HESS observations of the Carina nebula and its enigmatic colliding wind binary Eta Carinae

Abramowski A, Acero F, Aharonian F, Akhperjanian AG, Anton G, Balzer A, Barnacka A, Becherini Y, Becker J, Bernloehr K, Birsin E, Biteau J, Bochow A, Boisson C, Bolmont J, Bordas P, Brucker J, Brun F, Brun P, Bulik T, Buesching I, Carrigan S, Casanova S, Cerruti M, Chadwick PM, Charbonnier A, Chaves RCG, Cheesebrough A, Cologna G, Conrad J, Dalton M, Daniel MK, Davids ID, Degrange B, Deil C, Dickinson HJ, Djannati-Atai A, Domainko W, Drury LO, Dubus G, Dutson K, Dyks J, Dyrda M, Egberts K, Eger P, Espigat P, Fallon L, Fegan S, Feinstein F, Fernandes MV, Fiasson A, Fontaine G, Foerster A, Fuessling M, Gallant YA, Garrigoux T, Gast H, Gerard L, Giebels B, Glicenstein JF, Glueck B, Göring D, Grondin MH, Häffner S, Hague JD, Hahn J, Hampf D, Harris J, Hauser M, Heinz S, Heinzelmann G, Henri G, Hermann G, Hillert A, Hinton JA, Hofmann W, Hofverberg P, Holler M, Horns D, Jacholkowska A, Jahn C, Jamrozy M, Jung I, Kastendieck MA, Katarzynski K, Katz U, Kaufmann S, Khelifi B, Klochkov D, Kluzniak W, Kneiske TM, Komin N, Kosack K, Kossakowski R, Krayzel F, Laffon H, Lamanna G, Lenain JP, Lennarz D, Lohse T, Lopatin A, Lu CC, Marandon V, Marcowith A, Masbou J, Maurin G, Maxted N, Mayer M, Mccomb TJL, Medina MC, Mehault J, Moderski R, Mohamed M, Moulin E, Naumann CL, Naumann-Godo M, De Naurois M, Nedbal D, Nekrassov D, Nguyen N, Nicholas B, Niemiec J, Nolan SJ, Ohm S, Wilhelmi EDO, Opitz B, Ostrowski M, Oya I, Panter M, Arribas MP, Pekeur NW, Pelletier G, Perez J, Petrucci PO, Peyaud B, Pita S, Puehlhofer G, Punch M, Quirrenbach A, Raue M, Reimer A, Reimer O, Renaud M, De Los Reyes R, Rieger F, Ripken J, Rob L, Rosier-Lees S, Rowell G, Rudak B, Rulten CB, Sahakian V, Sanchez DA, Santangelo A, Schlickeiser R, Schulz A, Schwanke U, Schwarzburg S, Schwemmer S, Sheidaei F, Skilton JL, Sol H, Spengler G, Stawarz L, Steenkamp R, Stegmann C, Stinzing F, Stycz K, Sushch I, Szostek A, Tavernet JP, Terrier R, Tluczykont M, Valerius K, van Eldik C, Vasileiadis G, Venter C, Viana A, Vincent P, Voelk HJ, Volpe F, Vorobiov S, Vorster M, Wagner SJ, Ward M, White R, Wierzcholska A, Zacharias M, Zajczyk A, Zdziarski AA, Zech A, Zechlin HS, Montmerle T (2012)

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2012

Journal

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP): Policy P - Oxford Open Option A

Book Volume: 424

Pages Range: 128-135

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21180.x

Abstract

The massive binary system Eta Carinae and the surrounding Hii complex, the Carina nebula, are potential particle acceleration sites from which very high energy (VHE; E≥ 100GeV) γ-ray emission could be expected. This paper presents data collected during VHE γ-ray observations with the HESS telescope array from 2004 to 2010, which cover a full orbit of Eta Carinae. In the 33.1-h data set no hint of significant γ-ray emission from Eta Carinae has been found and an upper limit on the γ-ray flux of (99per cent confidence level) is derived above the energy threshold of 470GeV. Together with the detection of high energy (HE; 0.1 ≤E≤ 100GeV) γ-ray emission by the Fermi Large Area Telescope up to 100GeV, and assuming a continuation of the average HE spectral index into the VHE domain, these results imply a cut-off in the γ-ray spectrum between the HE and VHE γ-ray range. This could be caused either by a cut-off in the accelerated particle distribution or by severe γ-γ absorption losses in the wind collision region. Furthermore, the search for extended γ-ray emission from the Carina nebula resulted in an upper limit on the γ-ray flux of (99per cent confidence level). The derived upper limit of ∼23 on the cosmic ray enhancement factor is compared with results found for the old-age mixed-morphology supernova remnant W28. © 2012 The Authors Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society © 2012 RAS.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Germany (DE) Stockholm University / Stockholms universitet Sweden (SE) Univerzita Karlova v Praze / Charles University in Prague Czech Republic (CZ) University of Paris 7 - Denis Diderot / Université Paris VII Denis Diderot France (FR) École Polytechnique - Université Paris-Saclay France (FR) Institute of Nuclear Physics PAN / Instytut Fizyki Jądrowej im. Henryka Niewodniczańskiego PAN Poland (PL) University of Savoy Mont Blanc / Université Savoie Mont Blanc France (FR) Noordwes-Universiteit / North-West University South Africa (ZA) University of Montpellier / Université Montpellier France (FR) Commissariat à l'énergie atomique France (FR) Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (MPIK) / Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics Germany (DE) University of Adelaide Australia (AU) Jagiellonian University / Uniwersytet Jagielloński (UJ) Poland (PL) University of Warsaw / Uniwersytet Warszawski Poland (PL) Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck / University of Innsbruck Austria (AT) Universität Hamburg (UHH) Germany (DE) Durham University United Kingdom (GB) Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) Germany (DE) Université Joseph Fourier (UJF Grenoble 1) France (FR) University of Namibia (UNAM) Namibia (NA) Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Germany (DE) Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences Poland (PL) Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) Ireland (IE) Nicolaus Copernicus University (NCU) / Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu (UMK) Poland (PL) Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen Germany (DE) University of Leicester United Kingdom (GB) National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (NAS RA) / Հայաստանի Հանրապետության գիտությունների ազգային ակադեմիա, ՀՀ ԳԱԱ Armenia (AM) Institut d'astrophysique de Paris France (FR)

How to cite

APA:

Abramowski, A., Acero, F., Aharonian, F., Akhperjanian, A.G., Anton, G., Balzer, A.,... Montmerle, T. (2012). HESS observations of the Carina nebula and its enigmatic colliding wind binary Eta Carinae. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 424(1), 128-135. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21180.x

MLA:

Abramowski, A., et al. "HESS observations of the Carina nebula and its enigmatic colliding wind binary Eta Carinae." Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 424.1 (2012): 128-135.

BibTeX: Download