The H.E.S.S. Galactic Plane Survey
Abstract
The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.), located in the Khomas Highlands of Namibia, is an array of four, Imaging Atmospheric-Cherenkov Telescopes designed to detect γ-rays in the very-high-energy (VHE E>100 GeV) domain. Its excellent sensitivity and large field-of-view (~5°), make it an ideal instrument for surveying the Galactic plane in search of new sources of VHE γ-rays. Initial observations in 2004 resulted in numerous detections of VHE γ-ray emitters. This original Galactic Plane Survey (GPS) covered the inner Galaxy within l+/-30° in longitude and b+/-3° in latitude, with respect to the Galactic center. In the last three years, the H.E.S.S. GPS was extended to include the region l = 275°-60°, an effort which consequently led to the discovery of many previously unknown VHE γ-ray sources with high statistical significance. We report on the current status of the ongoing, extended H.E.S.S. GPS, present the latest exposure and significance maps of the Survey region, and highlight the most recent discoveries.
- Publication:
-
American Institute of Physics Conference Series
- Pub Date:
- December 2008
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.3076644
- Bibcode:
- 2008AIPC.1085..219C
- Keywords:
-
- 95.85.Pw;
- 95.55.-n;
- 98.38.Bn;
- gamma-ray;
- Astronomical and space-research instrumentation;
- Atomic molecular and chemical and grain processes