Discovery of TeV γ-ray emission from the pulsar wind nebula 3C 58 by MAGIC

The pulsar wind nebula (PWN) 3C 58 is one of the historical very high-energy (VHE; E> 100 GeV) γ-ray source candidates. It is energized by one of the highest spin-down power pulsars known (5% of Crab pulsar) and it has been compared with the Crab nebula because of their morphological similarities...

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Autores: Galindo Fernández, Daniel, Marcote Martin, Benito, Munar i Adrover, Pere, Paredes i Poy, Josep Maria, Paredes Fortuny, Xavier, Ribó Gomis, Marc, Zanin, Roberta, MAGIC Collaboration
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2014
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/58586
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/58586
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Raigs gamma
Púlsars
Astrofísica
Gamma rays
Pulsars
Astrophysics
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spelling Discovery of TeV γ-ray emission from the pulsar wind nebula 3C 58 by MAGICGalindo Fernández, DanielMarcote Martin, BenitoMunar i Adrover, PereParedes i Poy, Josep MariaParedes Fortuny, XavierRibó Gomis, MarcZanin, RobertaMAGIC CollaborationRaigs gammaPúlsarsAstrofísicaGamma raysPulsarsAstrophysicsThe pulsar wind nebula (PWN) 3C 58 is one of the historical very high-energy (VHE; E> 100 GeV) γ-ray source candidates. It is energized by one of the highest spin-down power pulsars known (5% of Crab pulsar) and it has been compared with the Crab nebula because of their morphological similarities. This object was previously observed by imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (Whipple, VERITAS and MAGIC), although it was not detected, with an upper limit of 2.3% Crab unit (C.U.) at VHE. It was detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) with a spectrum extending beyond 100 GeV. Aims: We aim to extend the spectrum of 3C 58 beyond the energies reported by the Fermi Collaboration and probe acceleration of particles in the PWN up to energies of a few tens of TeV. Methods: We analyzed 81 h of 3C 58 data taken in the period between August 2013 and January 2014 with the MAGIC telescopes. Results: We detected VHE γ-ray emission from 3C 58 with a significance of 5.7σ and an integral flux of 0.65% C.U. above 1 TeV. According to our results, 3C 58 is the least luminous VHE γ-ray PWN ever detected at VHE and has the lowest flux at VHE to date. The differential energy spectrum between 400 GeV and 10 TeV is well described by a power-law function dφ/dE = f0(E/1 TeV)-Γ with f0 = (2.0 ± 0.4stat ± 0.6sys) × 10-13 cm-2 s-1 TeV-1 and Γ = 2.4 ± 0.2stat ± 0.2sys. The skymap is compatible with an unresolved source. Conclusions: We report the first significant detection of PWN 3C 58 at TeV energies. We compare our results with the expectations of time-dependent models in which electrons upscatter photon fields. The best representation favors a distance to the PWN of 2 kpc and far-infrared (FIR) values similar to cosmic microwave background photon fields. If we consider an unexpectedly high FIR density, the data can also be reproduced by models assuming a 3.2 kpc distance. A low magnetic field, far from equipartition, is required to explain the VHE data. Hadronic contribution from the hosting supernova remnant (SNR) requires an unrealistic energy budget given the density of the medium, disfavoring cosmic-ray acceleration in the SNR as origin of the VHE γ-ray emission.Springer Verlag2014info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/58586Articles publicats en revistes (Física Quàntica i Astrofísica)reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UBinstname:Universidad de BarcelonaInglésVersió postprint del document publicat a: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201424261Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2014, vol. 567, num. L8, p. 1-5http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201424261(c) Springer Verlag, 2014info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/585862026-05-27T06:46:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Discovery of TeV γ-ray emission from the pulsar wind nebula 3C 58 by MAGIC
title Discovery of TeV γ-ray emission from the pulsar wind nebula 3C 58 by MAGIC
spellingShingle Discovery of TeV γ-ray emission from the pulsar wind nebula 3C 58 by MAGIC
Galindo Fernández, Daniel
Raigs gamma
Púlsars
Astrofísica
Gamma rays
Pulsars
Astrophysics
title_short Discovery of TeV γ-ray emission from the pulsar wind nebula 3C 58 by MAGIC
title_full Discovery of TeV γ-ray emission from the pulsar wind nebula 3C 58 by MAGIC
title_fullStr Discovery of TeV γ-ray emission from the pulsar wind nebula 3C 58 by MAGIC
title_full_unstemmed Discovery of TeV γ-ray emission from the pulsar wind nebula 3C 58 by MAGIC
title_sort Discovery of TeV γ-ray emission from the pulsar wind nebula 3C 58 by MAGIC
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Galindo Fernández, Daniel
Marcote Martin, Benito
Munar i Adrover, Pere
Paredes i Poy, Josep Maria
Paredes Fortuny, Xavier
Ribó Gomis, Marc
Zanin, Roberta
MAGIC Collaboration
author Galindo Fernández, Daniel
author_facet Galindo Fernández, Daniel
Marcote Martin, Benito
Munar i Adrover, Pere
Paredes i Poy, Josep Maria
Paredes Fortuny, Xavier
Ribó Gomis, Marc
Zanin, Roberta
MAGIC Collaboration
author_role author
author2 Marcote Martin, Benito
Munar i Adrover, Pere
Paredes i Poy, Josep Maria
Paredes Fortuny, Xavier
Ribó Gomis, Marc
Zanin, Roberta
MAGIC Collaboration
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Raigs gamma
Púlsars
Astrofísica
Gamma rays
Pulsars
Astrophysics
topic Raigs gamma
Púlsars
Astrofísica
Gamma rays
Pulsars
Astrophysics
description The pulsar wind nebula (PWN) 3C 58 is one of the historical very high-energy (VHE; E> 100 GeV) γ-ray source candidates. It is energized by one of the highest spin-down power pulsars known (5% of Crab pulsar) and it has been compared with the Crab nebula because of their morphological similarities. This object was previously observed by imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (Whipple, VERITAS and MAGIC), although it was not detected, with an upper limit of 2.3% Crab unit (C.U.) at VHE. It was detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) with a spectrum extending beyond 100 GeV. Aims: We aim to extend the spectrum of 3C 58 beyond the energies reported by the Fermi Collaboration and probe acceleration of particles in the PWN up to energies of a few tens of TeV. Methods: We analyzed 81 h of 3C 58 data taken in the period between August 2013 and January 2014 with the MAGIC telescopes. Results: We detected VHE γ-ray emission from 3C 58 with a significance of 5.7σ and an integral flux of 0.65% C.U. above 1 TeV. According to our results, 3C 58 is the least luminous VHE γ-ray PWN ever detected at VHE and has the lowest flux at VHE to date. The differential energy spectrum between 400 GeV and 10 TeV is well described by a power-law function dφ/dE = f0(E/1 TeV)-Γ with f0 = (2.0 ± 0.4stat ± 0.6sys) × 10-13 cm-2 s-1 TeV-1 and Γ = 2.4 ± 0.2stat ± 0.2sys. The skymap is compatible with an unresolved source. Conclusions: We report the first significant detection of PWN 3C 58 at TeV energies. We compare our results with the expectations of time-dependent models in which electrons upscatter photon fields. The best representation favors a distance to the PWN of 2 kpc and far-infrared (FIR) values similar to cosmic microwave background photon fields. If we consider an unexpectedly high FIR density, the data can also be reproduced by models assuming a 3.2 kpc distance. A low magnetic field, far from equipartition, is required to explain the VHE data. Hadronic contribution from the hosting supernova remnant (SNR) requires an unrealistic energy budget given the density of the medium, disfavoring cosmic-ray acceleration in the SNR as origin of the VHE γ-ray emission.
publishDate 2014
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2014
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
format article
status_str acceptedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/58586
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/58586
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Versió postprint del document publicat a: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201424261
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2014, vol. 567, num. L8, p. 1-5
http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201424261
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv (c) Springer Verlag, 2014
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv (c) Springer Verlag, 2014
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Verlag
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Verlag
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (Física Quàntica i Astrofísica)
reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
instname:Universidad de Barcelona
instname_str Universidad de Barcelona
reponame_str Dipòsit Digital de la UB
collection Dipòsit Digital de la UB
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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