Fermi/LAT detection of a transient gamma-ray flare in the vicinity of the binary star DG CVn
Abstract
Solar flares are regularly detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi satellite, however no γ-ray emission from other stellar eruptions has ever been captured. The Swift detection in 2014 April of a powerful outburst originating from DG CVn, with associated optical and radio emissions, enticed us to search for possible 0.1-100 GeV emission from this flaring nearby binary star using the Fermi/LAT. No γ-ray emission is detected from DG CVn in 2014, but we report a significant γ-ray excess in 2012 November, at a position consistent with that of the binary. There are no reports of contemporary flaring at other wavelengths from DG CVn or any other source within the error circle of the γ-ray source. We argue that the γ-ray flare is more likely to have been associated with a background blazar than with DG CVn and identify a candidate for follow-up study.
- Publication:
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- June 2017
- DOI:
- 10.1093/mnras/stx396
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1702.03754
- Bibcode:
- 2017MNRAS.467.4462L
- Keywords:
-
- acceleration of particles;
- stars: flare;
- stars: individual (DG CVn);
- gamma-rays: stars;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS