Discovery of very-high-energy γ-ray emission from the vicinity of PSR J1913+1011 with HESS
Abstract
The HESS experiment, an array of four Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes with high sensitivity and large field-of-view, has been used to search for emitters of very-high-energy (VHE, >100 GeV) γ-rays along the Galactic plane, covering the region 30° < l < 60°, 280° < l < 330°, and -3° < b < 3°. In this continuation of the HESS Galactic Plane Scan, a new extended VHE γ-ray source was discovered at α2000=19^h12^m49^s, δ2000=+10°09´06´´(HESS J1912+101). Its integral flux between 1-10 TeV is ~10% of the Crab Nebula flux in the same energy range. The measured energy spectrum can be described by a power law dN/dE ∼ E-Γ with a photon index Γ = 2.7 ± 0.2stat± 0.3sys. HESS J1912+101 is plausibly associated with the high spin-down luminosity pulsar PSR J1913+1011. We also discuss associations with an as yet unconfirmed SNR candidate proposed from low frequency radio observation and/or with molecular clouds found in 13CO data.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- June 2008
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361:20078715
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0802.3841
- Bibcode:
- 2008A&A...484..435A
- Keywords:
-
- ISM: supernova remnants;
- gamma rays: observations;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 6 pages, 2 figures