We present results from a case study comparing different multivariate classification methods. The input is a set of Monte Carlo data, generated and approximately triggered and pre-processed for an ...imaging gamma-ray Cherenkov telescope. Such data belong to two classes, originating either from incident gamma rays or caused by hadronic showers. There is only a weak discrimination between signal (gamma) and background (hadrons), making the data an excellent proving ground for classification techniques.
The data and methods are described, and a comparison of the results is made. Several methods give results comparable in quality within small fluctuations, suggesting that they perform at or close to the Bayesian limit of achievable separation. Other methods give clearly inferior or inconclusive results. Some problems that this study can not address are also discussed.
Deep observation (~113 hrs) of the Cygnus region at TeV energies using the HEGRA stereoscopic system of air Čerenkov telescopes has serendipitously revealed a signal positionally inside the core of ...the OB association Cygnus OB2, at the edge of the 95% error circle of the EGRET source 3EG J2033+4118, and ~$0.5^\circ$ north of Cyg X-3. The source centre of gravity is RA $\alpha_{\rm J2000}$: $20^{\rm hr} 32^{\rm m} 07^{\rm s}\pm 9.2^{\rm s}_{\rm stat} \pm2.2^{\rm s}_{\rm sys}$, Dec $\delta_{\rm J2000}$: $+41^\circ 30^\prime 30^{\prime\prime}\pm 2.0^\prime_{\rm stat} \pm 0.4^\prime_{\rm sys}$. The source is steady, has a post-trial significance of +4.6σ, indication for extension with radius $5.6^\prime$ at the ~$3\sigma$ level, and has a differential power-law flux with hard photon index of $-1.9 \pm0.3_{\rm stat}\pm0.3_{\rm sys}$. The integral flux above 1 TeV amounts ~3% that of the Crab. No counterpart for the TeV source at other wavelengths is presently identified, and its extension would disfavour an exclusive pulsar or AGN origin. If associated with Cygnus OB2, this dense concentration of young, massive stars provides an environment conducive to particle acceleration and likely subsequent interaction with a nearby gas cloud. Alternatively, one could envisage γ-ray production via a jet-driven termination shock.
The paper describes an application of the tree classification method Random Forest (RF), as used in the analysis of data from the ground-based gamma telescope MAGIC. In such telescopes, cosmic ...gamma-rays are observed and have to be discriminated against a dominating background of hadronic cosmic-ray particles. We describe the application of RF for this gamma/hadron separation. The RF method often shows superior performance in comparison with traditional semi-empirical techniques. Critical issues of the method and its implementation are discussed. An application of the RF method for estimation of a continuous parameter from related variables, rather than discrete classes, is also discussed.
In this paper, a set of Jacobians to be used for the propagation of track parameter covariance matrices in homogeneous magnetic fields is derived. Most of the presented formulae have been in ...widespread use in the high-energy physics community for many years, but have previously only existed in unpublished notes. Very precise, purely numerical schemes for calculating the same derivatives are also presented and used as a baseline for evaluating the correctness of the analytical terms.
Unfolding of differential energy spectra in the MAGIC experiment Albert, J.; Antoranz, P.; Armada, A. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
12/2007, Letnik:
583, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The paper describes the different methods, used in the MAGIC experiment, to unfold experimental energy distributions of cosmic ray particles (
γ
-rays). Questions and problems related to the ...unfolding are discussed. Various procedures are proposed which can help to make the unfolding robust and reliable. The different methods and procedures are implemented in the MAGIC software and are used in most of the analyses.
For the first time an excess of photons above an energy threshold of 730 GeV from the giant radio galaxy M 87 has been measured at a significance level above 4 σ. The data have been taken during the ...years 1998 and 1999 with the HEGRA stereoscopic system of 5 imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The excess of $107.4\,\pm\,26.8$ events above 730 GeV corresponds to an integral flux of 3.3% of the Crab flux or $N_\gamma(E > 730\,\mbox{GeV}) = (0.96 \pm 0.23) \times 10^{-12}$ phot cm-2 s-1. M 87 is located at the center of the Virgo cluster of galaxies at a relatively small redshift of $z = 0.00436$ and is a promising candidate among the class of giant radio galaxies for the emission of TeV γ-radiation. The detection of TeV γ-rays from M 87 – if confirmed – would establish a new class of extragalactic source in this energy regime since all other AGN detected to date at TeV energies are BL Lac type objects.
Commissioning and first tests of the MAGIC telescope Baixeras, C.; Bastieri, D.; Bigongiari, C. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
02/2004, Letnik:
518, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov telescope is starting its operations with a set of engineering runs to tune the telescope subsystem elements to be ready for the first physics campaign. Many ...technical improvements have been developed and implemented in several elements of the telescope to reach the lowest energy threshold ever obtained by an Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope. A general description of the telescope is presented. The commissioning of the telescope's elements is described and the expected performances are reviewed with the final detector set-up.
TeV γ-rays from the BL Lac object 1ES 1959+650 have been measured during the years 2000 and 2001 with a significance of 5.2 σ at a value of 5.3% of the Crab flux and in May 2002 during strong ...outbursts with >$23\,\sigma$ at a flux level of up to 2.2 Crab, making 1ES 1959+650 the TeV Blazar with the third best event statistics. The deep observation of 197.4 h has been performed with the HEGRA stereoscopic system of 5 imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACT system). 1ES 1959+650 is located at a redshift of $z = 0.047$, providing an intermediate distance between the nearby Blazars Mkn 421 and Mkn 501, and the much more distant object H1426+428. This makes 1ES 1959+650 an important member of the class of TeV Blazars in view of the absorption of TeV photons by the diffuse extragalactic background radiation (DEBRA). The differential energy spectrum of 1ES 1959+650 during the flares can be fitted by a power law with a spectral index of $2.83 \pm 0.14_{\mbox{\tiny stat}} \pm 0.08_{\mbox{\tiny sys}}$ or by a power law with an exponential cut-off at $(4.2^{+0.8}_{-0.6~{\mbox{\tiny stat}}} \pm 0.9_{\mbox{\tiny sys}})$ TeV and a spectral index of $1.83 \pm 0.15_{\mbox{\tiny stat}} \pm 0.08_{\mbox{\tiny sys}}$. The low state differential energy spectrum obtained with lower statistics can be described by a pure power law with a spectral index of $3.18 \pm 0.17_{\mbox{\tiny stat}} \pm 0.08_{\mbox{\tiny sys}}$.
The detection of TeV γ-rays from the blazar H 1426+428 at an integral flux level of $(4 \pm 2_{\mathrm{stat}} \pm 1_{\mathrm{syst}}) \times 10^{-12}~\mathrm{erg}~\mathrm{cm}^{-2}~\mathrm{s}^{-1}$ ...above 1 TeV with the HEGRA imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope system is reported. H 1426+428 is located at a redshift of $z =$ 0.129, which makes it the most distant source detected in TeV γ-rays so far. The TeV radiation is expected to be strongly absorbed by the diffuse extragalactic background radiation (DEBRA). The observed energy spectrum of TeV photons is in good agreement with an intrinsic power law spectrum of the source $\propto E^{-1.9}$ corrected for DEBRA absorption. Statistical errors as well as uncertainties about the intrinsic source spectrum, however, do not permit strong statements about the density of the DEBRA infrared photon field.
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