DISCOVERY OF HIGH-ENERGY GAMMA-RAY EMISSION FROM THE BINARY SYSTEM PSR B1259-63/LS 2883 AROUND PERIASTRON WITH FERMI

Abdo AA, Ackermann M, Ajello M, Allafort A, Ballet J, Barbiellini G, Bastieri D, Bechtol K, Bellazzini R, Berenji B, Blandford RD, Bonamente E, Borgland AW, Bregeon J, Brigida M, Bruel P, Buehler R, Buson S, Caliandro GA, Cameron RA, Camilo F, Caraveo PA, Cecchi C, Charles E, Chaty S, Chekhtman A, Chernyakova M, Cheung CC, Chiang J, Ciprini S, Claus R, Cohen-Tanugi J, Cominsky LR, Corbel S, Cutini S, D'Ammando F, De Angelis A, Den Hartog PR, De Palma F, Dermer CD, Digel SW, Do Couto E Silva E, Dormody M, Drell PS, Drlica-Wagner A, Dubois R, Dubus G, Dumora D, Enoto T, Espinoza CM, Favuzzi C, Fegan SJ, Ferrara EC, Focke WB, Fortin P, Fukazawa Y, Funk S, Fusco P, Gargano F, Gasparrini D, Gehrels N, Germani S, Giglietto N, Giommi P, Giordano F, Giroletti M, Glanzman T, Godfrey G, Grenier IA, Grondin MH, Grove JE, Grundstrom E, Guiriec S, Gwon C, Hadasch D, Harding AK, Hayashida M, Hays E, Johannesson G, Johnson AS, Johnson TJ, Johnston S, Kamae T, Katagiri H, Kataoka J, Keith M, Kerr M, Knodlseder J, Kramer M, Kuss MW, Lande J, Lee SH, Lemoine-Goumard M, Longo F, Loparco F, Lovellette MN, Lubrano P, Manchester RN, Marelli M, Mazziotta MN, Michelson PF, Mitthumsiri W, Mizuno T, Moiseev AA, Monte C, Monzani ME, Morselli A, Moskalenko IV, Murgia S, Nakamori T, Naumann-Godo M, Neronov A, Nolan PL, Norris JP, Noutsos A, Nuss E, Ohsugi T, Okumura A, Omodei N, Orlando E, Paneque D, Parent D, Pesce-Rollins M, Pierbattista M, Piron F, Porter TA, Possenti A, Raino S, Rando R, Ray PS, Razzano M, Razzaque S, Reimer A, Reimer O, Reposeur T, Ritz S, Sadrozinski HFW, Scargle JD, Sgro C, Shannon R, Siskind EJ, Smith PD, Spandre G, Spinelli P, Strickman MS, Suson DJ, Takahashi HH, Tanaka T, Thayer JG, Thayer JB, Thompson DJ, Thorsett SE, Tibaldo L, Tibolla O, Torres DF, Tosti G, Troja E, Uchiyama Y, Usher TL, Vandenbroucke J, Vasileiou V, Vianello G, Vitale V, Waite AP, Wang P, Winer BL, Wolff MT, Wood DL, Wood KS, Yang Z, Ziegler M, Zimmer S (2011)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2011

Journal

Book Volume: 736

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/736/1/L11

Abstract

We report on the discovery of >= 100 MeV gamma-rays from the binary system PSR B1259-63/LS 2883 using the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board Fermi. The system comprises a radio pulsar in orbit around a Be star. We report on LAT observations from near apastron to similar to 128 days after the time of periastron, t(p), on 2010 December 15. No gamma-ray emission was detected from this source when it was far from periastron. Faint gamma-ray emission appeared as the pulsar approached periastron. At similar to t(p) + 30 days, the >= 100 MeV gamma-ray flux increased over a period of a few days to a peak flux 20-30 times that seen during the pre-periastron period, but with a softer spectrum. For the following month, it was seen to be variable on daily timescales, but remained at similar to(1-4) x 10(-6) cm(-2) s(-1) before starting to fade at similar to t(p) + 57 days. The total gamma-ray luminosity observed during this period is comparable to the spin-down power of the pulsar. Simultaneous radio and X-ray observations of the source showed no corresponding dramatic changes in radio and X-ray flux between the pre-periastron and post-periastron flares. We discuss possible explanations for the observed gamma-ray-only flaring of the source.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Stanford University United States (USA) (US) National Institute for Nuclear Physics / Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Italy (IT) Columbia University United States (USA) (US) Artep United States (USA) (US) Sonoma State University United States (USA) (US) University of California Santa Cruz United States (USA) (US) Université Bordeaux 1, Sciences et Technologies France (FR) Hiroshima University Japan (JP) U.S. Naval Research Laboratory United States (USA) (US) University of Paris 7 - Denis Diderot / Université Paris VII Denis Diderot France (FR) Politecnico di Bari Italy (IT) École Polytechnique - Université Paris-Saclay France (FR) Spanish National Research Council / Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Spain (ES) National Institute for Astrophysics / Istituto Nazionale Astrofisica (INAF) Italy (IT) Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) Ireland (IE) National Academy of Sciences United States (USA) (US) Università degli Studi di Perugia Italy (IT) University of Montpellier / Université Montpellier France (FR) Italian Space Agency / Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) Italy (IT) Institute of Space Astrophysics and Cosmic Physics / Palermo Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica (IASF) Italy (IT) University of Udine / Università degli Studi di Udine Italy (IT) Université Joseph Fourier (UJF Grenoble 1) France (FR) University of Manchester United Kingdom (GB) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) United States (USA) (US) Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen Germany (DE) Vanderbilt University United States (USA) (US) University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) United States (USA) (US) University of Iceland (UI) / Háskóli Íslands Iceland (IS) Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Australia (AU) Waseda University / 早稲田大学 Japan (JP) Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP) France (FR) University of Geneva / Université de Genève (UNIGE) Switzerland (CH) University of Denver United States (USA) (US) Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie / Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy Germany (DE) Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) Japan (JP) George Mason University United States (USA) (US) INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari Italy (IT) NYCB Real-Time Computing, Inc. United States (USA) (US) Ohio State University United States (USA) (US) Purdue University Northwest / Purdue University Calumet United States (USA) (US) Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg Germany (DE) Stockholm University / Stockholms universitet Sweden (SE)

How to cite

APA:

Abdo, A.A., Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Allafort, A., Ballet, J., Barbiellini, G.,... Zimmer, S. (2011). DISCOVERY OF HIGH-ENERGY GAMMA-RAY EMISSION FROM THE BINARY SYSTEM PSR B1259-63/LS 2883 AROUND PERIASTRON WITH FERMI. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 736(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/736/1/L11

MLA:

Abdo, A. A., et al. "DISCOVERY OF HIGH-ENERGY GAMMA-RAY EMISSION FROM THE BINARY SYSTEM PSR B1259-63/LS 2883 AROUND PERIASTRON WITH FERMI." Astrophysical Journal Letters 736.1 (2011).

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