Probing quantum gravity using photons from a flare of the active galactic nucleus Markarian 501 observed by the MAGIC telescope

J. Albert, E. Aliu, H. Anderhub, L. A. Antonelli, P. Antoranz, M. Backes, C. Baixeras, J. A. Barrio, H. Bartko, D. Bastieri, J. K. Becker, W. Bednarek, K. Berger, E. Bernardini, C. Bigongiari, A. Biland, R. K. Bock, G. Bonnoli, P. Bordas, V. Bosch-RamonT. Bretz, I. Britvitch, M. Camara, E. Carmona, A. Chilingarian, S. Commichau, J. L. Contreras, J. Cortina, M. T. Costado, S. Covino, V. Curtef, F. Dazzi, A. De Angelis, E. De Cea del Pozo, C. Delgado Mendez, R. de los Reyes, B. De Lotto, M. De Maria, F. De Sabata, A. Dominguez, D. Dorner, M. Doro, M. Errando, M. Fagiolini, D. Ferenc, E. Fernández, R. Firpo, M. V. Fonseca, L. Font, N. Galante, R. J. García López, M. Garczarczyk, M. Gaug, F. Goebel, M. Hayashida, A. Herrero, D. Höhne, J. Hose, C. C. Hsu, S. Huber, T. Jogler, D. Kranich, A. La Barbera, A. Laille, E. Leonardo, E. Lindfors, S. Lombardi, F. Longo, M. López, E. Lorenz, P. Majumdar, G. Maneva, N. Mankuzhiyil, K. Mannheim, L. Maraschi, M. Mariotti, M. Martínez, D. Mazin, M. Meucci, M. Meyer, J. M. Miranda, R. Mirzoyan, M. Moles, A. Moralejo, D. Nieto, K. Nilsson, J. Ninkovic, N. Otte, I. Oya, M. Panniello, R. Paoletti, J. M. Paredes, M. Pasanen, D. Pascoli, F. Pauss, R. G. Pegna, M. A. Perez-Torres, M. Persic, L. Peruzzo, A. Piccioli

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

219 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We analyze the timing of photons observed by the MAGIC telescope during a flare of the active galactic nucleus Mkn 501 for a possible correlation with energy, as suggested by some models of quantum gravity (QG), which predict a vacuum refractive index ≃ 1 + (E / MQGn)n, n = 1, 2. Parametrizing the delay between γ-rays of different energies as Δ t = ± τl E or Δ t = ± τq E2, we find τl = (0.030 ± 0.012) s / GeV at the 2.5-σ level, and τq = (3.71 ± 2.57) × 10-6 s / GeV2, respectively. We use these results to establish lower limits MQG 1 > 0.21 × 1018 GeV and MQG 2 > 0.26 × 1011 GeV at the 95% C.L. Monte Carlo studies confirm the MAGIC sensitivity to propagation effects at these levels. Thermal plasma effects in the source are negligible, but we cannot exclude the importance of some other source effect. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)253-257
JournalPhysics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics
Volume668
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 Oct 2008

Keywords

  • Active galactic nuclei
  • Gamma-ray sources (Individual: Mkn 501)
  • Particle acceleration
  • Quantum gravity
  • Supersymmetric models

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Probing quantum gravity using photons from a flare of the active galactic nucleus Markarian 501 observed by the MAGIC telescope'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this