Hunting for New Gamma-ray Binaries Using the Fermi LAT
Abstract
There are only a few sources that are definitely known to be gamma-ray binaries. We are developing novel techniques to extract high signal-to-noise light curves of all cataloged Fermi sources and to search for periodic variability using appropriately weighted power spectra. The detection of periodic variability would be strong evidence for the discovery of a new gamma-ray binary. The LAT's sensitivity provides the potential to open up completely new discovery space for additional binary systems, potentially involving novel astrophysics. We present here demonstrations of the sensitivity gains obtained through the use of these techniques and initial results of searches for periodic modulation from the first Fermi LAT catalog.
- Publication:
-
AAS/High Energy Astrophysics Division #11
- Pub Date:
- March 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010HEAD...11.4239C