Ref HAL: in2p3-00126287_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0611720
DOI: 10.1007/s10509-007-9430-y
Ref. & Cit.: NASA ADS
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22 citations
Abstract:

The H.E.S.S. array of imaging Cherenkov telescopes has discovered a number of previously unknown gamma-ray sources in the very high energy (VHE) domain above 100 GeV. The good angular resolution of H.E.S.S. (~0.1 degree per event), as well as its sensitivity (a few percent of the Crab Nebula flux) and wide 5-degree field of view, allow a much better constrained search for counterparts in comparison to previous instruments. In several cases, the association of the VHE sources revealed by H.E.S.S. with pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) is supported by a combination of positional and morphological evidence, multi-wavelength observations, and plausible PWN model parameters. These include the plerions in the composite supernova remnants G 0.9+0.1 and MSH 15-52, the recently discovered Vela X nebula, two new sources in the Kookaburra complex, and the association of HESS J1825-137 with PSR B1823-13. The properties of these better-established associations are reviewed. A number of other sources discovered by H.E.S.S. are located near high spin-down power pulsars, but the evidence for association is less complete. These possible associations are also discussed, in the context of the available multi-wavelength data and plausible PWN scenarios.

Comments: 5 pages, to appear in Astrophysics and Space Science (proceedings of "The Multi-Messenger Approach to High-Energy Gamma-Ray Sources")

Ref HAL: in2p3-00148941_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0611262
Ref. & Cit.: NASA ADS
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Abstract:

We report on measurements of the extinction in the U, B & V bands and of the NSB (Night Sky Background) during 2 dark periods on La Silla Observatory and at 4000-5000m on the ALMA site using an UV optimized 25 cm portable telescope.

Comments: 9 pages, 15 figures

Ref HAL: in2p3-00113422_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0608247
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20065884
Ref. & Cit.: NASA ADS
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14 citations
Abstract:

We have measured the gamma-ray fluxes of the blazars Mrk 421 and Mrk 501 in the energy range between 50 and 350 GeV (1.2 to 8.3 x 10^25 Hz). The detector, called CELESTE, used first 40, then 53 heliostats of the former solar facility "Themis" in the French Pyrenees to collect Cherenkov light generated in atmospheric particle cascades. The signal from Mrk 421 is often strong. We compare its flux with previously published multi-wavelength studies and infer that we are straddling the high energy peak of the spectral energy distribution. The signal from Mrk 501 in 2000 was weak (3.4 sigma). We obtain an upper limit on the flux from 1ES 1426+428 of less than half that of the Crab flux near 100 GeV. The data analysis and understanding of systematic biases have improved compared to previous work, increasing the detector's sensitivity.

Comments: 15 pages, 14 figures, accepted by A&A (July 2006) August 19 -- corrected error in author list

Ref HAL: in2p3-00024536_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0508073
DOI: 10.1038/nature04680
Ref. & Cit.: NASA ADS
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439 citations
Abstract:

The diffuse Extragalactic Background Light (EBL) contains unique information about the epochs of formation and the history of evolution of galaxies. Unfortunately, direct measurements are subject to large systematic uncertainties due to the difficulties in the accurate model-based subtraction of the bright foregrounds. An alternative approach is based on the detection and identification of EBL absorption features in high-energy spectra of objects of known redshift. Here we exploit this method on the blazars H 2356-309 (z=0.165) and 1ES 1101-232 (z=0.186), newly discovered at TeV energies by the H.E.S.S. Collaboration. They are the most distant sources with measured spectra known so far at these energies. Their hard spectra provide the most stringent upper limit to date on the EBL in the Opt--NIR band, which appears significantly lower than expected from the current "direct" estimates and very close to the absolute lower limit represented by the integrated light of resolved galaxies. In addition to important cosmological implications, this result shows that the intergalactic space is more transparent to gamma-rays than previously thought, expanding the horizon of the TeV Universe.

Ref HAL: in2p3-00025901_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0603021
DOI: 10.1038/nature04467
Ref. & Cit.: NASA ADS
Exporter : BibTex | endNote
386 citations
Abstract:

The origin of Galactic cosmic rays (with energies up to 10^15 eV) remains unclear, though it is widely believed that they originate in the shock waves of expanding supernova remnants. Currently the best way to investigate their acceleration and propagation is by observing the gamma-rays produced when cosmic rays interact with interstellar gas. Here we report observations of an extended region of very high energy (VHE, >100 GeV) gamma-ray emission correlated spatially with a complex of giant molecular clouds in the central 200 pc of the Milky Way. The hardness of the gamma-ray spectrum and the conditions in those molecular clouds indicate that the cosmic rays giving rise to the gamma-rays are likely to be protons and nuclei rather than electrons. The energy associated with the cosmic rays could have come from a single supernova explosion around 10,000 years ago.

Ref HAL: in2p3-00025548_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0601545
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:200600010
Ref. & Cit.: NASA ADS
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68 citations
Abstract:

The high-frequency peaked BL Lac PG 1553+113 was observed in 2005 with the H.E.S.S. stereoscopic array of imaging atmospheric-Cherenkov telescopes in Namibia. Using the H.E.S.S. standard analysis, an excess was measured at the 4.0 sigma level in these observations (7.6 hours live time). Three alternative, lower-threshold analyses yield >5 sigma excesses. The observed integral flux above 200 GeV is (4.8 +/- 1.3_{stat} +/- 1.0_{syst}) x10^{-12} cm^{-2} s^{-1}, and shows no evidence for variability. The measured energy spectrum is characterized by a very soft power law (photon index of Gamma=4.0 +/- 0.6). Although the redshift of PG 1553+113 is unknown, there are strong indications that it is greater than z=0.25 and possibly larger than z=0.78. The observed spectrum is interpreted in the context of VHE gamma-ray absorption by the Extragalactic Background Light, and is used to place an upper limit on the redshift of z<0.74.

Comments: 5 pages, 3 figures; accepted (Jan. 19, 2006) for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

Ref HAL: in2p3-00025549_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0601575
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:200600014
Ref. & Cit.: NASA ADS
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162 citations
Abstract:

The Vela supernova remnant (SNR) is a complex region containing a number of sources of non-thermal radiation. The inner section of this SNR, within 2 degrees of the pulsar PSR B0833-45, has been observed by the H.E.S.S. gamma-ray atmospheric Cherenkov detector in 2004 and 2005. A strong signal is seen from an extended region to the south of the pulsar, within an integration region of radius 0.8 deg. around the position (RA = 08h 35m 00s, dec = -45 deg. 36' J2000.0). The excess coincides with a region of hard X-ray emission seen by the ROSAT and ASCA satellites. The observed energy spectrum of the source between 550 GeV and 65 TeV is well fit by a power law function with photon index = 1.45 +/- 0.09(stat) +/- 0.2(sys) and an exponential cutoff at an energy of 13.8 +/- 2.3(stat) +/- 4.1(sys) TeV. The integral flux above 1 TeV is (1.28 +/- 0.17 (stat) +/- 0.38(sys)) x 10^{-11} cm^{-2} s^{-1}. This result is the first clear measurement of a peak in the spectral energy distribution from a VHE gamma-ray source, likely related to inverse Compton emission. A fit of an Inverse Compton model to the H.E.S.S. spectral energy distribution gives a total energy in non-thermal electrons of ~2 x 10^{45} erg between 5 TeV and 100 TeV, assuming a distance of 290 parsec to the pulsar. The best fit electron power law index is 2.0, with a spectral break at 67 TeV.

Comments: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics letters