Ref HAL: in2p3-00124615_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0612495
DOI: 10.1086/512603
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144 citations
Résumé:

The shell-type supernova remnant RX J0852.0-4622 was observed with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) of Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes between December 2004 and May 2005 for a total observation time of 33 hours, above an average gamma-ray energy threshold of 250 GeV. The angular resolution of ~0.06 degree (for events triggering 3 or 4 telescopes) and the large field of view of H.E.S.S. ($5^{\circ}$ diameter) are well adapted to studying the morphology of the object in very high energy gamma-rays, which exhibits a remarkably thin shell very similar to the features observed in the radio range and in X-rays. The spectral analysis of the source from 300 GeV to 20 TeV is also presented. Finally, the possible origins of the very high energy gamma-ray emission (Inverse Compton scattering by electrons or the decay of neutral pions produced by proton interactions) are discussed, on the basis of morphological and spectral features obtained at different wavelengths.

Commentaires: 42 pages, 20 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Ref HAL: in2p3-00118136_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0612016
DOI: 10.1126/science.1134408
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252 citations
Résumé:

The detection of fast variations of the TeV (10^12 eV) gamma-ray flux, on time-scales of days, from the nearby radio galaxy M 87 is reported. These variations are ~10 times faster than that observed in any other waveband and imply a very compact emission region with a dimension similar to the Schwarzschild radius of the central black hole. We thus can exclude several other sites and processes of the gamma-ray production. The observations confirm that TeV gamma-rays are emitted by extragalactic sources other than blazars, where jets are not relativistically beamed towards the observer.

Commentaires: 16 pages, 5 figures

Ref HAL: in2p3-00137679_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0610509
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.221102
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185 citations
Résumé:

The detection of gamma rays from the source HESS J1745-290 in the Galactic Center (GC) region with the High Energy Spectroscopic System (HESS) array of Cherenkov telescopes in 2004 is presented. After subtraction of the diffuse gamma-ray emission from the GC ridge, the source is compatible with a point source with spatial extent less than 1.2[prime](stat) (95% C.L.). The measured energy spectrum above 160 GeV is compatible with a power law with photon index of 2.25±0.04(stat)±0.10(syst) and no significant flux variation is detected. It is finally found that the bulk of the very high energy emission must have non-dark-matter origin.

Commentaires: 5 pages, 2 figures, published in Physical Review Letters Correct some references The accepted version set on astro-ph was slightly too long for publication. This is a slightly shorter version

Ref HAL: in2p3-00121031_v1
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20065546
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138 citations
Résumé:

Aims. We present results from deep $\gamma$-ray observations of the Galactic pulsar wind nebula HESS J1825-137 performed with the HESS array. Methods. Detailed morphological and spatially resolved spectral studies reveal the very high-energy (VHE) $\gamma$-ray aspects of this object with unprecedented precision. Results. We confirm previous results obtained in a survey of the Galactic Plane in 2004. The $\gamma$-ray emission extends asymmetrically to the south and south-west of the energetic pulsar PSR J1826-1334 , that is thought to power the pulsar wind nebula. The differential $\gamma$-ray spectrum of the whole emission region is measured over more than two orders of magnitude, from 270 GeV to 35 TeV, and shows indications for a deviation from a pure power law. Spectra have also been determined for spatially separated regions of HESS J1825-137. The photon indices from a power-law fit in the different regions show a softening of the spectrum with increasing distance from the pulsar and therefore an energy dependent morphology. Conclusions. This is the first time that an energy dependent morphology has been detected in the VHE $\gamma$-ray regime. The VHE $\gamma$-ray emission of HESS J1825-137 is phenomenologically discussed in the scenario where the $\gamma$-rays are produced by VHE electrons via Inverse Compton scattering. The high $\gamma$-ray luminosity of the source cannot be explained on the basis of constant spin-down power of the pulsar and requires higher injection power in past.

Ref HAL: in2p3-00107167_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0607333
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20065351
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524 citations
Résumé:

The Crab nebula was observed with the H.E.S.S. stereoscopic Cherenkov-telescope array between October 2003 and January 2005 for a total of 22.9 hours (after data quality selection). Observations were made with three operational telescopes in late 2003 and with the complete 4 telescope array in January - February 2004 and October 2004 - January 2005. The observations are discussed and used as an example to detail the flux and spectral analysis procedures of H.E.S.S., and to evaluate the systematic uncertainties in H.E.S.S. flux measurements. The flux and spectrum of gamma-rays from the source are calculated on run-by-run and monthly time-scales, and a correction is applied for long-term variations in the detector sensitivity. Comparisons of the measured flux and spectrum over the observation period, along with the results from a number of different analysis procedures are used to estimate systematic uncertainties in the measurements. The energy spectrum is found to follow a power law with an exponential cutoff, with photon index $\Gamma = 2.39 \pm 0.03\stat$ and cutoff energy $E_{c} = (14.3 \pm 2.1\stat) \textrm{TeV}$ between 440 GeV and 40 TeV. The observed integral flux above 1 TeV is $(2.26 \pm 0.08\stat) \times 10^{-11} cm^{-2} s^{-1}$. The estimated systematic error on the flux measurement is estimated to be 20%, while the estimated systematic error on the spectral slope is 0.1.

Commentaires: Accepted for publication in A&A

Ref HAL: in2p3-00124857_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0607192
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20065940
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194 citations
Résumé:

New observations of LS 5039, a High Mass X-ray Binary comprising a massive star and compact object, were carried out with the High Energy Stereoscopic System of Cherenkov Telescopes (H.E.S.S.) in 2005 at very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray energies. These observations reveal that its flux and energy spectrum are modulated with the 3.9 day orbital period of the binary system. This is the first time in gamma-ray astronomy that orbital modulation has been observed, and periodicity clearly established using ground-based gamma-ray detectors. The VHE gamma-ray emission is largely confined to half of the orbit, peaking around the inferior conjunction epoch of the compact object. For this epoch, there is also a hardening of the energy spectrum in the energy range between 0.2 TeV and a few TeV. The flux vs. orbital phase profile provides the first clear indication of gamma-ray absorption via pair production within an astrophysical source, a process which is expected to occur if the gamma-ray production site is situated within ~1 AU of the compact object. Moreover the production region size must be not significantly greater than the binary separation (~0.15 AU). Notably, these constraints are also considerably smaller than the collimated outflows or jets (extending out to ~1000 AU) observed in LS 5039. The spectral hardening could arise from variations with phase in the maximum electron energies, and/or the dominant VHE gamma-ray production mechanism.

Commentaires: 8 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

Ref HAL: in2p3-00124916_v1
Ref Arxiv: astro-ph/0606311
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20065511
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68 citations
Résumé:

Aims. Search for Very High Energy gamma-ray emission in the Kookaburra complex through observations with the H.E.S.S. array. Methods. Stereoscopic imaging of Cherenkov light emission of the gamma-ray showers in the atmosphere is used for the reconstruction and selection of the events to search for gamma-ray signals. Their spectrum is derived by a forward-folding maximum likelihood fit. Results. Two extended gamma-ray sources with an angular (68%) radius of 3.3-3.4' are discovered at high (>13sigma) statistical significance: HESS J1420-607 and HESS J1418-609. They exhibit a flux above 1 TeV of (2.97+/-0.18stat +/-0.60sys)x10-12 and (2.17+/-0.17stat +/-0.43sys)x10-12 cm-2 s-1, respectively, and similar hard photon indices ~2.2. Multi-wavelength comparisons show spatial coincidence with the wings of the Kookaburra. Two pulsar wind nebulae candidates, K3/PSR J1420-6048 and the Rabbit, lie on the edge of the H.E.S.S. sources. Conclusions. The two new sources confirm the non-thermal nature of at least parts of the two radio wings which overlap with the gamma-ray emission and establish their connection with the two X-ray pulsar wind nebulae candidates. Given the large point spread function of EGRET, the unidentified source(s) 3EG J1420-6038/GeV J1417-6100 could possibly be related to either or both H.E.S.S. sources. The most likely explanation for the Very High Energy gamma-rays discovered by H.E.S.S. is inverse Compton emission of accelerated electrons on the Cosmic Microwave Background near the two candidate pulsar wind nebulae, K3/PSR J1420-6048 and the Rabbit. Two scenarios which could lead to the observed large (~10 pc) offset-nebula type morphologies are briefly discussed.

Commentaires: 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&A Replaced version: Fig 3 RA axis labels corrected (13h -> 14h)