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for the VERITAS Collaboration

Publications and source records attributed to for the VERITAS Collaboration.

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VERITAS Observations of the Microquasar SS 433

Microquasars are increasingly recognized as efficient particle accelerators, potentially contributing to the cosmic-ray flux up to the "knee". Among them, SS 433 stands out as a unique system with precessing relativistic jets embedded within the W50 supernova remnant. Recent detections of very- and ultra-high-energy gamma rays from SS 433 have solidified its role as a key laboratory for studying particle acceleration in jet-powered astrophysical sources. We present results from over 100 hours of observations of SS 433 with VERITAS, spanning more than a decade. These high-resolution measurements allow for a detailed morphological study of the eastern and western jet lobes with an angular resolution of <0.1°. By analyzing the spatial and spectral characteristics of the gamma-ray emission, we investigate the particle acceleration mechanisms within the jets and at the jet-medium interaction in W50.

astro-ph.HE

Matched Runs Method to Study Extended Regions of Gamma-ray Emission

Imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, such as the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Tele-scope Array System (VERITAS), are uniquely suited to resolve the detailed morphology ofextended regions of gamma-ray emission. However, standard VERITAS data analysis techniques have insufficient sensitivity to gamma-ray sources spanning the VERITAS field of view (3.5°),due to difficulties with background estimation. For analysis of such spatially extended sources with 0.5° to greater than 2° radius, we developed the Matched Runs Method. This method derives background estimations for observations of extended sources using matched separate observations of known point sources taken under similar observing conditions. Our technique has been validated by application to archival VERITAS data. Here we present a summary of the Matched RunsMethod and multiple validation studies on different gamma-ray sources using VERITAS data.

astro-ph.IM