Discovery of extended VHE gamma-ray emission from the asymmetric pulsar wind nebula in MSH 15-52 with HESS

Funk S (2005)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2005

Journal

Book Volume: 435

Pages Range: L17-L20

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:200500105

Abstract

The Supernova Remnant MSH 15-52 has been observed in very high energy (VHE) gamma-rays using the HESS 4-telescope array located in Namibia. A gamma-ray signal is detected at the 25 sigma level during an exposure of 22.1 h live time. The image reveals an elliptically shaped emission region around the pulsar PSRB1509 - 58, with semi-major axis similar to 6' in the NW-SE direction and semi-minor axis similar to 2'. This morphology coincides with the diffuse pulsar wind nebula as observed at X-ray energies by ROSAT. The overall energy spectrum from 280 GeV up to 40 TeV can be fitted by a power law with photon index Gamma = 2.27 +/- 0.03(stat) +/- 0.20(syst). The detected emission can be plausibly explained by inverse Compton scattering of accelerated relativistic electrons with soft photons.

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How to cite

APA:

Funk, S. (2005). Discovery of extended VHE gamma-ray emission from the asymmetric pulsar wind nebula in MSH 15-52 with HESS. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 435(1), L17-L20. https://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:200500105

MLA:

Funk, Stefan. "Discovery of extended VHE gamma-ray emission from the asymmetric pulsar wind nebula in MSH 15-52 with HESS." Astronomy & Astrophysics 435.1 (2005): L17-L20.

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