J. Cohen-Tanugi

SEARCH FOR SPATIALLY EXTENDED FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE SOURCES USING TWO YEARS OF DATA

Spatial extension is an important characteristic for correctly associating γ-ray-emitting sources with their counterparts at other wavelengths and for obtaining an unbiased model of their spectra. We present a new method for quantifying the spatial extension of sources detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT), the primary science instrument on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi). We perform a series of Monte Carlo simulations to validate this tool and calculate the LAT threshold for detecting the spatial extension of sources. We then test all sources in the second Fermi-LAT catalog for extension. We report the detection of seven new spatially extended sources.

Prospects for GRB Science with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

The Large Area Telescope (LAT) instrument on the Fermi mission will reveal the rich spectral and temporal gamma-ray burst (GRB) phenomena in the >100 MeV band. The synergy with Fermis Gamma-ray Burst Monitor detectors will link these observations to those in the well explored 10-1000 keV range; the addition of the >100 MeV band observations will resolve theoretical uncertainties about burst emission in both the prompt and afterglow phases. Trigger algorithms will be applied to the LAT data both onboard the spacecraft and on the ground. The sensitivity of these triggers will differ because of the available computing resources onboard and on the ground. Here we present the LATs burst detection methodologies and the instruments GRB capabilities.

New Fermi-LAT Event Reconstruction Reveals More High-energy Gamma Rays from Gamma-Ray Bursts

Based on the experience gained during the four and a half years of the mission, the Fermi-LAT Collaboration has undertaken a comprehensive revision of the event-level analysis going under the name ...

Wimp searches with gamma rays in the Fermi era: Challenges, methods and results

The launch of the gamma-ray telescope Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) started a pivotal period in indirect detection of dark matter. By outperforming expectations, for the first time a robust and stringent test of the paradigm of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) is within reach. In this paper, we discuss astrophysical targets for WIMP detection and the challenges they present, review the analysis tools which have been employed to tackle these challenges, and summarize the status of constraints on and the claimed detections in the WIMP parameter space. Methods and results will be discussed in comparison to Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes. We also provide an outlook on short term and longer term developments.

Discovery of gamma- and X-ray pulsations from the young and energetic PSR J1357−6429 with Fermi and XMM-Newton

Context. Since the launch of the Fermi satellite, the number of known gamma-ray pulsars has increased tenfold. Most gamma-ray detected pulsars are young and energetic, and many are associated with TeV sources. PSR J1357−6429 is a high spin-down power pulsar ( u E = 3.1 × 10 36 erg s −1 ), discovered during the Parkes multibeam survey of the Galactic plane, with significant timing noise typical of very young pulsars. In the very-high-energy domain (E > 100 GeV), H.E.S.S. has reported the detection of the extended source HESS J1356−645 (intrinsic Gaussian width of 12 � ) whose centroid lies 7 � from PSR J1357−6429. Aims. We search for gamma- and X-ray pulsations from this pulsar, characterize the neutron star emission and explore the environment of PSR J1357−6429. Methods. Using a rotational ephemeris obtained with 74 observations made with the Parkes telescope at 1.4 GHz, we phase-fold more than two years of gamma-ray data acquired by the Large Area Telescope on-board Fermi as well as those collected withXMM-Newton, and perform gamma-ray spectral modeling. Results. Significant gamma- and X-ray pulsations are detected from PSR J1357−6429. The light curve in both bands shows one broad peak. Gamma-ray spectral analysis of the pulsed emission suggests that it is well described by a simple power-law of index 1.5 ± 0.3stat ± 0.3syst with an exponential cut-off at 0.8 ± 0.3stat ± 0.3syst GeV and an integral photon flux above 100 MeV of (6.5 ± 1.6stat ± 2.3syst) × 10 −8 cm −2 s −1 . The X-ray spectra obtained from the new data provide results consistent with previous work. Upper limits on the gamma-ray emission from its potential pulsar wind nebula (PWN) are also reported. Conclusions. Assuming a distance of 2.4 kpc, the Fermi LAT energy flux yields a gamma-ray luminosity for PSR J1357−6429 of Lγ = (2.13 ± 0.25stat ± 0.83syst) × 10 34 erg s −1 , consistent with an Lγ ∝ √ u E relationship. The Fermi non-detection of the pulsar wind nebula associated with HESS J1356−645 provides new constraints on the electron population responsible for the extended TeV emission.

Dwarf spheroidal J-factors without priors: A likelihood-based analysis for indirect dark matter searches

Line-of-sight integrals of the squared density, commonly called the J-factor, are essential for inferring dark matter (DM) annihilation signals. The J-factors of DM-dominated dwarf spheroidal satellite galaxies (dSphs) have typically been derived using Bayesian techniques, which for small data samples implies that a choice of priors constitutes a non-negligible systematic uncertainty. Here we report the development of a new fully frequentist approach to construct the profile likelihood of the J-factor. Using stellar kinematic data from several classical and ultra-faint dSphs, we derive the maximum likelihood value for the J-factor and its confidence intervals. We validate this method, in particular its bias and coverage, using simulated data from the Gaia Challenge. We find that the method possesses good statistical properties. The J-factors and their uncertainties are generally in good agreement with the Bayesian-derived values, with the largest deviations restricted to the systems with the smallest kinematic data sets. We discuss improvements, extensions, and future applications of this technique.

Physics of cosmological cascades and observable properties

TeV photons from extragalactic sources are absorbed in the intergalactic medium and initiate electromagnetic cascades. These cascades offer a unique tool to probe the properties of the universe at cosmological scales. We present a new Monte Carlo code dedicated to the physics of such cascades. This code has been tested against both published results and analytical approximations, and is made publicly available. Using this numerical tool, we investigate the main cascade properties (spectrum, halo extension and time delays), and study in detail their dependence on the physical parameters (extragalactic magnetic field, extragalactic background light, source redshift, source spectrum and beaming emission). The limitations of analytical solutions are emphasized. In particular, analytical approximations account only for the first generation of photons and higher branches of the cascade tree are neglected.

GLAST and Gamma‐Ray Bursts: Probing Photon Propagation over Cosmological Distances

Theoretical models, especially within the framework of Quantum Gravity, allow for the possibility of a velocity dispersion effect for photons of different energies traveling cosmological distances. Due to their fine‐scale time structure and their broad band emission, that is accurately modeled in this work, Gamma Ray Bursts could be good probes of such effect. GLAST will detect several GRBs per year at high energy where the effect could be detectable.