRP to search for enhanced gamma-ray emission which lagged, led, or was concurrent with, the GRP event. Further, we performed separate searches on main pulse GRPs and interpulse GRPs and on the most energetic GRPs in our data sample. No significant enhancement of pulsed VHE emission was found in any of the preformed searches. We set upper limits of 5-10 times the average VHE flux of the Crab pulsar on the flux simultaneous with interpulse GRPs on single-rotation-period time scales. On $\sim$8-second time scales around interpulse GRPs, we set an upper limit of 2-3 times the average VHE flux. Within the framework of recent models for pulsed VHE emission from the Crab pulsar, the expected VHE-GRP emission correlations are below the derived limits.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2012

Constraints on Cosmic Rays, Magnetic Fields, and Dark Matter from Gamma-Ray Observations of the Coma Cluster of Galaxies with VERITAS and Fermi

Observations of radio halos and relics in galaxy clusters indicate efficient electron acceleration. Protons should likewise be accelerated, suggesting that clusters may also be sources of very high-energy (VHE; E>100 GeV) gamma-ray emission. We report here on VHE gamma-ray observations of the Coma galaxy cluster with the VERITAS array of imaging Cherenkov telescopes, with complementing Fermi-LAT observations at GeV energies. No significant gamma-ray emission from the Coma cluster was detected. Integral flux upper limits at the 99% confidence level were measured to be on the order of (2-5)*10^-8\ ph. m^-2 s^-1 (VERITAS, >220 GeV} and ~2*10^-6 ph. m^-2 s^-1 (Fermi, 1-3 GeV), respectively. We use the gamma-ray upper limits to constrain CRs and magnetic fields in Coma. Using an analytical approach, the CR-to-thermal pressure ratio is constrained to be < 16% from VERITAS data and < 1.7% from Fermi data (averaged within the virial radius). These upper limits are starting to constrain the CR physics in self-consistent cosmological cluster simulations and cap the maximum CR acceleration efficiency at structure formation shocks to be <50%. Assuming that the radio-emitting electrons of the Coma halo result from hadronic CR interactions, the observations imply a lower limit on the central magnetic field in Coma of (2 - 5.5) muG, depending on the radial magnetic-field profile and on the gamma-ray spectral index. Since these values are below those inferred by Faraday rotation measurements in Coma (for most of the parameter space), this {renders} the hadronic model a very plausible explanation of the Coma radio halo. Finally, since galaxy clusters are dark-matter (DM) dominated, the VERITAS upper limits have been used to place constraints on the thermally-averaged product of the total self-annihilation cross section and the relative velocity of the DM particles, <σv>. (abr.)

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2012

Multiwavelength observations of the AGN 1ES 0414+009 with VERITAS, Fermi-LAT, Swift-XRT, and MDM

We present observations of the BL Lac object 1ES 0414+009 in the >200 GeV gamma-ray band by the VERITAS array of Cherenkov telescopes. 1ES 0414+009 was observed by VERITAS between January 2008 and February 2011, resulting in 56.2 hours of good quality pointed observations. These observations resulted in a detection of 822 events from the source corresponding to a statistical significance of 6.4 standard deviations (6.4 sigma) above the background. The source flux, showing no evidence for variability, is measured as 5.2 +/- 1.1_stat +/- 2.6_sys * 10^-12 photons cm^-2 s^-1 above 200 GeV, equivalent to approximately 2% of the Crab Nebula flux above this energy. The differential photon spectrum from 230 GeV to 850 GeV is well fit by a power law with an photon index of Gamma 3.4 +/- 0.5_stat +/- 0.3_sys and a flux normalization of 1.6 +/- 0.3_stat +/- 0.8_sys * 10^-11 photons cm^-2 s^-1 at 300 GeV. We also present multiwavelength results taken in the optical (MDM), X-ray (Swift-XRT), and GeV (Fermi-LAT) bands and use these results to construct a broadband spectral energy distribution (SED). Modeling of this SED indicates that homogenous one-zone leptonic scenarios are not adequate to describe emission from the system, with a lepto-hadronic model providing a better fit to the data.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2012

VERITAS Observations of the Nova in V407 Cygni

We report on very high energy (E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray observations of V407 Cygni, a symbiotic binary that underwent a nova outburst producing 0.1-10 GeV gamma rays during 2010 March 10-26. Observations were made with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System during 2010 March 19-26 at relatively large zenith angles, due to the position of V407 Cyg. An improved reconstruction technique for large zenith angle observations is presented and used to analyze the data. We do not detect V407 Cygni and place a differential upper limit on the flux at 1.6 TeV of 2.3 \times 10^(-12) erg cm^(-2) s^(-1) (at the 95% confidence level). When considered jointly with data from Fermi-LAT, this result places limits on the acceleration of very high energy particles in the nova.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2012

A relativistic iron emission line from the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary GX 3+1

We present the results of a spectroscopic study of the Fe Kα emission of the persistent neutron-star atoll low-mass X-ray binary and type I X-ray burster GX 3+1 with the EPIC-PN on board XMM-Newton. The source shows a flux modulation over several years and we observed it during its fainter phase, which corresponds to an X-ray luminosity of Lx~10^37 ergs/s. When fitted with a two-component model, the X-ray spectrum shows broad residuals at \sim6-7 keV that can be ascribed to an iron Kα fluorescence line. In addition, lower energy features are observed at \sim3.3 keV, \sim3.9 keV and might originate from Ar XVIII and Ca XIX. The broad iron line feature is well fitted with a relativistically smeared profile. This result is robust against possible systematics caused by instrumental pile-up effects. Assuming that the line is produced by reflection from the inner accretion disk, we infer an inner disk radius of \sim25 Rg and a disk inclination of 35° < i < 44°.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2012

The black hole candidate MAXIJ1659-152 in and towards quiescence in X-ray and radio

In this paper we report on Expanded Very Large Array radio and Chandra and Swift X-ray observations of the outburst decay of the transient black hole candidate MAXI J1659-152 in 2011. We discuss the distance to the source taking the high inclination into account and we conclude that the source distance is probably 6+-2 kpc. The lowest observed flux corresponds to a luminosity of 2x10^31 (d/6 kpc)^2 erg/s This, together with the orbital period of 2.4 hr reported in the literature, suggests that the quiescent X-ray luminosity is higher than predicted on the basis of the orbital period -- quiescent X-ray luminosity relationship. The relation between the accretion and ejection mechanisms can be studied using the observed correlation between the radio and X-ray luminosities as these evolve over an outburst. We determine the behaviour of MAXI J1659-152 in the radio -- X-ray diagram at low X-ray luminosities using the observations reported in this paper and at high X-ray luminosities using values reported in the literature. At high X-ray luminosities the source lies closer to the sources that follow a correlation index steeper than 0.6-0.7. However, when compared to other sources that follow a steeper correlation index, the X-ray luminosity in MAXI J1659-152 is also lower. The latter can potentially be explained by the high inclination of MAXI J1659-152 if the X-ray emission comes from close to the source and the radio emission is originating in a more extended region. However, it is probable that the source was not in the canonical low-hard state during these radio observations and this may affect the behaviour of the source as well. At intermediate X-ray luminosities the source makes the transition from the radio underluminous sources in the direction of the relation traced by the 'standard' correlation similar to what has been reported for H1743-322. (abridged)

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2012

The black hole candidate XTE J1752-223 towards and in quiescence: optical and simultaneous X-ray - radio observations

We present optical, X-ray and radio observations of the black hole transient (BHT) XTE J1752-223 towards and in quiescence. Optical photometry shows that the quiescent magnitude of XTE J1752-223 is fainter than 24.4 magnitudes in the i'-band. A comparison with measurements of the source during its 2009-2010 outburst shows that the outburst amplitude is more than 8 magnitudes in the i'-band. Known X-ray properties of the source combined with the faintness of the quiescence optical counterpart and the large outburst optical amplitude point towards a short orbital period system (Porb<~6.8 h) with an M type (or later) mass donor, at a distance of 3.5<~d<~8 kpc. Simultaneous X-ray and radio data were collected with Chandra and the EVLA, allowing constraints to be placed on the quiescent X-ray and radio flux of XTE J1752-223. Furthermore, using data covering the final stage of the outburst decay, we investigated the low luminosity end of the X-ray - radio correlation for this source and compared it with other BHTs. We found that XTE J1752-223 adds to the number of outliers with respect to the `standard' X-ray - radio luminosity relation. Furthermore, XTE J1752-223 is the second source, after the BHT H1743-322, that shows a transition from the region of the outliers towards the `standard' correlation at low luminosity. Finally, we report on a faint, variable X-ray source we discovered with Chandra at an angular distance of ~2.9" to XTE J1752-223 and at a position angle consistent with that of the radio jets previously observed from the BHT. We discuss the possibility that we detected X-ray emission associated with a jet from XTE J1752-223.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2012

Discovery of High-energy and Very High Energy Gamma-ray Emission from the Blazar RBS 0413

We report on the discovery of high-energy (HE; E > 0.1 GeV) and very high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray emission from the high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object RBS 0413. VERITAS, a ground-based gamma-ray observatory, detected VHE gamma rays from RBS 0413 with a statistical significance of 5.5 standard deviations (sigma) and a gamma-ray flux of (1.5 \pm 0.6stat \pm 0.7syst) \times 10^(-8) photons m^(-2) s^(-1) (\sim 1% of the Crab Nebula flux) above 250 GeV. The observed spectrum can be described by a power law with a photon index of 3.18 \pm 0.68stat \pm 0.30syst. Contemporaneous observations with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope detected HE gamma rays from RBS 0413 with a statistical significance of more than 9 sigma, a power-law photon index of 1.57 \pm 0.12stat +0.11sys -0.12sys and a gamma-ray flux between 300 MeV and 300 GeV of (1.64 \pm 0.43stat +0.31sys -0.22sys) \times 10^(-5) photons m^(-2) s^(-1). We present the results from Fermi-LAT and VERITAS, including a spectral energy distribution modeling of the gamma-ray, quasi-simultaneous X-ray (Swift-XRT), ultraviolet (Swift-UVOT) and R-band optical (MDM) data. We find that, if conditions close to equipartition are required, both the combined synchrotron self-Compton/external-Compton and the lepto-hadronic models are preferred over a pure synchrotron self-Compton model.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2012

Evolution of the spectral curvature in the ULX Holmberg II X-1

Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are interesting systems as they can host intermediate mass black holes. Alternatively, ULXs can represent stellar-mass black holes accreting at super-Eddington rates. Recently spectral curvature or breaks at energies above a few keV have been detected in high quality ULX spectra. These spectral features have been taken as evidence against the intermediate-mass black hole case. In this paper, we report on a new XMM-Newton observation of the ULX Holmberg II X-1 that also shows a clear spectral break at approximately 4 keV. This observation was performed during a low luminosity state of the system and by comparing this new data to a high luminosity state XMM-Newton observation, we can conclude that the spectral break energy increases with luminosity. This behaviour is different to a ULX in the Holmberg IX galaxy,where an opposite trend between the luminosity and the spectral break energy has been claimed. We discuss mechanisms that could explain this complex behaviour.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2012

Black Hole Powered Nebulae and a Case Study of the Ultraluminous X-ray Source IC342 X-1

We present new radio, optical, and X-ray observations of three Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) that are associated with large-scale nebulae. We report the discovery of a radio nebula associated with the ULX IC342 X-1 using the Very Large Array (VLA). Complementary VLA observations of the nebula around Holmberg II X-1, and high-frequency Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) and Very Large Telescope (VLT) spectroscopic observations of NGC5408 X-1 are also presented. We study the morphology, ionization processes, and the energetics of the optical/radio nebulae of IC342 X-1, Holmberg II X-1 and NGC5408 X-1. The energetics of the optical nebula of IC342 X-1 is discussed in the framework of standard bubble theory. The total energy content of the optical nebula is 6 x 10^52 erg. The minimum energy needed to supply the associated radio nebula is 9.2 x 10^50 erg. In addition, we detected an unresolved radio source at the location of IC342 X-1 at VLA scales. However, our Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations using the European VLBI Network likely rule out the presence of any compact radio source at milli-arcsecond (mas) scales. Using a simultaneous Swift X-ray Telescope measurement, we estimate an upper limit on the mass of the black hole in IC342 X-1 using the "fundamental plane" of accreting black holes and obtain M_BH < (1.0\pm0.3) x 10^3 M_Sun. Arguing that the nebula of IC342 X-1 is possibly inflated by a jet, we estimate accretion rates and efficiencies for the jet of IC342 X-1 and compare with sources like S26, SS433, IC10 X-1.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2011

VERITAS Observations of day-scale flaring of M87 in 2010 April

VERITAS has been monitoring the very-high-energy (VHE; >100GeV) gamma-ray activity of the radio galaxy M87 since 2007. During 2008, flaring activity on a timescale of a few days was observed with a peak flux of (0.70 +- 0.16) X 10^{-11} cm^{-2} s^{-1} at energies above 350GeV. In 2010 April, VERITAS detected a flare from M87 with peak flux of (2.71 +- 0.68) X 10^{-11} cm^{-2} s^{-1} for E>350GeV. The source was observed for six consecutive nights during the flare, resulting in a total of 21 hr of good quality data. The most rapid flux variation occurred on the trailing edge of the flare with an exponential flux decay time of 0.90^{+0.22}_{-0.15} days. The shortest detected exponential rise time is three times as long, at 2.87^{+1.65}_{-0.99} days. The quality of the data sample is such that spectral analysis can be performed for three periods: rising flux, peak flux, and falling flux. The spectra obtained are consistent with power-law forms. The spectral index at the peak of the flare is equal to 2.19 +- 0.07. There is some indication that the spectrum is softer in the falling phase of the flare than the peak phase, with a confidence level corresponding to 3.6 standard deviations. We discuss the implications of these results for the acceleration and cooling rates of VHE electrons in M87 and the constraints they provide on the physical size of the emitting region.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2011

VERITAS Observations of Gamma-Ray Bursts Detected by Swift

We present the results of sixteen Swift-triggered GRB follow-up observations taken with the VERITAS telescope array from January, 2007 to June, 2009. The median energy threshold and response time of these observations was 260 GeV and 320 s, respectively. Observations had an average duration of 90 minutes. Each burst is analyzed independently in two modes: over the whole duration of the observations and again over a shorter time scale determined by the maximum VERITAS sensitivity to a burst with a t^-1.5 time profile. This temporal model is characteristic of GRB afterglows with high-energy, long-lived emission that have been detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on-board the Fermi satellite. No significant VHE gamma-ray emission was detected and upper limits above the VERITAS threshold energy are calculated. The VERITAS upper limits are corrected for gamma-ray extinction by the extragalactic background light (EBL) and interpreted in the context of the keV emission detected by Swift. For some bursts the VHE emission must have less power than the keV emission, placing constraints on inverse Compton models of VHE emission.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2011

Multiwavelength Observations of the Previously Unidentified Blazar RX J0648.7+1516

We report on the VERITAS discovery of very-high-energy (VHE) gamma- ray emission above 200 GeV from the high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object RXJ0648.7+1516 (GBJ0648+1516), associated with 1FGLJ0648.8+1516. The photon spectrum above 200 GeV is fit by a power law dN/dE = F0(E/E0)-Γ with a photon index Γ of 4.4 {\pm} 0.8stat {\pm}0.3syst and a flux normalization F0 of (2.3 {\pm}0.5stat {\pm} 1.2sys) {\times} 10-11 TeV-1cm-2s-1 with E0 = 300 GeV. No VHE vari- ability is detected during VERITAS observations of RXJ0648.7+1516 between 2010 March 4 and April 15. Following the VHE discovery, the optical identifica- tion and spectroscopic redshift were obtained using the Shane 3-m Telescope at the Lick Observatory, showing the unidentified object to be a BL Lac type with a redshift of z = 0.179. Broadband multiwavelength observations contemporaneous with the VERITAS exposure period can be used to sub-classify the blazar as a high-frequency-peaked BL Lac (HBL) object, including data from the MDM ob- servatory, Swift-UVOT and XRT, and continuous monitoring at photon energies above 1 GeV from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). We find that in the absence of undetected, high-energy rapid variability, the one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model (SSC) overproduces the high-energy gamma-ray emission measured by the Fermi-LAT over 2.3 years. The SED can be parameterized sat- isfactorily with an external-Compton or lepto-hadronic model, which have two and six additional free parameters, respectively, compared to the one-zone SSC model.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2011

VERITAS: Status and Highlights

The VERITAS telescope array has been operating smoothly since 2007, and has detected gamma-ray emission above 100 GeV from 40 astrophysical sources. These include blazars, pulsar wind nebulae, supernova remnants, gamma-ray binary systems, a starburst galaxy, a radio galaxy, the Crab pulsar, and gamma-ray sources whose origin remains unidentified. In 2009, the array was reconfigured, greatly improving the sensitivity. We summarize the current status of the observatory, describe some of the scientific highlights since 2009, and outline plans for the future.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2011

Detection of Pulsed Gamma Rays Above 100 GeV from the Crab Pulsar

We report the detection of pulsed gamma rays from the Crab pulsar at energies above 100 Gigaelectronvolts (GeV) with the VERITAS array of atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The detection cannot be explained on the basis of current pulsar models. The photon spectrum of pulsed emission between 100 Megaelectronvolts (MeV) and 400 GeV is described by a broken power law that is statistically preferred over a power law with an exponential cutoff. It is unlikely that the observation can be explained by invoking curvature radiation as the origin of the observed gamma rays above 100 GeV. Our findings require that these gamma rays be produced more than 10 stellar radii from the neutron star.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2011

Gamma-ray observations of the Be/pulsar binary 1A 0535+262 during a giant X-ray outburst

Giant X-ray outbursts, with luminosities of about $ 10^{37}$ erg s$^{-1}$, are observed roughly every 5 years from the nearby Be/pulsar binary 1A 0535+262. In this article, we present observations of the source with VERITAS at very-high energies (VHE; E$>$100 GeV) triggered by the X-ray outburst in December 2009. The observations started shortly after the onset of the outburst, and they provided comprehensive coverage of the episode, as well as the 111-day binary orbit. No VHE emission is evident at any time. We also examined data from the contemporaneous observations of 1A 0535+262 with the Fermi/LAT at high energy photons (HE; E$>$0.1 GeV) and failed to detect the source at GeV energies. The X-ray continua measured with the Swift/XRT and the RXTE/PCA can be well described by the combination of blackbody and Comptonized emission from thermal electrons. Therefore, the gamma-ray and X-ray observations suggest the absence of a significant population of non-thermal particles in the system. This distinguishes 1A~0535+262 from those Be X-ray binaries (such as PSR B1259--63 and LS I +61$^{\circ}$303) that have been detected at GeV--TeV energies. We discuss the implications of the results on theoretical models.

astro-ph.HE↗