Observation of TeV gamma rays from the Crab Nebula with Milagro using a new background rejection technique

R. Atkins; W. Benbow; D. Berley; E. Blaufuss; J. Bussons; D. G. Coyne; R. S. Delay; T. DeYoung; B. L. Dingus; D. E. Dorfan; R. W. Ellsworth; A. Falcone; L. Fleysher; R. Fleysher; G. Gisler; M. M. Gonzalez; J. A. Goodman; T. J. Haines; E. Hays; C. M. Hoffman; L. A. Kelley; R. W. Laird; J. Mccullough; J. E. Mcenery; R. S. Miller; A. I. Mincer; M. F. Morales; P. Nemethy; D. Noyes; J. M. Ryan; F. W. Samuelson; M. Schneider; B. Shen; A. Shoup; G. Sinnis; A. J. Smith; G. W. Sullivan; O. T. Tumer; K. Wang; M. Wascko; D. A. Williams; S. Westerhoff; M. E. Wilson; X. Xu; G. B. Yodh

doi:10.1086/377498

Observation of TeV gamma rays from the Crab Nebula with Milagro using a new background rejection technique

R. Atkins, W. Benbow, D. Berley, E. Blaufuss, J. Bussons, D. G. Coyne, R. S. Delay, T. DeYoung, B. L. Dingus, D. E. Dorfan, R. W. Ellsworth, A. Falcone, L. Fleysher, R. Fleysher, G. Gisler, M. M. Gonzalez, J. A. Goodman, T. J. Haines, E. Hays, C. M. HoffmanL. A. Kelley, R. W. Laird, J. Mccullough, J. E. Mcenery, R. S. Miller, A. I. Mincer, M. F. Morales, P. Nemethy, D. Noyes, J. M. Ryan, F. W. Samuelson, M. Schneider, B. Shen, A. Shoup, G. Sinnis, A. J. Smith, G. W. Sullivan, O. T. Tumer, K. Wang, M. Wascko, D. A. Williams, S. Westerhoff, M. E. Wilson, X. Xu, G. B. Yodh

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

198 Scopus citations

Abstract

The recent advances in TeV gamma-ray astronomy are largely the result of the ability to differentiate between extensive air showers generated by gamma rays and hadronic cosmic rays. Air Cerenkov telescopes have developed and perfected the "imaging" technique over the past several decades. However, until now no background rejection method has been successfully used in an air shower array to detect a source of TeV gamma rays. We report on a method to differentiate hadronic air showers from electromagnetic air showers in the Milagro gamma-ray observatory, based on the ability to detect the energetic particles in an extensive air shower. The technique is used to detect TeV emission from the Crab Nebula. The flux from the Crab Nebula is estimated to be 2.68(±0.42^stat ± 1.4^sys) × 10 ^-7(E/1 TeV)^-2.59 m^-2 s^-1 TeV ^-1, where the spectral index is assumed to be as given by the HEGRA collaboration.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	803-811
Number of pages	9
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	595
Issue number	2 I
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/377498
State	Published - Oct 1 2003
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Gamma rays: observations
ISM: individual (Crab Nebula)
Instrumentation: detectors
Stars: neutron
Supernova remnants

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1086/377498

Cite this

Atkins, R., Benbow, W., Berley, D., Blaufuss, E., Bussons, J., Coyne, D. G., Delay, R. S., DeYoung, T., Dingus, B. L., Dorfan, D. E., Ellsworth, R. W., Falcone, A., Fleysher, L., Fleysher, R., Gisler, G., Gonzalez, M. M., Goodman, J. A., Haines, T. J., Hays, E., ... Yodh, G. B. (2003). Observation of TeV gamma rays from the Crab Nebula with Milagro using a new background rejection technique. Astrophysical Journal, 595(2 I), 803-811. https://doi.org/10.1086/377498

Atkins, R, Benbow, W, Berley, D, Blaufuss, E, Bussons, J, Coyne, DG, Delay, RS, DeYoung, T, Dingus, BL, Dorfan, DE, Ellsworth, RW, Falcone, A, Fleysher, L, Fleysher, R, Gisler, G, Gonzalez, MM, Goodman, JA, Haines, TJ, Hays, E, Hoffman, CM, Kelley, LA, Laird, RW, Mccullough, J, Mcenery, JE, Miller, RS, Mincer, AI, Morales, MF, Nemethy, P, Noyes, D, Ryan, JM, Samuelson, FW, Schneider, M, Shen, B, Shoup, A, Sinnis, G, Smith, AJ, Sullivan, GW, Tumer, OT, Wang, K, Wascko, M, Williams, DA, Westerhoff, S, Wilson, ME, Xu, X & Yodh, GB 2003, 'Observation of TeV gamma rays from the Crab Nebula with Milagro using a new background rejection technique', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 595, no. 2 I, pp. 803-811. https://doi.org/10.1086/377498

@article{bd9d29f112d044458a662a58e418d390,

title = "Observation of TeV gamma rays from the Crab Nebula with Milagro using a new background rejection technique",

abstract = "The recent advances in TeV gamma-ray astronomy are largely the result of the ability to differentiate between extensive air showers generated by gamma rays and hadronic cosmic rays. Air Cerenkov telescopes have developed and perfected the {"}imaging{"} technique over the past several decades. However, until now no background rejection method has been successfully used in an air shower array to detect a source of TeV gamma rays. We report on a method to differentiate hadronic air showers from electromagnetic air showers in the Milagro gamma-ray observatory, based on the ability to detect the energetic particles in an extensive air shower. The technique is used to detect TeV emission from the Crab Nebula. The flux from the Crab Nebula is estimated to be 2.68(±0.42stat ± 1.4sys) × 10 -7(E/1 TeV)-2.59 m-2 s-1 TeV -1, where the spectral index is assumed to be as given by the HEGRA collaboration.",

keywords = "Gamma rays: observations, ISM: individual (Crab Nebula), Instrumentation: detectors, Stars: neutron, Supernova remnants",

author = "R. Atkins and W. Benbow and D. Berley and E. Blaufuss and J. Bussons and Coyne, {D. G.} and Delay, {R. S.} and T. DeYoung and Dingus, {B. L.} and Dorfan, {D. E.} and Ellsworth, {R. W.} and A. Falcone and L. Fleysher and R. Fleysher and G. Gisler and Gonzalez, {M. M.} and Goodman, {J. A.} and Haines, {T. J.} and E. Hays and Hoffman, {C. M.} and Kelley, {L. A.} and Laird, {R. W.} and J. Mccullough and Mcenery, {J. E.} and Miller, {R. S.} and Mincer, {A. I.} and Morales, {M. F.} and P. Nemethy and D. Noyes and Ryan, {J. M.} and Samuelson, {F. W.} and M. Schneider and B. Shen and A. Shoup and G. Sinnis and Smith, {A. J.} and Sullivan, {G. W.} and Tumer, {O. T.} and K. Wang and M. Wascko and Williams, {D. A.} and S. Westerhoff and Wilson, {M. E.} and X. Xu and Yodh, {G. B.}",

year = "2003",

month = oct,

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doi = "10.1086/377498",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "595",

pages = "803--811",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Observation of TeV gamma rays from the Crab Nebula with Milagro using a new background rejection technique

AU - Atkins, R.

AU - Benbow, W.

AU - Berley, D.

AU - Blaufuss, E.

AU - Bussons, J.

AU - Coyne, D. G.

AU - Delay, R. S.

AU - DeYoung, T.

AU - Dingus, B. L.

AU - Dorfan, D. E.

AU - Ellsworth, R. W.

AU - Falcone, A.

AU - Fleysher, L.

AU - Fleysher, R.

AU - Gisler, G.

AU - Gonzalez, M. M.

AU - Goodman, J. A.

AU - Haines, T. J.

AU - Hays, E.

AU - Hoffman, C. M.

AU - Kelley, L. A.

AU - Laird, R. W.

AU - Mccullough, J.

AU - Mcenery, J. E.

AU - Miller, R. S.

AU - Mincer, A. I.

AU - Morales, M. F.

AU - Nemethy, P.

AU - Noyes, D.

AU - Ryan, J. M.

AU - Samuelson, F. W.

AU - Schneider, M.

AU - Shen, B.

AU - Shoup, A.

AU - Sinnis, G.

AU - Smith, A. J.

AU - Sullivan, G. W.

AU - Tumer, O. T.

AU - Wang, K.

AU - Wascko, M.

AU - Williams, D. A.

AU - Westerhoff, S.

AU - Wilson, M. E.

AU - Xu, X.

AU - Yodh, G. B.

PY - 2003/10/1

Y1 - 2003/10/1

N2 - The recent advances in TeV gamma-ray astronomy are largely the result of the ability to differentiate between extensive air showers generated by gamma rays and hadronic cosmic rays. Air Cerenkov telescopes have developed and perfected the "imaging" technique over the past several decades. However, until now no background rejection method has been successfully used in an air shower array to detect a source of TeV gamma rays. We report on a method to differentiate hadronic air showers from electromagnetic air showers in the Milagro gamma-ray observatory, based on the ability to detect the energetic particles in an extensive air shower. The technique is used to detect TeV emission from the Crab Nebula. The flux from the Crab Nebula is estimated to be 2.68(±0.42stat ± 1.4sys) × 10 -7(E/1 TeV)-2.59 m-2 s-1 TeV -1, where the spectral index is assumed to be as given by the HEGRA collaboration.

AB - The recent advances in TeV gamma-ray astronomy are largely the result of the ability to differentiate between extensive air showers generated by gamma rays and hadronic cosmic rays. Air Cerenkov telescopes have developed and perfected the "imaging" technique over the past several decades. However, until now no background rejection method has been successfully used in an air shower array to detect a source of TeV gamma rays. We report on a method to differentiate hadronic air showers from electromagnetic air showers in the Milagro gamma-ray observatory, based on the ability to detect the energetic particles in an extensive air shower. The technique is used to detect TeV emission from the Crab Nebula. The flux from the Crab Nebula is estimated to be 2.68(±0.42stat ± 1.4sys) × 10 -7(E/1 TeV)-2.59 m-2 s-1 TeV -1, where the spectral index is assumed to be as given by the HEGRA collaboration.

KW - Gamma rays: observations

KW - ISM: individual (Crab Nebula)

KW - Instrumentation: detectors

KW - Stars: neutron

KW - Supernova remnants

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U2 - 10.1086/377498

DO - 10.1086/377498

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0142168116

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 595

SP - 803

EP - 811

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2 I

ER -

Observation of TeV gamma rays from the Crab Nebula with Milagro using a new background rejection technique

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