We present a detailed investigation of the gamma -ray emission in the vicinity of the supernova remnant (SNR) W28 (G6.4-0.1) observed by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray ...Space Telescope. We detected significant gamma -ray emission spatially coincident with TeV sources HESS J1800-240A, B, and C, located outside the radio boundary of the SNR. Their spectra in the 2-100 GeV band are consistent with the extrapolation of the power-law spectra of the TeV sources. We also identified a new source of GeV emission, dubbed Source W, which lies outside the boundary of TeV sources and coincides with radio emission from the western part of W28. All of the GeV gamma -ray sources overlap with molecular clouds in the velocity range from 0 to 20 km s super(-1). Under the assumption that the gamma -ray emission toward HESS J1800-240A, B, and C comes from pi super(0) decay due to the interaction between the molecular clouds and cosmic rays (CRs) escaping from W28, they can be naturally explained by a single model in which the CR diffusion coefficient is smaller than the theoretical expectation in the interstellar space. The total energy of the CRs escaping from W28 is constrained through the same modeling to be larger than ~2 x 10 super(49) erg. The emission from Source W can also be explained with the same CR escape scenario.
ABSTRACT We present an analysis of the gamma-ray measurements by the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in the region of the supernova remnant (SNR) Monoceros Loop ...(G205.5+0.5). The brightest gamma-ray peak is spatially correlated with the Rosette Nebula, which is a molecular cloud complex adjacent to the southeast edge of the SNR. After subtraction of this emission by spatial modeling, the gamma-ray emission from the SNR emerges, which is extended and fit by a Gaussian spatial template. The gamma-ray spectra are significantly better reproduced by a curved shape than a simple power law. The luminosities between 0.2 and 300 GeV are erg s−1 for the SNR and erg s−1 for the Rosette Nebula, respectively. We argue that the gamma-rays likely originate from the interactions of particles accelerated in the SNR. The decay of neutral pions produced in nucleon-nucleon interactions of accelerated hadrons with interstellar gas provides a reasonable explanation for the gamma-ray emission of both the Rosette Nebula and the Monoceros SNR.
ABSTRACT We report the discovery of extended gamma-ray emission measured by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in the region of the supernova remnant (SNR) HB ...3 (G132.7+1.3) and the W3 II complex adjacent to the southeast of the remnant. W3 is spatially associated with bright 12CO (J = 1-0) emission. The gamma-ray emission is spatially correlated with this gas and the SNR. We discuss the possibility that gamma rays originate in interactions between particles accelerated in the SNR and interstellar gas or radiation fields. The decay of neutral pions produced in nucleon-nucleon interactions between accelerated hadrons and interstellar gas provides a reasonable explanation for the gamma-ray emission. The emission from W3 is consistent with irradiation of the CO clouds by the cosmic rays accelerated in HB 3.
We present an analysis of gamma-ray data obtained with the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in the region around supernova remnant (SNR) S147 (G180.0-1.7). A ...spatially extended gamma-ray source detected in an energy range of 0.2-10 GeV is found to coincide with SNR S147. We confirm its spatial extension at >5sigma confidence level. The gamma-ray flux is (3.8 + or - 0.6) x 10 super(-8) photons cm super(-2) s super(-1), corresponding to a luminosity of 1.3 x 10 super(34) (d/1.3 kpc) super(2) erg s super(-1) in this energy range. The gamma-ray emission exhibits a possible spatial correlation with the prominent H alpha filaments of SNR S147. There is no indication that the gamma-ray emission comes from the associated pulsar PSR J0538 + 2817. The gamma-ray spectrum integrated over the remnant is likely dominated by the decay of neutral pi mesons produced through the proton-proton collisions in the filaments. The reacceleration of the pre-existing cosmic rays and subsequent adiabatic compression in the filaments is sufficient to provide the energy density required of high-energy protons.
Context. The Cygnus region hosts a giant molecular-cloud complex that actively forms massive stars. Interactions of cosmic rays with interstellar gas and radiation fields make it shine at γ-ray ...energies. Several γ-ray pulsars and other energetic sources are seen in this direction. Aims. In this paper we analyze the γ-ray emission measured by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) in the energy range from 100 MeV to 100 GeV in order to probe the gas and cosmic-ray content on the scale of the whole Cygnus complex. The γ-ray emission on the scale of the central massive stellar clusters and from individual sources is addressed elsewhere. Methods. The signal from bright pulsars is greatly reduced by selecting photons in their off-pulse phase intervals. We compare the diffuse γ-ray emission with interstellar gas maps derived from radio/mm-wave lines and visual extinction data. A general model of the region, including other pulsars and γ-ray sources, is sought. Results. The integral H i emissivity above 100 MeV averaged over the whole Cygnus complex amounts to 2.06 ± 0.11 (stat.) -0.84+0.15(syst.) × 10-26 photons s-1 sr-1 H-atom-1, where the systematic error is dominated by the uncertainty on the H i opacity to calculate its column densities. The integral emissivity and its spectral energy distribution are both consistent within the systematics with LAT measurements in the interstellar space near the solar system. The average XCO = N(H2)/WCO ratio is found to be 1.68 ± 0.05 (stat.) -0.10+0.87(HI opacity) × 1020 molecules cm-2 (K km s-1)-1, consistent with other LAT measurements in the Local Arm. We detect significant γ-ray emission from dark neutral gas for a mass corresponding to ~40% of what is traced by CO. The total interstellar mass in the Cygnus complex inferred from its γ-ray emission amounts to 8-1+5 × 106 M⊙ at a distance of 1.4 kpc. Conclusions. Despite the conspicuous star formation activity and high masses of the interstellar clouds, the cosmic-ray population in the Cygnus complex averaged over a few hundred parsecs is similar to that of the local interstellar space.
Between the launch of the Global Geospace Science Wind spacecraft in 1994 November and the end of 2010, the Konus-Wind experiment detected 296 short-duration gamma-ray bursts (including 23 bursts ...which can be classified as short bursts with extended emission). During this period, the Interplanetary Network (IPN) consisted of up to 11 spacecraft, and using triangulation, the localizations of 271 bursts were obtained. We present the most comprehensive IPN localization data on these events. The short burst detection rate, ~18 yr super(-1), exceeds that of many individual experiments.
Photo Multiplier Tubes (PMTs) are the most wide spread detectors for fast, faint light signals. Six years ago, an improvement program for the PMT candidates for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) ...project was started with the companies Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. and Electron Tubes Enterprises Ltd. (ETE). For maximizing the performance of the CTA imaging cameras we need PMTs with outstanding good quantum efficiency, high photoelectron collection efficiency, short pulse width, very low afterpulse probability and transit time spread. We will report on the measurements of PMT R-12992-100 from Hamamatsu as their final product and the PMT D573KFLSA as one of the latest test versions from ETE as candidate PMTs for the CTA project.
Light collection efficiency from BGO crystal scintillators of various sizes and shapes was measured by reading them using 1×1cm2 avalanche photo diodes. When the crystals have simple geometry, the ...light collection efficiency was found to depend on their size, shape and the read-out position through a rather well-defined empirical scaling relation. The light collection efficiency of tapered crystals was seen to depend on both the position of γ-ray irradiation, and the read-out position of the avalanche photo diodes. Using optical Monte-Carlo simulations, the relation was reproduced assuming plausible proper parameters for surface conditions and the attenuation length. This results were reproduced with a reasonable accuracy by optical Monte-Carlo simulations. Simple physical explanations are given to these geometrical effects.
•We studied light output of different shapes and size BGO crystals with an APD.•With a Monte-Carlo simulation, we successfully reproduced measured light outputs of BGO.•We derived a scaling law of a rectangle crystal volume and surface area APD attached.•We measured a dependence of the light output on a position with non-rectangle crystal.
Astro-H is the sixth Japanese X-ray space observatory which will be launched in 2014. Two of onboard instruments of Astro-H, Hard X-ray Imager and Soft Gamma-ray Detector are surrounded by many ...number of large Bismuth Germanate (Bi4Ge3O12; BGO) scintillators. Optimum readout system of scintillation lights from these BGOs are essential to reduce the background signals and achieve high performance for main detectors because most of gamma-rays from out of field-of-view of main detectors or radio-isotopes produced inside them due to activation can be eliminated by anti-coincidence technique using BGO signals. We apply Avalanche Photo Diode (APD) for light sensor of these BGO detectors since their compactness and high quantum efficiency make it easy to design such large number of BGO detector system. For signal processing from APDs, digital filter and other trigger logics on the Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is used instead of discrete analog circuits due to limitation of circuit implementation area on spacecraft. For efficient observations, we have to achieve as low threshold of anti-coincidence signal as possible by utilizing the digital filtering. In addition, such anti-coincident signals should be sent to the main detector within 5μs to make it in time to veto the A–D conversion. Considering this requirement and constraint from logic size of FPGA, we adopt two types of filter, 8 delay taps filter with only 2 bit precision coefficient and 16 delay taps filter with 8 bit precision coefficient. The data after former simple filter provides anti-coincidence signal quickly in orbit, and the latter filter is used for detail analysis after the data is down-linked.
► We develop digital signal processing system of APD for Astro-H. ► We apply two types of digital filter instead of discrete analog circuit. ► By optimization, comparable or better energy threshold to analog shaper is archived. ► Developed digital filter works well in end-to-end performance test.
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