arXiv subjects

R. Wagner

Publications and source records attributed to R. Wagner.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Multiwavelength Observations of the VHE Blazar 1ES 2344+514

Multiwavelength observations of the high-frequency-peaked blazar 1ES2344+514 were performed from 2007 October to 2008 January. The campaign represents the first contemporaneous data on the object at very high energy (VHE, E >100 GeV) γ-ray, X-ray, and UV energies. Observations with VERITAS in VHE γ-rays yield a strong detection of 20 σ with 633 excess events in a total exposure of 18.1 hours live-time. A strong VHE γ-ray flare on 2007 December 7 is measured at F(>300 GeV) = (6.76 \pm 0.62) \times 10-11 ph cm-2 s-1, corresponding to 48% of the Crab Nebula flux. Excluding this flaring episode, nightly variability at lower fluxes is observed with a time-averaged mean of F(>300 GeV) = (1.06 \pm 0.09) \times 10-11 ph cm-2 s-1 (7.6% of the Crab Nebula flux). The differential photon spectrum between 390 GeV and 8.3 TeV for the time-averaged observations excluding 2007 December 7 is well described by a power law with a photon index of Γ = 2.78 \pm 0.09stat \pm 0.15syst. Over the full period of VERITAS observations contemporaneous X-ray and UV data were taken with Swift and RXTE. The measured 2-10 keV flux ranged by a factor of ~7 during the campaign. On 2007 December 8 the highest ever observed X-ray flux from 1ES 2344+514 was measured by Swift XRT at a flux of F(2-10 keV) = (6.28 \pm 0.31) \times 10-11 erg cm-2 s-1. Evidence for a correlation between the X-ray flux and VHE γ-ray flux on nightly time-scales is indicated with a Pearson correlation coefficient of r = 0.60 \pm 0.11. Contemporaneous spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 1ES 2344+514 are presented for two distinct flux states. A one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model describes both SEDs using parameters consistent with previous SSC modeling of 1ES 2344+514 from non-contemporaneous observations.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

Turbulent Motions and Shocks Waves in Galaxy Clusters simulated with AMR

We have implemented an Adaptive Mesh Refinement criterion explicitly designed to increase spatial resolution around discontinuities in the velocity field in ENZO cosmological simulations. With this technique, shocks and turbulent eddies developed during the hierarchical assembly of galaxy clusters are followed with unprecedented spatial resolution, even at large distances from the clusters center. By measuring the spectral properties of the gas velocity field, its time evolution and the properties of shocks for a reference galaxy cluster, we investigate the connection between accretion processes and the onset of chaotic motions in the simulated Inter Galactic Medium over a wide range of scales

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Discovery of very high energy gamma-rays from the flat spectrum radio quasar 3C 279 with the MAGIC telescope

3C 279 is one of the best studied flat spectrum radio quasars located at a comparatively large redshift of z = 0.536. Observations in the very high energy band of such distant sources were impossible until recently due to the expected steep energy spectrum and the strong gamma-ray attenuation by the extragalactic background light photon field, which conspire to make the source visible only with a low energy threshold. Here the detection of a significant gamma-ray signal from 3C 279 at very high energies (E > 75 GeV) during a flare in early 2006 is reported. Implications of its energy spectrum on the current understanding of the extragalactic background light and very high energy gamma-ray emission mechanism models are discussed.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2008

Section on Prospects for Dark Matter Detection of the White Paper on the Status and Future of Ground-Based TeV Gamma-Ray Astronomy

This is a report on the findings of the dark matter science working group for the white paper on the status and future of TeV gamma-ray astronomy. The white paper was commissioned by the American Physical Society, and the full white paper can be found on astro-ph (arXiv:0810.0444). This detailed section discusses the prospects for dark matter detection with future gamma-ray experiments, and the complementarity of gamma-ray measurements with other indirect, direct or accelerator-based searches. We conclude that any comprehensive search for dark matter should include gamma-ray observations, both to identify the dark matter particle (through the charac- teristics of the gamma-ray spectrum) and to measure the distribution of dark matter in galactic halos.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Status of the VERITAS Observatory

VERITAS, an Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope (IACT) system for gammma-ray astronomy in the GeV-TeV range, has recently completed its first season of observations with a full array of four telescopes. A number of astrophysical gamma-ray sources have been detected, both galactic and extragalactic, including sources previously unknown at TeV energies. We describe the status of the array and some highlight results, and assess the technical performance, sensitivity and shower reconstruction capabilities.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

VERITAS Observations of the BL Lac Object 1ES 1218+304

The VERITAS collaboration reports the detection of very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray emission from the high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object 1ES 1218+304 located at a redshift of z=0.182. A gamma-ray signal was detected with high statistical significance for the observations taken during several months in the 2006-2007 observing season. The photon spectrum between ~160 GeV and ~1.8 TeV is well described by a power law with an index of Gamma = 3.08 +/- 0.34(stat) +/- 0.2(sys). The integral flux above 200 GeV corresponds to ~6% of that of the Crab Nebula. The light curve does not show any evidence for VHE flux variability. Using lower limits on the density of the extragalactic background light (EBL) in the near-IR to mid-IR we are able to limit the range of intrinsic energy spectra for 1ES 1218+304. We show that the intrinsic photon spectrum is harder than a power law with an index of Gamma = 2.32 +/- 0.37. When including constraints from the spectra of 1ES 1101-232 and 1ES 0229+200, the spectrum of 1ES 1218+304 is likely to be harder than Gamma = 1.86 +/- 0.37.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

VERITAS Discovery of >200GeV Gamma-ray Emission from the Intermediate-frequency-peaked BL Lac Object W Comae

We report the detection of very high-energy gamma-ray emission from the intermediate-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae object W Comae (z=0.102) by VERITAS. The source was observed between January and April 2008. A strong outburst of gamma-ray emission was measured in the middle of March, lasting for only four days. The energy spectrum measured during the two highest flare nights is fit by a power-law and is found to be very steep, with a differential photon spectral index of Gamma = 3.81 +- 0.35_stat +- 0.34_syst. The integral photon flux above 200GeV during those two nights corresponds to roughly 9% of the flux from the Crab Nebula. Quasi-simultaneous Swift observations at X-ray energies were triggered by the VERITAS observations. The spectral energy distribution of the flare data can be described by synchrotron-self-Compton (SSC) or external-Compton (EC) leptonic jet models, with the latter offering a more natural set of parameters to fit the data.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

VERITAS Observations of the gamma-Ray Binary LS I +61 303

LS I +61 303 is one of only a few high-mass X-ray binaries currently detected at high significance in very high energy gamma-rays. The system was observed over several orbital cycles (between September 2006 and February 2007) with the VERITAS array of imaging air-Cherenkov telescopes. A signal of gamma-rays with energies above 300 GeV is found with a statistical significance of 8.4 standard deviations. The detected flux is measured to be strongly variable; the maximum flux is found during most orbital cycles at apastron. The energy spectrum for the period of maximum emission can be characterized by a power law with a photon index of Gamma=2.40+-0.16_stat+-0.2_sys and a flux above 300 GeV corresponding to 15-20% of the flux from the Crab Nebula.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Discovery of very high-energy gamma-ray emission from the LBL object BL Lacertae

The low-frequency peaked BL Lac (LBL) object BL Lacertae was observed with the MAGIC telescope from 2005 August to December (22.2 hr), and from 2006 July to September (26.0 hr). A very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray signal was discovered with a 5.1 sigma excess in the 2005 data. Above 200 GeV, an integral flux of (0.6+-0.2)x10e-11 m-2 s-1 was measured, corresponding to approximately 3% of the Crab flux. The differential spectrum between 150 and 900 GeV is rather steep, with a photon index of -3.6+-0.5. The light curve shows no significant variability during the observations in 2005. For the first time a clear detection of VHE gamma-ray emission from an LBL object was obtained. The 2006 data show no significant excess. This drop in flux follows the observed trend in optical activity

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

The First VERITAS Telescope

The first atmospheric Cherenkov telescope of VERITAS (the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System) has been in operation since February 2005. We present here a technical description of the instrument and a summary of its performance. The calibration methods are described, along with the results of Monte Carlo simulations of the telescope and comparisons between real and simulated data. The analysis of TeV $γ$-ray observations of the Crab Nebula, including the reconstructed energy spectrum, is shown to give results consistent with earlier measurements. The telescope is operating as expected and has met or exceeded all design specifications.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

The Timing System for the CDF Electromagnetic Calorimeters

We report on the design and performance of the electromagnetic calorimeter timing readout system (EMTiming) for the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF). The system will be used in searches for rare events with high energy photons to verify that the photon is in time with the event collision, to reject cosmic ray and beam halo backgrounds, and to allow direct searches for new heavy long-lived particles that decay to photons. The installation and commissioning of all 862 channels was completed in Fall 2004 as part of an upgrade to the Run II version of the detector. Using in-situ data, including electrons from W=>e nu and Z => ee decays, we measure the energy threshold for a time to be recorded to be 3.8 \pm 0.3GeV in the central portion of the detector and 1.9 \pm 0.1 GeV in the plug portion. Similarly, we measure a timing resolution of 600 \pm 10 ps and 610 \pm 10 ps for electrons above 10 GeV and 6 GeV respectively. There are very few system pathologies such as recording a time when no energy is deposited, or recording a second, fake time for a single energy deposit.

physics.ins-det↗