FERMI OBSERVATIONS OF gamma-RAY EMISSION FROM THE MOON

Abdo AA, Ackermann M, Ajello M, Atwoo WB, Baldini L, Ballet J, Barbiellini G, Bastieri D, Bechtol K, Bellazzini R, Berenji B, Blandford RD, Bonamente E, Borgland AW, Bottacini E, Bouvier A, Bregeon J, Brigida M, Bruel P, Buehler R, Buson S, Caliandro GA, Cameron RA, Caraveo PA, Casandjian JM, Cecchi C, Charles E, Chekhtman A, Chiang J, Ciprini S, Claus R, Cohen-Tanugi J, Conrad J, Cutini S, D'Ammando F, De Angelis A, De Palma F, Dermer CD, Digel SW, Silva EDCE, Drell PS, Drlica-Wagner A, Dubois R, Favuzzi C, Fegan SJ, Focke WB, Fortin P, Fukazawa Y, Funk S, Fusco P, Gargano F, Gehrels N, Germani S, Giglietto N, Giommi P, Giordano F, Giroletti M, Glanzman T, Godfrey G, Gomez-Vargas GA, Grenier IA, Grove JE, Guiriec S, Hadasch D, Hays E, Hill AB, Horan D, Hou X, Hughes RE, Iafrate G, Jackson MS, Johannesson G, Johnson AS, Kamae T, Katagiri H, Kataoka J, Knoedlseder J, Kuss M, Lande J, Larsson S, Latronico L, Lemoine-Goumard M, Longo F, Loparco F, Lott B, Lovellette MN, Lubrano P, Mazziotta MN, Mcenery JE, Mehault J, Michelson PF, Mitthumsiri W, Mizuno T, Moiseev AA, Monte C, Monzani ME, Morselli A, Moskalenko IV, Murgia S, Naumann-Godo M, Nolan PL, Norris JP, Nuss E, Ohno M, Ohsugi T, Okumura A, Omodei N, Orienti M, Orlando E, Ormes JF, Ozaki M, Paneque D, Panetta JH, Parent D, Pesce-Rollins M, Pierbattista M, Piron F, Pivato G, Poon H, Porter TA, Prokhorov D, Raino S, Rando R, Razzano M, Razzaque S, Reimer A, Reimer O, Reposeur T, Rochester LS, Roth M, Sadrozinski HFW, Sanchez DA, Sbarra C, Schalk TL, Sgro C, Share GH, Siskind EJ, Spandre G, Spinelli P, Stawarz L, Takahashi HH, Tanaka T, Thayer JG, Thayer JB, Thompson DJ, Tibaldo L, Tinivella M, Torres DF, Tosti G, Troja E, Uchiyama Y, Usher TL, Vandenbroucke J, Vasileiou V, Vianello G, Vitale V, Waite AP, Wang P, Winer BL, Wood DL, Wood KS, Yang Z, Zimmer S (2012)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2012

Journal

Book Volume: 758

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/758/2/140

Abstract

We report on the detection of high-energy gamma-ray emission from the Moon during the first 24 months of observations by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). This emission comes from particle cascades produced by cosmic-ray (CR) nuclei and electrons interacting with the lunar surface. The differential spectrum of the Moon is soft and can be described as a log-parabolic function with an effective cutoff at 2-3 GeV, while the average integral flux measured with the LAT from the beginning of observations in 2008 August to the end of 2010 August is F(> 100 MeV) = (1.04 +/- 0.01 [statistical error] +/- 0.1 [systematic error]) x 10(-6) cm(-2) s(-1). This flux is about a factor 2-3 higher than that observed between 1991 and 1994 by the EGRET experiment on board the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, F(> 100 MeV) approximate to 5 x 10(-7) cm-2 s-1, when solar activity was relatively high. The higher gamma-ray flux measured by Fermi is consistent with the deep solar minimum conditions during the first 24 months of the mission, which reduced effects of heliospheric modulation, and thus increased the heliospheric flux of Galactic CRs. A detailed comparison of the light curve with McMurdo Neutron Monitor rates suggests a correlation of the trends. The Moon and the Sun are so far the only known bright emitters of gamma-rays with fast celestial motion. Their paths across the sky are projected onto the Galactic center and high Galactic latitudes as well as onto other areas crowded with high-energy gamma-ray sources. Analysis of the lunar and solar emission may thus be important for studies of weak and transient sources near the ecliptic.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

University of Paris 7 - Denis Diderot / Université Paris VII Denis Diderot France (FR) Stanford University United States (USA) (US) National Institute for Nuclear Physics / Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Italy (IT) University of Udine / Università degli Studi di Udine Italy (IT) Politecnico di Bari Italy (IT) U.S. Naval Research Laboratory United States (USA) (US) Spanish National Research Council / Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Spain (ES) École Polytechnique - Université Paris-Saclay France (FR) Ohio State University United States (USA) (US) AlbaNova University Centre / Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan AlbaNova Universitetscentrum Sweden (SE) University of Iceland (UI) / Háskóli Íslands Iceland (IS) Hiroshima University Japan (JP) Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY Germany (DE) University of California Santa Cruz United States (USA) (US) University of Padua / Universita degli Studi di Padova Italy (IT) National Institute for Astrophysics / Istituto Nazionale Astrofisica (INAF) Italy (IT) George Mason University United States (USA) (US) Università degli Studi di Perugia Italy (IT) Stockholm University / Stockholms universitet Sweden (SE) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) United States (USA) (US) University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) United States (USA) (US) Université Bordeaux 1, Sciences et Technologies France (FR) Ibaraki University / 茨城大学 Japan (JP) Waseda University / 早稲田大学 Japan (JP) National Center for Scientific Research / Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) France (FR) University of Maryland United States (USA) (US) Boise State University United States (USA) (US) Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) Japan (JP) University of Denver United States (USA) (US) University of Washington United States (USA) (US) Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (MPIK) / Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics Germany (DE) NYCB Real-Time Computing, Inc. United States (USA) (US) Praxis, Inc. United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Abdo, A.A., Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Atwoo, W.B., Baldini, L., Ballet, J.,... Zimmer, S. (2012). FERMI OBSERVATIONS OF gamma-RAY EMISSION FROM THE MOON. Astrophysical Journal, 758(2). https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/758/2/140

MLA:

Abdo, A. A., et al. "FERMI OBSERVATIONS OF gamma-RAY EMISSION FROM THE MOON." Astrophysical Journal 758.2 (2012).

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