Very high energy gamma-ray observations of strong flaring activity in M87 in 2008 february

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-Ramon; T. 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; R. De Los Reyes; B. De Lotto; M. De Maria; F. De Sabata; C. Delgado Mendez; 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. Garciá 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; S. Mizobuchi; 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

doi:10.1086/592348

Very high energy gamma-ray observations of strong flaring activity in M87 in 2008 february

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, R. De Los Reyes, B. De Lotto, M. De Maria, F. De Sabata, C. Delgado Mendez, 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. Garciá 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, S. Mizobuchi, 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

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

88 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

M87 is the only known nonblazar radio galaxy to emit very high energy (VHE) gamma rays. During a monitoring program of M87, a rapid flare in VHE gamma-rays was detected by the MAGIC telescope in early 2008. The flux was found to be variable above 350 GeV on a timescale as short as 1 day at a significance level of 5.6 a. The highest measured flux reached 15% of the Crab Nebula flux. We observed several substantial changes of the flux level during the 13 day observing period. The flux at lower energies (150-350 GeV), instead, is compatible with being constant. The energy spectrum can be described by a power law with a photon index of 2.30 ± 0.1 lstat ± 0.20 syst. The observed day-scale flux variability at VHE prefers the M87 core as source of the emission and implies that either the emission region is very compact (just a few Schwarzschild radii) or the Doppler factor of the emitting blob is rather large in the case of a nonexpanding emission region. © 2008. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Original language	English
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	685
Issue number	1 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/592348
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2008

Keywords

Active-galaxies
Galaxies
Gamma rays
Individual (M87, NGC 4486)
Observations

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Albert, J., Aliu, E., Anderhub, H., Antonelli, L. A., Antoranz, P., Backes, M., Baixeras, C., Barrio, J. A., Bartko, H., Bastieri, D., Becker, J. K., Bednarek, W., Berger, K., Bernardini, E., Bigongiari, C., Biland, A., Bock, R. K., Bonnoli, G., Bordas, P., ... Peruzzo, L. (2008). Very high energy gamma-ray observations of strong flaring activity in M87 in 2008 february. Astrophysical Journal, 685(1 PART 2). https://doi.org/10.1086/592348

Albert, J. ; Aliu, E. ; Anderhub, H. ; Antonelli, L. A. ; Antoranz, P. ; Backes, M. ; Baixeras, C. ; Barrio, J. A. ; Bartko, H. ; Bastieri, D. ; Becker, J. K. ; Bednarek, W. ; Berger, K. ; Bernardini, E. ; Bigongiari, C. ; Biland, A. ; Bock, R. K. ; Bonnoli, G. ; Bordas, P. ; Bosch-Ramon, V. ; Bretz, T. ; Britvitch, I. ; Camara, M. ; Carmona, E. ; Chilingarian, A. ; Commichau, S. ; Contreras, J. L. ; Cortina, J. ; Costado, M. T. ; Covino, S. ; Curtef, V. ; Dazzi, F. ; De Angelis, A. ; De Cea Del Pozo, E. ; De Los Reyes, R. ; De Lotto, B. ; De Maria, M. ; De Sabata, F. ; Mendez, C. Delgado ; Dominguez, A. ; Dorner, D. ; Doro, M. ; Errando, M. ; Fagiolini, M. ; Ferenc, D. ; Fernández, E. ; Firpo, R. ; Fonseca, M. V. ; Font, L. ; Galante, N. ; Garciá López, R. J. ; Garczarczyk, M. ; Gaug, M. ; Goebel, F. ; Hayashida, M. ; Herrero, A. ; Höhne, D. ; Hose, J. ; Hsu, C. C. ; Huber, S. ; Jogler, T. ; Kranich, D. ; La Barbera, A. ; Laille, A. ; Leonardo, E. ; Lindfors, E. ; Lombardi, S. ; Longo, F. ; López, M. ; Lorenz, E. ; Majumdar, P. ; Maneva, G. ; Mankuzhiyil, N. ; Mannheim, K. ; Maraschi, L. ; Mariotti, M. ; Martínez, M. ; Mazin, D. ; Meucci, M. ; Meyer, M. ; Miranda, J. M. ; Mirzoyan, R. ; Mizobuchi, S. ; Moles, M. ; Moralejo, A. ; Nieto, D. ; Nilsson, K. ; Ninkovic, J. ; Otte, N. ; Oya, I. ; Panniello, M. ; Paoletti, R. ; Paredes, J. M. ; Pasanen, M. ; Pascoli, D. ; Pauss, F. ; Pegna, R. G. ; Perez-Torres, M. A. ; Persic, M. ; Peruzzo, L. / Very high energy gamma-ray observations of strong flaring activity in M87 in 2008 february. In: Astrophysical Journal. 2008 ; Vol. 685, No. 1 PART 2.

@article{e810319cb0d04cd8ab8795ff48c01ee3,

title = "Very high energy gamma-ray observations of strong flaring activity in M87 in 2008 february",

abstract = "M87 is the only known nonblazar radio galaxy to emit very high energy (VHE) gamma rays. During a monitoring program of M87, a rapid flare in VHE gamma-rays was detected by the MAGIC telescope in early 2008. The flux was found to be variable above 350 GeV on a timescale as short as 1 day at a significance level of 5.6 a. The highest measured flux reached 15% of the Crab Nebula flux. We observed several substantial changes of the flux level during the 13 day observing period. The flux at lower energies (150-350 GeV), instead, is compatible with being constant. The energy spectrum can be described by a power law with a photon index of 2.30 ± 0.1 lstat ± 0.20 syst. The observed day-scale flux variability at VHE prefers the M87 core as source of the emission and implies that either the emission region is very compact (just a few Schwarzschild radii) or the Doppler factor of the emitting blob is rather large in the case of a nonexpanding emission region. {\textcopyright} 2008. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.",

keywords = "Active-galaxies, Galaxies, Gamma rays, Individual (M87, NGC 4486), Observations",

author = "J. Albert and E. Aliu and H. Anderhub and Antonelli, {L. A.} and P. Antoranz and M. Backes and C. Baixeras and Barrio, {J. A.} and H. Bartko and D. Bastieri and Becker, {J. K.} and W. Bednarek and K. Berger and E. Bernardini and C. Bigongiari and A. Biland and Bock, {R. K.} and G. Bonnoli and P. Bordas and V. Bosch-Ramon and T. Bretz and I. Britvitch and M. Camara and E. Carmona and A. Chilingarian and S. Commichau and Contreras, {J. L.} and J. Cortina and Costado, {M. T.} and S. Covino and V. Curtef and F. Dazzi and {De Angelis}, A. and {De Cea Del Pozo}, E. and {De Los Reyes}, R. and {De Lotto}, B. and {De Maria}, M. and {De Sabata}, F. and Mendez, {C. Delgado} and A. Dominguez and D. Dorner and M. Doro and M. Errando and M. Fagiolini and D. Ferenc and E. Fern{\'a}ndez and R. Firpo and Fonseca, {M. V.} and L. Font and N. Galante and {Garci{\'a} L{\'o}pez}, {R. J.} and M. Garczarczyk and M. Gaug and F. Goebel and M. Hayashida and A. Herrero and D. H{\"o}hne and J. Hose and Hsu, {C. C.} and S. Huber and T. Jogler and D. Kranich and {La Barbera}, A. and A. Laille and E. Leonardo and E. Lindfors and S. Lombardi and F. Longo and M. L{\'o}pez and E. Lorenz and P. Majumdar and G. Maneva and N. Mankuzhiyil and K. Mannheim and L. Maraschi and M. Mariotti and M. Mart{\'i}nez and D. Mazin and M. Meucci and M. Meyer and Miranda, {J. M.} and R. Mirzoyan and S. Mizobuchi and M. Moles and A. Moralejo and D. Nieto and K. Nilsson and J. Ninkovic and N. Otte and I. Oya and M. Panniello and R. Paoletti and Paredes, {J. M.} and M. Pasanen and D. Pascoli and F. Pauss and Pegna, {R. G.} and Perez-Torres, {M. A.} and M. Persic and L. Peruzzo",

year = "2008",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1086/592348",

language = "English",

volume = "685",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

number = "1 PART 2",

}

Albert, J, Aliu, E, Anderhub, H, Antonelli, LA, Antoranz, P, Backes, M, Baixeras, C, Barrio, JA, Bartko, H, Bastieri, D, Becker, JK, Bednarek, W, Berger, K, Bernardini, E, Bigongiari, C, Biland, A, Bock, RK, Bonnoli, G, Bordas, P, Bosch-Ramon, V, Bretz, T, Britvitch, I, Camara, M, Carmona, E, Chilingarian, A, Commichau, S, Contreras, JL, Cortina, J, Costado, MT, Covino, S, Curtef, V, Dazzi, F, De Angelis, A, De Cea Del Pozo, E, De Los Reyes, R, De Lotto, B, De Maria, M, De Sabata, F, Mendez, CD, Dominguez, A, Dorner, D, Doro, M, Errando, M, Fagiolini, M, Ferenc, D, Fernández, E, Firpo, R, Fonseca, MV, Font, L, Galante, N, Garciá López, RJ, Garczarczyk, M, Gaug, M, Goebel, F, Hayashida, M, Herrero, A, Höhne, D, Hose, J, Hsu, CC, Huber, S, Jogler, T, Kranich, D, La Barbera, A, Laille, A, Leonardo, E, Lindfors, E, Lombardi, S, Longo, F, López, M, Lorenz, E, Majumdar, P, Maneva, G, Mankuzhiyil, N, Mannheim, K, Maraschi, L, Mariotti, M, Martínez, M, Mazin, D, Meucci, M, Meyer, M, Miranda, JM, Mirzoyan, R, Mizobuchi, S, Moles, M, Moralejo, A, Nieto, D, Nilsson, K, Ninkovic, J, Otte, N, Oya, I, Panniello, M, Paoletti, R, Paredes, JM, Pasanen, M, Pascoli, D, Pauss, F, Pegna, RG, Perez-Torres, MA, Persic, M & Peruzzo, L 2008, 'Very high energy gamma-ray observations of strong flaring activity in M87 in 2008 february', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 685, no. 1 PART 2. https://doi.org/10.1086/592348

Very high energy gamma-ray observations of strong flaring activity in M87 in 2008 february. / Albert, J.; Aliu, E.; Anderhub, H.; Antonelli, L. A.; Antoranz, P.; Backes, M.; Baixeras, C.; Barrio, J. A.; Bartko, H.; Bastieri, D.; Becker, J. K.; Bednarek, W.; Berger, K.; Bernardini, E.; Bigongiari, C.; Biland, A.; Bock, R. K.; Bonnoli, G.; Bordas, P.; Bosch-Ramon, V.; Bretz, T.; Britvitch, I.; Camara, M.; Carmona, E.; Chilingarian, A.; Commichau, S.; Contreras, J. L.; Cortina, J.; Costado, M. T.; Covino, S.; Curtef, V.; Dazzi, F.; De Angelis, A.; De Cea Del Pozo, E.; De Los Reyes, R.; De Lotto, B.; De Maria, M.; De Sabata, F.; Mendez, C. Delgado; Dominguez, A.; Dorner, D.; Doro, M.; Errando, M.; Fagiolini, M.; Ferenc, D.; Fernández, E.; Firpo, R.; Fonseca, M. V.; Font, L.; Galante, N.; Garciá López, R. J.; Garczarczyk, M.; Gaug, M.; Goebel, F.; Hayashida, M.; Herrero, A.; Höhne, D.; Hose, J.; Hsu, C. C.; Huber, S.; Jogler, T.; Kranich, D.; La Barbera, A.; Laille, A.; Leonardo, E.; Lindfors, E.; Lombardi, S.; Longo, F.; López, M.; Lorenz, E.; Majumdar, P.; Maneva, G.; Mankuzhiyil, N.; Mannheim, K.; Maraschi, L.; Mariotti, M.; Martínez, M.; Mazin, D.; Meucci, M.; Meyer, M.; Miranda, J. M.; Mirzoyan, R.; Mizobuchi, S.; Moles, M.; Moralejo, A.; Nieto, D.; Nilsson, K.; Ninkovic, J.; Otte, N.; Oya, I.; Panniello, M.; Paoletti, R.; Paredes, J. M.; Pasanen, M.; Pascoli, D.; Pauss, F.; Pegna, R. G.; Perez-Torres, M. A.; Persic, M.; Peruzzo, L.

In: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 685, No. 1 PART 2, 01.01.2008.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Very high energy gamma-ray observations of strong flaring activity in M87 in 2008 february

AU - Albert, J.

AU - Aliu, E.

AU - Anderhub, H.

AU - Antonelli, L. A.

AU - Antoranz, P.

AU - Backes, M.

AU - Baixeras, C.

AU - Barrio, J. A.

AU - Bartko, H.

AU - Bastieri, D.

AU - Becker, J. K.

AU - Bednarek, W.

AU - Berger, K.

AU - Bernardini, E.

AU - Bigongiari, C.

AU - Biland, A.

AU - Bock, R. K.

AU - Bonnoli, G.

AU - Bordas, P.

AU - Bosch-Ramon, V.

AU - Bretz, T.

AU - Britvitch, I.

AU - Camara, M.

AU - Carmona, E.

AU - Chilingarian, A.

AU - Commichau, S.

AU - Contreras, J. L.

AU - Cortina, J.

AU - Costado, M. T.

AU - Covino, S.

AU - Curtef, V.

AU - Dazzi, F.

AU - De Angelis, A.

AU - De Cea Del Pozo, E.

AU - De Los Reyes, R.

AU - De Lotto, B.

AU - De Maria, M.

AU - De Sabata, F.

AU - Mendez, C. Delgado

AU - Dominguez, A.

AU - Dorner, D.

AU - Doro, M.

AU - Errando, M.

AU - Fagiolini, M.

AU - Ferenc, D.

AU - Fernández, E.

AU - Firpo, R.

AU - Fonseca, M. V.

AU - Font, L.

AU - Galante, N.

AU - Garciá López, R. J.

AU - Garczarczyk, M.

AU - Gaug, M.

AU - Goebel, F.

AU - Hayashida, M.

AU - Herrero, A.

AU - Höhne, D.

AU - Hose, J.

AU - Hsu, C. C.

AU - Huber, S.

AU - Jogler, T.

AU - Kranich, D.

AU - La Barbera, A.

AU - Laille, A.

AU - Leonardo, E.

AU - Lindfors, E.

AU - Lombardi, S.

AU - Longo, F.

AU - López, M.

AU - Lorenz, E.

AU - Majumdar, P.

AU - Maneva, G.

AU - Mankuzhiyil, N.

AU - Mannheim, K.

AU - Maraschi, L.

AU - Mariotti, M.

AU - Martínez, M.

AU - Mazin, D.

AU - Meucci, M.

AU - Meyer, M.

AU - Miranda, J. M.

AU - Mirzoyan, R.

AU - Mizobuchi, S.

AU - Moles, M.

AU - Moralejo, A.

AU - Nieto, D.

AU - Nilsson, K.

AU - Ninkovic, J.

AU - Otte, N.

AU - Oya, I.

AU - Panniello, M.

AU - Paoletti, R.

AU - Paredes, J. M.

AU - Pasanen, M.

AU - Pascoli, D.

AU - Pauss, F.

AU - Pegna, R. G.

AU - Perez-Torres, M. A.

AU - Persic, M.

AU - Peruzzo, L.

PY - 2008/1/1

Y1 - 2008/1/1

N2 - M87 is the only known nonblazar radio galaxy to emit very high energy (VHE) gamma rays. During a monitoring program of M87, a rapid flare in VHE gamma-rays was detected by the MAGIC telescope in early 2008. The flux was found to be variable above 350 GeV on a timescale as short as 1 day at a significance level of 5.6 a. The highest measured flux reached 15% of the Crab Nebula flux. We observed several substantial changes of the flux level during the 13 day observing period. The flux at lower energies (150-350 GeV), instead, is compatible with being constant. The energy spectrum can be described by a power law with a photon index of 2.30 ± 0.1 lstat ± 0.20 syst. The observed day-scale flux variability at VHE prefers the M87 core as source of the emission and implies that either the emission region is very compact (just a few Schwarzschild radii) or the Doppler factor of the emitting blob is rather large in the case of a nonexpanding emission region. © 2008. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

AB - M87 is the only known nonblazar radio galaxy to emit very high energy (VHE) gamma rays. During a monitoring program of M87, a rapid flare in VHE gamma-rays was detected by the MAGIC telescope in early 2008. The flux was found to be variable above 350 GeV on a timescale as short as 1 day at a significance level of 5.6 a. The highest measured flux reached 15% of the Crab Nebula flux. We observed several substantial changes of the flux level during the 13 day observing period. The flux at lower energies (150-350 GeV), instead, is compatible with being constant. The energy spectrum can be described by a power law with a photon index of 2.30 ± 0.1 lstat ± 0.20 syst. The observed day-scale flux variability at VHE prefers the M87 core as source of the emission and implies that either the emission region is very compact (just a few Schwarzschild radii) or the Doppler factor of the emitting blob is rather large in the case of a nonexpanding emission region. © 2008. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

KW - Active-galaxies

KW - Galaxies

KW - Gamma rays

KW - Individual (M87, NGC 4486)

KW - Observations

U2 - 10.1086/592348

DO - 10.1086/592348

M3 - Article

VL - 685

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

SN - 0004-637X

IS - 1 PART 2

ER -