HESS J0632+057 : A new gamma-ray binary? Author(s): Hinton J. A., Skilton J. L., Funk S., Brucker J., Aharonian F. A., Dubus G., Fiasson A., Gallant Y., Hofmann W., Marcowith A., Reimer O. (Article) Published: The Astrophysical Journal / The Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 690 p.L101-L104 (2008) Links openAccess full text : Ref HAL: hal-00430148_v1 Ref Arxiv: 0809.0584 DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/690/2/L101 Ref. & Cit.: NASA ADS Exporter : BibTex | endNote 86 citations Abstract: The High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) survey of the Galactic plane hasestablished the existence of a substantial number (~40) of Galactic TeVgamma-ray sources, a large fraction of which remain unidentified. HESSJ0632+057 is one of a small fraction of these objects which is point-like innature(<2' rms), and is one of only two point-like sources that remainunidentified. Follow-up observations of this object with XMM-Newton haverevealed an X-ray source coincident with the TeV source and with the massivestar MWC 148, of the spectral type B0pe. This source exhibits a hard spectrum,consistent with an absorbed power law with Gamma = 1.26 +/- 0.04, and showssignificant variability on hour timescales. We discuss this spatial coincidenceand the implied spectral energy distribution of this object and argue that itis likely a new gamma-ray binary system with a close resemblance to the threeknown members of this class, and in particular to LS I +61 303. Further X-ray,radio and optical observations of this system are needed to firmly establishHESS J0632+057 as a new member of this rare class of Galactic objects. |