Discovery of gamma-ray emission from the extragalactic pulsar wind nebula N 157B with H.E.S.S. - IN2P3 - Institut national de physique nucléaire et de physique des particules Access content directly
Journal Articles Astronomy and Astrophysics - A&A Year : 2012

Discovery of gamma-ray emission from the extragalactic pulsar wind nebula N 157B with H.E.S.S.

A. Abramowski , Fabio Acero (1) , F. Aharonian , A. G. Akhperjanian , G. Anton , S. Balenderan , A. Balzer , A. Barnacka , Y. Becherini (2, 3) , J. Becker , K. Bernlöhr , E. Birsin , J. Biteau (2) , A. Bochow , C. Boisson , J. Bolmont (4) , P. Bordas , J. Brucker , F. Brun (2) , P. Brun , T. Bulik , S. Carrigan , S. Casanova , M. Cerruti , P. M. Chadwick , A. Charbonnier (4) , R. C. G. Chaves , A. Cheesebrough , G. Cologna , J. Conrad , C. Couturier , M. Dalton , M. K. Daniel , I. D. Davids , B. Degrange (2) , C. Deil , H. J. Dickinson , A. Djannati-Ataï (5) , W. Domainko , L. O'C. Drury , G. Dubus , K. Dutson , J. Dyks , M. Dyrda , K. Egberts , P. Eger , P. Espigat (3) , L. Fallon , C. Farnier (1) , S. Fegan (2) , F. Feinstein (1) , M. V. Fernandes , D. Fernandez , A. Fiasson (6) , G. Fontaine (2) , A. Förster , M. Füssling , M. Gajdus , Y. A. Gallant (1) , T. Garrigoux , H. Gast , L. Gérard (3) , B. Giebels (2) , J. F. Glicenstein , B. Glück , D. Göring , M. -H. Grondin , S. Häffner , J. D. Hague , J. Hahn , D. Hampf , J. Harris , M. Hauser , S. Heinz , G. Heinzelmann , G. Henri , G. Hermann , A. Hillert , J. A. Hinton , W. Hofmann , P. Hofverberg , M. Holler , D. Horns , A. Jacholkowska (4) , O. C. de Jager , C. Jahn , M. Jamrozy , I. Jung , M. A. Kastendieck , K. Katarzyński , U. Katz , S. Kaufmann , B. Khélifi , D. Klochkov , W. Kluźniak , T. Kneiske , Nu. Komin (6) , K. Kosack , R. Kossakowski (6) , F. Krayzel (6) , H. Laffon (2) , G. Lamanna (6) , J. -P. Lenain , D. Lennarz , T. Lohse , A. Lopatin , C. -C. Lu , V. Marandon , Alexandre Marcowith (1) , Julien Masbou (6) , G. Maurin (6) , N. Maxted , M. Mayer , T. J. L. Mccomb , M. C. Medina , J. Méhault (1) , U. Menzler , R. Moderski , M. Mohamed , Emmanuel Moulin , C. L. Naumann (4) , M. Naumann-Godo , M. de Naurois (2) , D. Nedbal , N. Nguyen , B. Nicholas , J. Niemiec , S. J. Nolan , S. Ohm , E. de Oña Wilhelmi , B. Opitz , M. Ostrowski , I. Oya , M. Panter , M. Paz Arribas , N. W. Pekeur , G. Pelletier , J. Perez , P. -O. Petrucci , B. Peyaud , S. Pita (3) , G. Pühlhofer , M. Punch (3) , A. Quirrenbach , M. Raue , A. Reimer , O. Reimer , Matthieu Renaud (1) , R. de Los Reyes , F. Rieger , J. Ripken , L. Rob , S. Rosier-Lees (6) , G. Rowell , B. Rudak , C. B. Rulten , V. Sahakian , D. A. Sanchez , A. Santangelo , R. Schlickeiser , A. Schulz , U. Schwanke , S. Schwarzburg , S. Schwemmer , F. Sheidaei (3) , J. L. Skilton , H. Sol , G. Spengler , Ł. Stawarz , R. Steenkamp , C. Stegmann , F. Stinzing , K. Stycz , I. Sushch , A. Szostek , J. -P. Tavernet (4) , R. Terrier (3) , M. Tluczykont , K. Valerius , C. van Eldik , George Vasileiadis (1) , C. Venter , A. Viana , P. Vincent (4) , H. J. Völk , F. Volpe , S. Vorobiov (1) , M. Vorster , S. J. Wagner , M. Ward , R. White , A. Wierzcholska , M. Zacharias , A. Zajczyk , A. A. Zdziarski , A. Zech , H. -S. Zechlin
A. Abramowski
  • Function : Author
Fabio Acero
F. Aharonian
A. G. Akhperjanian
  • Function : Author
G. Anton
  • Function : Author
S. Balenderan
  • Function : Author
A. Balzer
  • Function : Author
A. Barnacka
  • Function : Author
J. Becker
  • Function : Author
K. Bernlöhr
E. Birsin
  • Function : Author
A. Bochow
  • Function : Author
C. Boisson
P. Bordas
  • Function : Author
J. Brucker
  • Function : Author
F. Brun
P. Brun
T. Bulik
  • Function : Author
S. Carrigan
  • Function : Author
S. Casanova
M. Cerruti
P. M. Chadwick
  • Function : Author
R. C. G. Chaves
  • Function : Author
A. Cheesebrough
  • Function : Author
G. Cologna
  • Function : Author
J. Conrad
  • Function : Author
C. Couturier
  • Function : Author
M. Dalton
  • Function : Author
M. K. Daniel
  • Function : Author
I. D. Davids
  • Function : Author
C. Deil
  • Function : Author
H. J. Dickinson
  • Function : Author
W. Domainko
  • Function : Author
L. O'C. Drury
  • Function : Author
G. Dubus
K. Dutson
  • Function : Author
J. Dyks
  • Function : Author
M. Dyrda
  • Function : Author
K. Egberts
  • Function : Author
P. Eger
  • Function : Author
L. Fallon
  • Function : Author
S. Fegan
M. V. Fernandes
  • Function : Author
D. Fernandez
  • Function : Author
A. Fiasson
A. Förster
  • Function : Author
M. Füssling
  • Function : Author
M. Gajdus
  • Function : Author
T. Garrigoux
  • Function : Author
H. Gast
  • Function : Author
J. F. Glicenstein
  • Function : Author
B. Glück
  • Function : Author
D. Göring
  • Function : Author
M. -H. Grondin
  • Function : Author
S. Häffner
  • Function : Author
J. D. Hague
  • Function : Author
J. Hahn
  • Function : Author
D. Hampf
  • Function : Author
J. Harris
  • Function : Author
M. Hauser
  • Function : Author
S. Heinz
  • Function : Author
G. Heinzelmann
  • Function : Author
G. Henri
  • Function : Author
G. Hermann
  • Function : Author
A. Hillert
  • Function : Author
J. A. Hinton
  • Function : Author
W. Hofmann
  • Function : Author
P. Hofverberg
  • Function : Author
M. Holler
  • Function : Author
D. Horns
O. C. de Jager
  • Function : Author
C. Jahn
  • Function : Author
M. Jamrozy
I. Jung
M. A. Kastendieck
  • Function : Author
K. Katarzyński
  • Function : Author
U. Katz
S. Kaufmann
  • Function : Author
B. Khélifi
  • Function : Author
D. Klochkov
  • Function : Author
W. Kluźniak
  • Function : Author
T. Kneiske
  • Function : Author
K. Kosack
J. -P. Lenain
D. Lennarz
  • Function : Author
T. Lohse
A. Lopatin
  • Function : Author
C. -C. Lu
  • Function : Author
V. Marandon
Julien Masbou
N. Maxted
  • Function : Author
M. Mayer
  • Function : Author
T. J. L. Mccomb
  • Function : Author
M. C. Medina
  • Function : Author
U. Menzler
  • Function : Author
R. Moderski
  • Function : Author
M. Mohamed
  • Function : Author
Emmanuel Moulin
M. Naumann-Godo
  • Function : Author
M. de Naurois
D. Nedbal
  • Function : Author
N. Nguyen
  • Function : Author
B. Nicholas
  • Function : Author
J. Niemiec
S. J. Nolan
  • Function : Author
S. Ohm
E. de Oña Wilhelmi
  • Function : Author
B. Opitz
  • Function : Author
M. Ostrowski
I. Oya
  • Function : Author
M. Panter
  • Function : Author
M. Paz Arribas
  • Function : Author
N. W. Pekeur
  • Function : Author
G. Pelletier
  • Function : Author
J. Perez
  • Function : Author
P. -O. Petrucci
  • Function : Author
B. Peyaud
  • Function : Author
G. Pühlhofer
  • Function : Author
M. Punch
A. Quirrenbach
  • Function : Author
M. Raue
  • Function : Author
A. Reimer
O. Reimer
  • Function : Author
R. de Los Reyes
  • Function : Author
F. Rieger
J. Ripken
  • Function : Author
L. Rob
  • Function : Author
G. Rowell
B. Rudak
C. B. Rulten
  • Function : Author
V. Sahakian
  • Function : Author
D. A. Sanchez
  • Function : Author
A. Santangelo
R. Schlickeiser
  • Function : Author
A. Schulz
  • Function : Author
U. Schwanke
S. Schwarzburg
  • Function : Author
S. Schwemmer
  • Function : Author
J. L. Skilton
  • Function : Author
H. Sol
  • Function : Author
G. Spengler
  • Function : Author
Ł. Stawarz
  • Function : Author
R. Steenkamp
  • Function : Author
C. Stegmann
  • Function : Author
F. Stinzing
  • Function : Author
K. Stycz
  • Function : Author
I. Sushch
  • Function : Author
A. Szostek
  • Function : Author
M. Tluczykont
  • Function : Author
K. Valerius
  • Function : Author
C. van Eldik
C. Venter
A. Viana
  • Function : Author
H. J. Völk
  • Function : Author
F. Volpe
  • Function : Author
M. Vorster
  • Function : Author
S. J. Wagner
  • Function : Author
M. Ward
  • Function : Author
R. White
  • Function : Author
A. Wierzcholska
M. Zacharias
A. Zajczyk
  • Function : Author
A. A. Zdziarski
  • Function : Author
A. Zech
H. -S. Zechlin
  • Function : Author

Abstract

We present the significant detection of the first extragalactic pulsar wind nebula (PWN) detected in gamma rays, N157B, located in the large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Pulsars with high spin-down luminosity are found to power energised nebulae that emit gamma rays up to energies of several tens of TeV. N157B is associated with PSRJ0537-6910, which is the pulsar with the highest known spin-down luminosity. The High Energy Stereoscopic System telescope array observed this nebula on a yearly basis from 2004 to 2009 with a dead-time corrected exposure of 46 h. The gamma-ray spectrum between 600 GeV and 12 TeV is well-described by a pure power-law with a photon index of 2.8 \pm 0.2(stat) \pm 0.3(syst) and a normalisation at 1 TeV of (8.2 \pm 0.8(stat) \pm 2.5(syst)) \times 10^-13 cm^-2s^-1TeV^-1. A leptonic multi-wavelength model shows that an energy of about 4 \times 10^49erg is stored in electrons and positrons. The apparent efficiency, which is the ratio of the TeV gamma-ray luminosity to the pulsar's spindown luminosity, 0.08% \pm 0.01%, is comparable to those of PWNe found in the Milky Way. The detection of a PWN at such a large distance is possible due to the pulsar's favourable spin-down luminosity and a bright infrared photon-field serving as an inverse-Compton-scattering target for accelerated leptons. By applying a calorimetric technique to these observations, the pulsar's birth period is estimated to be shorter than 10 ms.

Dates and versions

in2p3-00725528 , version 1 (27-08-2012)

Identifiers

Cite

A. Abramowski, Fabio Acero, F. Aharonian, A. G. Akhperjanian, G. Anton, et al.. Discovery of gamma-ray emission from the extragalactic pulsar wind nebula N 157B with H.E.S.S.. Astronomy and Astrophysics - A&A, 2012, 545, pp.L2. ⟨10.1051/0004-6361/201219906⟩. ⟨in2p3-00725528⟩
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