Periastron Observations of TeV Gamma-Ray Emission from a Binary System with a 50-year Period

A. U. Abeysekara; W. Benbow; R. Bird; A. Brill; R. Brose; J. H. Buckley; A. J. Chromey; M. K. Daniel; A. Falcone; J. P. Finley; L. Fortson; A. Furniss; A. Gent; G. H. Gillanders; D. Hanna; T. Hassan; O. Hervet; J. Holder; G. Hughes; T. B. Humensky; P. Kaaret; P. Kar; M. Kertzman; D. Kieda; M. Krause; F. Krennrich; S. Kumar; M. J. Lang; T. T.Y. Lin; G. Maier; P. Moriarty; R. Mukherjee; S. O'Brien; R. A. Ong; A. N. Otte; N. Park; A. Petrashyk; M. Pohl; E. Pueschel; J. Quinn; K. Ragan; G. T. Richards; E. Roache; I. Sadeh; M. Santander; S. Schlenstedt; G. H. Sembroski; I. Sushch; J. Tyler; V. V. Vassiliev; S. P. Wakely; A. Weinstein; R. M. Wells; P. Wilcox; A. Wilhelm; D. A. Williams; T. J. Williamson; B. Zitzer; V. A. Acciari; S. Ansoldi; L. A. Antonelli; A. Arbet Engels; D. Baack; A. Babić; B. Banerjee; U. Barres De Almeida; J. A. Barrio; J. Becerra González; W. Bednarek; E. Bernardini; A. Berti; J. Besenrieder; W. Bhattacharyya; C. Bigongiari; A. Biland; O. Blanch; G. Bonnoli; G. Busetto; R. Carosi; G. Ceribella; S. Cikota; S. M. Colak; P. Colin; E. Colombo; J. L. Contreras; J. Cortina; S. Covino; V. D'Elia; P. Da Vela; F. Dazzi; A. De Angelis; B. De Lotto; M. Delfino; J. Delgado; F. Di Pierro; E. Do Souto Espinera; A. Dominguez; D. Dominis Prester; D. Dorner; M. Doro

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aae70e

Periastron Observations of TeV Gamma-Ray Emission from a Binary System with a 50-year Period

A. U. Abeysekara, W. Benbow, R. Bird, A. Brill, R. Brose, J. H. Buckley, A. J. Chromey, M. K. Daniel, A. Falcone, J. P. Finley, L. Fortson, A. Furniss, A. Gent, G. H. Gillanders, D. Hanna, T. Hassan, O. Hervet, J. Holder, G. Hughes, T. B. HumenskyP. Kaaret, P. Kar, M. Kertzman, D. Kieda, M. Krause, F. Krennrich, S. Kumar, M. J. Lang, T. T.Y. Lin, G. Maier, P. Moriarty, R. Mukherjee, S. O'Brien, R. A. Ong, A. N. Otte, N. Park, A. Petrashyk, M. Pohl, E. Pueschel, J. Quinn, K. Ragan, G. T. Richards, E. Roache, I. Sadeh, M. Santander, S. Schlenstedt, G. H. Sembroski, I. Sushch, J. Tyler, V. V. Vassiliev, S. P. Wakely, A. Weinstein, R. M. Wells, P. Wilcox, A. Wilhelm, D. A. Williams, T. J. Williamson, B. Zitzer, V. A. Acciari, S. Ansoldi, L. A. Antonelli, A. Arbet Engels, D. Baack, A. Babić, B. Banerjee, U. Barres De Almeida, J. A. Barrio, J. Becerra González, W. Bednarek, E. Bernardini, A. Berti, J. Besenrieder, W. Bhattacharyya, C. Bigongiari, A. Biland, O. Blanch, G. Bonnoli, G. Busetto, R. Carosi, G. Ceribella, S. Cikota, S. M. Colak, P. Colin, E. Colombo, J. L. Contreras, J. Cortina, S. Covino, V. D'Elia, P. Da Vela, F. Dazzi, A. De Angelis, B. De Lotto, M. Delfino, J. Delgado, F. Di Pierro, E. Do Souto Espinera, A. Dominguez, D. Dominis Prester, D. Dorner, M. Doro

Department of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

© 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. We report on observations of the pulsar/Be star binary system PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 in the energy range between and with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array and Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov telescope arrays. The binary orbit has a period of approximately 50 years, with the most recent periastron occurring on 2017 November 13. Our observations span from 18 months prior to periastron to one month after. A new point-like gamma-ray source is detected, coincident with the location of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213. The gamma-ray light curve and spectrum are well characterized over the periastron passage. The flux is variable over at least an order of magnitude, peaking at periastron, thus providing a firm association of the TeV source with the pulsar/Be star system. Observations prior to periastron show a cutoff in the spectrum at an energy around . This result adds a new member to the small population of known TeV binaries, and it identifies only the second source of this class in which the nature and properties of the compact object are firmly established. We compare the gamma-ray results with the light curve measured with the X-ray Telescope on board the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and with the predictions of recent theoretical models of the system. We conclude that significant revision of the models is required to explain the details of the emission that we have observed, and we discuss the relationship between the binary system and the overlapping steady extended source, TeV J2032+4130.

Original language	English
Article number	L19
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	867
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aae70e
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2018

Keywords

gamma rays: general
pulsars: individual (PSR J2032+4127, VER J2032+414, MAGIC J2032 +4127)
stars: individual (MT91 213)
X-rays: binaries

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Abeysekara, A. U., Benbow, W., Bird, R., Brill, A., Brose, R., Buckley, J. H., Chromey, A. J., Daniel, M. K., Falcone, A., Finley, J. P., Fortson, L., Furniss, A., Gent, A., Gillanders, G. H., Hanna, D., Hassan, T., Hervet, O., Holder, J., Hughes, G., ... Doro, M. (2018). Periastron Observations of TeV Gamma-Ray Emission from a Binary System with a 50-year Period. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 867, [L19]. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aae70e

Abeysekara, A. U. ; Benbow, W. ; Bird, R. ; Brill, A. ; Brose, R. ; Buckley, J. H. ; Chromey, A. J. ; Daniel, M. K. ; Falcone, A. ; Finley, J. P. ; Fortson, L. ; Furniss, A. ; Gent, A. ; Gillanders, G. H. ; Hanna, D. ; Hassan, T. ; Hervet, O. ; Holder, J. ; Hughes, G. ; Humensky, T. B. ; Kaaret, P. ; Kar, P. ; Kertzman, M. ; Kieda, D. ; Krause, M. ; Krennrich, F. ; Kumar, S. ; Lang, M. J. ; Lin, T. T.Y. ; Maier, G. ; Moriarty, P. ; Mukherjee, R. ; O'Brien, S. ; Ong, R. A. ; Otte, A. N. ; Park, N. ; Petrashyk, A. ; Pohl, M. ; Pueschel, E. ; Quinn, J. ; Ragan, K. ; Richards, G. T. ; Roache, E. ; Sadeh, I. ; Santander, M. ; Schlenstedt, S. ; Sembroski, G. H. ; Sushch, I. ; Tyler, J. ; Vassiliev, V. V. ; Wakely, S. P. ; Weinstein, A. ; Wells, R. M. ; Wilcox, P. ; Wilhelm, A. ; Williams, D. A. ; Williamson, T. J. ; Zitzer, B. ; Acciari, V. A. ; Ansoldi, S. ; Antonelli, L. A. ; Engels, A. Arbet ; Baack, D. ; Babić, A. ; Banerjee, B. ; De Almeida, U. Barres ; Barrio, J. A. ; González, J. Becerra ; Bednarek, W. ; Bernardini, E. ; Berti, A. ; Besenrieder, J. ; Bhattacharyya, W. ; Bigongiari, C. ; Biland, A. ; Blanch, O. ; Bonnoli, G. ; Busetto, G. ; Carosi, R. ; Ceribella, G. ; Cikota, S. ; Colak, S. M. ; Colin, P. ; Colombo, E. ; Contreras, J. L. ; Cortina, J. ; Covino, S. ; D'Elia, V. ; Vela, P. Da ; Dazzi, F. ; Angelis, A. De ; Lotto, B. De ; Delfino, M. ; Delgado, J. ; Pierro, F. Di ; Souto Espinera, E. Do ; Dominguez, A. ; Prester, D. Dominis ; Dorner, D. ; Doro, M. / Periastron Observations of TeV Gamma-Ray Emission from a Binary System with a 50-year Period. In: Astrophysical Journal Letters. 2018 ; Vol. 867.

@article{a40ad2d3f40b4639aeac7ca6bc578692,

title = "Periastron Observations of TeV Gamma-Ray Emission from a Binary System with a 50-year Period",

abstract = "{\textcopyright} 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. We report on observations of the pulsar/Be star binary system PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 in the energy range between and with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array and Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov telescope arrays. The binary orbit has a period of approximately 50 years, with the most recent periastron occurring on 2017 November 13. Our observations span from 18 months prior to periastron to one month after. A new point-like gamma-ray source is detected, coincident with the location of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213. The gamma-ray light curve and spectrum are well characterized over the periastron passage. The flux is variable over at least an order of magnitude, peaking at periastron, thus providing a firm association of the TeV source with the pulsar/Be star system. Observations prior to periastron show a cutoff in the spectrum at an energy around . This result adds a new member to the small population of known TeV binaries, and it identifies only the second source of this class in which the nature and properties of the compact object are firmly established. We compare the gamma-ray results with the light curve measured with the X-ray Telescope on board the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and with the predictions of recent theoretical models of the system. We conclude that significant revision of the models is required to explain the details of the emission that we have observed, and we discuss the relationship between the binary system and the overlapping steady extended source, TeV J2032+4130.",

keywords = "gamma rays: general, pulsars: individual (PSR J2032+4127, VER J2032+414, MAGIC J2032 +4127), stars: individual (MT91 213), X-rays: binaries",

author = "Abeysekara, {A. U.} and W. Benbow and R. Bird and A. Brill and R. Brose and Buckley, {J. H.} and Chromey, {A. J.} and Daniel, {M. K.} and A. Falcone and Finley, {J. P.} and L. Fortson and A. Furniss and A. Gent and Gillanders, {G. H.} and D. Hanna and T. Hassan and O. Hervet and J. Holder and G. Hughes and Humensky, {T. B.} and P. Kaaret and P. Kar and M. Kertzman and D. Kieda and M. Krause and F. Krennrich and S. Kumar and Lang, {M. J.} and Lin, {T. T.Y.} and G. Maier and P. Moriarty and R. Mukherjee and S. O'Brien and Ong, {R. A.} and Otte, {A. N.} and N. Park and A. Petrashyk and M. Pohl and E. Pueschel and J. Quinn and K. Ragan and Richards, {G. T.} and E. Roache and I. Sadeh and M. Santander and S. Schlenstedt and Sembroski, {G. H.} and I. Sushch and J. Tyler and Vassiliev, {V. V.} and Wakely, {S. P.} and A. Weinstein and Wells, {R. M.} and P. Wilcox and A. Wilhelm and Williams, {D. A.} and Williamson, {T. J.} and B. Zitzer and Acciari, {V. A.} and S. Ansoldi and Antonelli, {L. A.} and Engels, {A. Arbet} and D. Baack and A. Babi{\'c} and B. Banerjee and {De Almeida}, {U. Barres} and Barrio, {J. A.} and Gonz{\'a}lez, {J. Becerra} and W. Bednarek and E. Bernardini and A. Berti and J. Besenrieder and W. Bhattacharyya and C. Bigongiari and A. Biland and O. Blanch and G. Bonnoli and G. Busetto and R. Carosi and G. Ceribella and S. Cikota and Colak, {S. M.} and P. Colin and E. Colombo and Contreras, {J. L.} and J. Cortina and S. Covino and V. D'Elia and Vela, {P. Da} and F. Dazzi and Angelis, {A. De} and Lotto, {B. De} and M. Delfino and J. Delgado and Pierro, {F. Di} and {Souto Espinera}, {E. Do} and A. Dominguez and Prester, {D. Dominis} and D. Dorner and M. Doro",

year = "2018",

month = nov,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/aae70e",

language = "English",

volume = "867",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

}

Abeysekara, AU, Benbow, W, Bird, R, Brill, A, Brose, R, Buckley, JH, Chromey, AJ, Daniel, MK, Falcone, A, Finley, JP, Fortson, L, Furniss, A, Gent, A, Gillanders, GH, Hanna, D, Hassan, T, Hervet, O, Holder, J, Hughes, G, Humensky, TB, Kaaret, P, Kar, P, Kertzman, M, Kieda, D, Krause, M, Krennrich, F, Kumar, S, Lang, MJ, Lin, TTY, Maier, G, Moriarty, P, Mukherjee, R, O'Brien, S, Ong, RA, Otte, AN, Park, N, Petrashyk, A, Pohl, M, Pueschel, E, Quinn, J, Ragan, K, Richards, GT, Roache, E, Sadeh, I, Santander, M, Schlenstedt, S, Sembroski, GH, Sushch, I, Tyler, J, Vassiliev, VV, Wakely, SP, Weinstein, A, Wells, RM, Wilcox, P, Wilhelm, A, Williams, DA, Williamson, TJ, Zitzer, B, Acciari, VA, Ansoldi, S, Antonelli, LA, Engels, AA, Baack, D, Babić, A, Banerjee, B, De Almeida, UB, Barrio, JA, González, JB, Bednarek, W, Bernardini, E, Berti, A, Besenrieder, J, Bhattacharyya, W, Bigongiari, C, Biland, A, Blanch, O, Bonnoli, G, Busetto, G, Carosi, R, Ceribella, G, Cikota, S, Colak, SM, Colin, P, Colombo, E, Contreras, JL, Cortina, J, Covino, S, D'Elia, V, Vela, PD, Dazzi, F, Angelis, AD, Lotto, BD, Delfino, M, Delgado, J, Pierro, FD, Souto Espinera, ED, Dominguez, A, Prester, DD, Dorner, D & Doro, M 2018, 'Periastron Observations of TeV Gamma-Ray Emission from a Binary System with a 50-year Period', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 867, L19. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aae70e

Periastron Observations of TeV Gamma-Ray Emission from a Binary System with a 50-year Period. / Abeysekara, A. U.; Benbow, W.; Bird, R.; Brill, A.; Brose, R.; Buckley, J. H.; Chromey, A. J.; Daniel, M. K.; Falcone, A.; Finley, J. P.; Fortson, L.; Furniss, A.; Gent, A.; Gillanders, G. H.; Hanna, D.; Hassan, T.; Hervet, O.; Holder, J.; Hughes, G.; Humensky, T. B.; Kaaret, P.; Kar, P.; Kertzman, M.; Kieda, D.; Krause, M.; Krennrich, F.; Kumar, S.; Lang, M. J.; Lin, T. T.Y.; Maier, G.; Moriarty, P.; Mukherjee, R.; O'Brien, S.; Ong, R. A.; Otte, A. N.; Park, N.; Petrashyk, A.; Pohl, M.; Pueschel, E.; Quinn, J.; Ragan, K.; Richards, G. T.; Roache, E.; Sadeh, I.; Santander, M.; Schlenstedt, S.; Sembroski, G. H.; Sushch, I.; Tyler, J.; Vassiliev, V. V.; Wakely, S. P.; Weinstein, A.; Wells, R. M.; Wilcox, P.; Wilhelm, A.; Williams, D. A.; Williamson, T. J.; Zitzer, B.; Acciari, V. A.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.; Engels, A. Arbet; Baack, D.; Babić, A.; Banerjee, B.; De Almeida, U. Barres; Barrio, J. A.; González, J. Becerra; Bednarek, W.; Bernardini, E.; Berti, A.; Besenrieder, J.; Bhattacharyya, W.; Bigongiari, C.; Biland, A.; Blanch, O.; Bonnoli, G.; Busetto, G.; Carosi, R.; Ceribella, G.; Cikota, S.; Colak, S. M.; Colin, P.; Colombo, E.; Contreras, J. L.; Cortina, J.; Covino, S.; D'Elia, V.; Vela, P. Da; Dazzi, F.; Angelis, A. De; Lotto, B. De; Delfino, M.; Delgado, J.; Pierro, F. Di; Souto Espinera, E. Do; Dominguez, A.; Prester, D. Dominis; Dorner, D.; Doro, M.

In: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 867, L19, 01.11.2018.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research

TY - JOUR

T1 - Periastron Observations of TeV Gamma-Ray Emission from a Binary System with a 50-year Period

AU - Abeysekara, A. U.

AU - Benbow, W.

AU - Bird, R.

AU - Brill, A.

AU - Brose, R.

AU - Buckley, J. H.

AU - Chromey, A. J.

AU - Daniel, M. K.

AU - Falcone, A.

AU - Finley, J. P.

AU - Fortson, L.

AU - Furniss, A.

AU - Gent, A.

AU - Gillanders, G. H.

AU - Hanna, D.

AU - Hassan, T.

AU - Hervet, O.

AU - Holder, J.

AU - Hughes, G.

AU - Humensky, T. B.

AU - Kaaret, P.

AU - Kar, P.

AU - Kertzman, M.

AU - Kieda, D.

AU - Krause, M.

AU - Krennrich, F.

AU - Kumar, S.

AU - Lang, M. J.

AU - Lin, T. T.Y.

AU - Maier, G.

AU - Moriarty, P.

AU - Mukherjee, R.

AU - O'Brien, S.

AU - Ong, R. A.

AU - Otte, A. N.

AU - Park, N.

AU - Petrashyk, A.

AU - Pohl, M.

AU - Pueschel, E.

AU - Quinn, J.

AU - Ragan, K.

AU - Richards, G. T.

AU - Roache, E.

AU - Sadeh, I.

AU - Santander, M.

AU - Schlenstedt, S.

AU - Sembroski, G. H.

AU - Sushch, I.

AU - Tyler, J.

AU - Vassiliev, V. V.

AU - Wakely, S. P.

AU - Weinstein, A.

AU - Wells, R. M.

AU - Wilcox, P.

AU - Wilhelm, A.

AU - Williams, D. A.

AU - Williamson, T. J.

AU - Zitzer, B.

AU - Acciari, V. A.

AU - Ansoldi, S.

AU - Antonelli, L. A.

AU - Engels, A. Arbet

AU - Baack, D.

AU - Babić, A.

AU - Banerjee, B.

AU - De Almeida, U. Barres

AU - Barrio, J. A.

AU - González, J. Becerra

AU - Bednarek, W.

AU - Bernardini, E.

AU - Berti, A.

AU - Besenrieder, J.

AU - Bhattacharyya, W.

AU - Bigongiari, C.

AU - Biland, A.

AU - Blanch, O.

AU - Bonnoli, G.

AU - Busetto, G.

AU - Carosi, R.

AU - Ceribella, G.

AU - Cikota, S.

AU - Colak, S. M.

AU - Colin, P.

AU - Colombo, E.

AU - Contreras, J. L.

AU - Cortina, J.

AU - Covino, S.

AU - D'Elia, V.

AU - Vela, P. Da

AU - Dazzi, F.

AU - Angelis, A. De

AU - Lotto, B. De

AU - Delfino, M.

AU - Delgado, J.

AU - Pierro, F. Di

AU - Souto Espinera, E. Do

AU - Dominguez, A.

AU - Prester, D. Dominis

AU - Dorner, D.

AU - Doro, M.

PY - 2018/11/1

Y1 - 2018/11/1

N2 - © 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. We report on observations of the pulsar/Be star binary system PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 in the energy range between and with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array and Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov telescope arrays. The binary orbit has a period of approximately 50 years, with the most recent periastron occurring on 2017 November 13. Our observations span from 18 months prior to periastron to one month after. A new point-like gamma-ray source is detected, coincident with the location of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213. The gamma-ray light curve and spectrum are well characterized over the periastron passage. The flux is variable over at least an order of magnitude, peaking at periastron, thus providing a firm association of the TeV source with the pulsar/Be star system. Observations prior to periastron show a cutoff in the spectrum at an energy around . This result adds a new member to the small population of known TeV binaries, and it identifies only the second source of this class in which the nature and properties of the compact object are firmly established. We compare the gamma-ray results with the light curve measured with the X-ray Telescope on board the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and with the predictions of recent theoretical models of the system. We conclude that significant revision of the models is required to explain the details of the emission that we have observed, and we discuss the relationship between the binary system and the overlapping steady extended source, TeV J2032+4130.

AB - © 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. We report on observations of the pulsar/Be star binary system PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 in the energy range between and with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array and Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov telescope arrays. The binary orbit has a period of approximately 50 years, with the most recent periastron occurring on 2017 November 13. Our observations span from 18 months prior to periastron to one month after. A new point-like gamma-ray source is detected, coincident with the location of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213. The gamma-ray light curve and spectrum are well characterized over the periastron passage. The flux is variable over at least an order of magnitude, peaking at periastron, thus providing a firm association of the TeV source with the pulsar/Be star system. Observations prior to periastron show a cutoff in the spectrum at an energy around . This result adds a new member to the small population of known TeV binaries, and it identifies only the second source of this class in which the nature and properties of the compact object are firmly established. We compare the gamma-ray results with the light curve measured with the X-ray Telescope on board the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and with the predictions of recent theoretical models of the system. We conclude that significant revision of the models is required to explain the details of the emission that we have observed, and we discuss the relationship between the binary system and the overlapping steady extended source, TeV J2032+4130.

KW - gamma rays: general

KW - pulsars: individual (PSR J2032+4127, VER J2032+414, MAGIC J2032 +4127)

KW - stars: individual (MT91 213)

KW - X-rays: binaries

U2 - 10.3847/2041-8213/aae70e

DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/aae70e

M3 - Article

VL - 867

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

SN - 2041-8205

M1 - L19

ER -