HAWC Detection of a TeV Halo Candidate Surrounding a Radio-quiet Pulsar

Albert A, Alfaro R, Arteaga-Velázquez JC, Ayala Solares HA, Belmont-Moreno E, Capistrán T, Carramiñana A, Casanova S, Cotzomi J, De León SC, Fuente EDl, de León C, Diaz Hernandez R, DuVernois MA, Díaz-Vélez JC, Espinoza C, Fan KL, Fraija N, Fang K, García-González JA, Garfias F, Jardin-Blicq A, González MM, Goodman JA, Harding JP, Hernandez S, Huang D, Hueyotl-Zahuantitla F, Hüntemeyer P, Iriarte A, Joshi V, Lara A, Lee J, Vargas HL, Linnemann JT, Longinotti AL, Luis-Raya G, Malone K, Martinez O, Martínez-Castro J, Matthews JA, Morales-Soto JA, Moreno E, Mostafá M, Nayerhoda A, Nellen L, Newbold M, Nisa MU, Araujo YP, Son Y, Pérez-Pérez EG, Rho CD, Rosa-González D, Sandoval A, Schneider M, Serna-Franco J, Smith AJ, Springer RW, Tollefson K, Torres I, Torres-Escobedo R, Wang X, Whitaker K, Willox E, Zhou H (2023)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Book Volume: 944

Article Number: L29

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/acb5ee

Abstract

Extended very-high-energy (VHE; 0.1-100 TeV) γ-ray emission has been observed around several middle-aged pulsars and referred to as “TeV halos.” Their formation mechanism remains under debate. It is also unknown whether they are ubiquitous or related to a certain subgroup of pulsars. With 2321 days of observation, the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Gamma-Ray Observatory detected VHE γ-ray emission at the location of the radio-quiet pulsar PSR J0359+5414 with >6σ significance. By performing likelihood tests with different spectral and spatial models and comparing the TeV spectrum with multiwavelength observations of nearby sources, we show that this excess is consistent with a TeV halo associated with PSR J0359+5414, though future observation of HAWC and multiwavelength follow-ups are needed to confirm this nature. This new halo candidate is located in a noncrowded region in the outer galaxy. It shares similar properties to the other halos but its pulsar is younger and radio-quiet. Our observation implies that TeV halos could commonly exist around pulsars and their formation does not depend on the configuration of the pulsar magnetosphere.

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APA:

Albert, A., Alfaro, R., Arteaga-Velázquez, J.C., Ayala Solares, H.A., Belmont-Moreno, E., Capistrán, T.,... Zhou, H. (2023). HAWC Detection of a TeV Halo Candidate Surrounding a Radio-quiet Pulsar. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 944(2). https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acb5ee

MLA:

Albert, A., et al. "HAWC Detection of a TeV Halo Candidate Surrounding a Radio-quiet Pulsar." Astrophysical Journal Letters 944.2 (2023).

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