Raquel de los Reyes

An unidentified TeV source in the vicinity of Cygnus OB2

Deep observation (113 hrs) of the Cygnus region at TeV energies using the HEGRA stereoscopic system of air ˇ Cerenkov telescopes has serendipitously revealed a signal positionally inside the core of the OB association Cygnus OB2, at the edge of the 95% error circle of the EGRET source 3EG J2033+4118, and0:5 north of Cyg X-3. The source centre of gravity is RAJ2000 :2 0 hr 32 m 07 s 9:2 s 2:2 s ,D ecJ2000:+4130 0 30 00 2:0 0 0:4 0. The source is steady, has a post-trial significance of+4.6, indication for extension with radius 5:6 0 at the3 level, and has a dierential power-law flux with hard photon index of 1:9 0:3stat 0:3sys. The integral flux above 1 TeV amounts3% that of the Crab. No counterpart for the TeV source at other wavelengths is presently identified, and its extension would disfavour an exclusive pulsar or AGN origin. If associated with Cygnus OB2, this dense concentration of young, massive stars provides an environment conducive to multi-TeV particle acceleration and likely subsequent interaction with a nearby gas cloud. Alternatively, one could envisage-ray production via a jet-driven termination shock.

Variations of the TeV energy spectrum at different flux levels of Mkn 421 observed with the HEGRA system of Cherenkov telescopes

F. Aharonian, A. Akhperjanian, M. Beilicke, K. Bernlohr, H. Borst, H. Bojahr, O. Bolz, T. Coarasa, J. Contreras, J. Cortina, L. Costamante, S. Denninghoff, V. Fonseca, M. Girma, N. Gotting, G. Heinzelmann, G. Hermann, A. Heusler, W. Hofmann, D. Horns, I. Jung, R. Kankanyan, M. Kestel, J. Kettler, A. Kohnle, A. Konopelko, H. Kornmeyer, D. Kranich, H. Krawczynski, H. Lampeitl, M. Lopez, E. Lorenz, F. Lucarelli, O. Mang, H. Meyer, R. Mirzoyan, M. Milite, A. Moralejo, E. Ona, M. Panter, A. Plyasheshnikov, G. Puhlhofer, G. Rauterberg, R. Reyes, W. Rhode, J. Ripken, G. Rowell, V. Sahakian, M. Samorski, M. Schilling, M. Siems, D. Sobzynska, W. Stamm, M. Tluczykont, H.J. Volk, C. A. Wiedner, W. Wittek and R. A. Remillard

Observations of H1426+428 with HEGRA - Observations in 2002 and reanalysis of 1999&2000 data

The HEGRA system of imaging air Cherenkov telescopes has been used to observe the BL Lac object H1426+428 (z= 0:129) for 217.5 hours in 2002. In this data set alone, the source is detected at a confidence level of 5:3, confirming this object as a TeV source. The overall flux level during the observations in 2002 is found to be a factor of 2.5 lower than during the previous observations by HEGRA in 1999 and 2000. A new spectral analysis has been carried out, improving the signal-to-noise ratio at the expense of a slightly increased systematic uncertainty and reducing the relative energy resolution to E=E 12% over a wide range of energies. The new method has also been applied to the previously published data set taken in 1999 and 2000, confirming the earlier claim of a flattening of the energy spectrum between 1 and 5 TeV. The data set taken in 2002 shows again a signal at energies above 1 TeV. We combine the energy spectra as determined by the CAT and VERITAS groups with our reanalyzed result of the 1999 and 2000 data set and apply a correction to account for eects of absorption of high energy photons on extragalactic background light in the optical to mid infrared band. The shape of the inferred source spectrum is mostly sensitive to the characteristics of the extragalactic background light between wavelengths of 1 and 15 m.

Observations of 54 Active Galactic Nuclei with the HEGRA system of Cherenkov telescopes

A sample of 54 selected Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) has been observed with the HEGRA stereoscopic system of Cherenkov Telescopes between 1996 and 2002 in the TeV energy regime. The observations were motivated by the positive results obtained for Mkn 421 and Mkn 501. The distances of the selected objects vary over a large range of redshifts between z = 0.004 and z = 0.7. Among the observed AGN are the now-established TeV-emitting BL Lac type objects H 1426+428 and 1ES 1959+650. Furthermore the BL Lac object 1ES 2344+514 and the radio galaxy M 87 show evidence for a signal on a4 σ level. The observation of 1ES 2344+514 together with the Whipple results firmly establishes this AGN as a TeV source. Several objects (PKS 2155-304, BL Lacertae, 3C 066A) that have been claimed as TeV γ-ray emitters by other groups are included in this data sample but could not be confirmed using data analysed here. The upper limits from several AGN included in this analysis are compared with predictions in the frame-work of SSC models.

A search for TeV gamma-ray emission from SNRs, pulsars and unidentified GeV sources in the Galactic plane in the longitude range between 2 and 85

Using the HEGRA system of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, one quarter of the Galactic plane ( 2< l < 85) was surveyed for TeV gamma-ray emission from point sources and moderately extended sources (O 0:8). The region covered includes 86 known pulsars (PSR), 63 known supernova remnants (SNR) and nine GeV sources, representing a significant fraction of the known populations. No evidence for emission of TeV gamma radiation was detected, and upper limits range from 0.15 Crab units up to several Crab units, depending on the observation time and zenith angles covered. The ensemble sums over selected SNR and pulsar subsamples and over the GeV-sources yield no indication of emission from these potential sources. The upper limit for the SNR population is 6.7% of the Crab flux and for the pulsar ensemble is 3.6% of the Crab flux.

Search for TeV gamma ray emission from the Andromeda galaxy

Using the HEGRA system of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, the Andromeda galaxy (M31) was sur- veyed for TeV gamma ray emission. Given the large field of view of the HEGRA telescopes, three pointings were sufficient to cover all of M31, including also M32 and NGC 205. No indications for point sources of TeV gamma rays were found. Upper limits are given at a level of a few percent of the Crab flux. A specific search for monoenergetic gamma-ray lines from annihi- lation of supersymmetric dark matter particles accumulating near the center of M31 resulted in flux limits in the 10 −13 cm −2 s −1 range, well above the predicted MSSM flux levels except for models with pronounced dark-matter spikes or strongly enhanced annihilation rates.

Calibration of the Cherenkov Telescope Array

The construction of the Cherenkov Telescope Array is expected to start soon. We will present the baseline methods and their extensions currently foreseen to calibrate the observatory. These are bound to achieve the strong requirements on allowed systematic uncertainties for the reconstructed gamma-ray energy and flux scales, as well as on the pointing resolution, and on the overall duty cycle of the observatory. Onsite calibration activities are designed to include a robust and efficient calibration of the telescope cameras, and various methods and instruments to achieve calibration of the overall optical throughput of each telescope, leading to both inter-telescope calibration and an absolute calibration of the entire observatory. One important aspect of the onsite calibration is a correct understanding of the atmosphere above the telescopes, which constitutes the calorimeter of this detection technique. It is planned to be constantly monitored with state-of-the-art instruments to obtain a full molecular and aerosol profile up to the stratosphere. In order to guarantee the best use of the observation time, in terms of usable data, an intelligent scheduling system is required, which gives preference to those sources and observation programs that can cope with the given atmospheric conditions, especially if the sky is partially covered by clouds, or slightly contaminated by dust. Ceilometers in combination with all-sky-cameras are plannned to provide the observatory with a fast, online and full-sky knowledge of the expected conditions for each pointing direction. For a precise characterization of the adopted observing direction, wide-field optical telescopes and Raman Lidars are planned to provide information about the height-resolved and wavelength-dependent atmospheric extinction, throughout the field-of-view of the cameras.

Strategy implementation for the CTA Atmospheric monitoring program

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is the next generation facility of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes. It reaches unprecedented sensitivity and energy resolution in very-high-energy gamma-ray astronomy. CTA detects Cherenkov light emitted within an atmospheric shower of particles initiated by cosmic-gamma rays or cosmic rays entering the Earths atmosphere. From the combination of images the Cherenkov light produces in the telescopes, one is able to infer the primary particle energy and direction. A correct energy estimation can be thus performed only if the local atmosphere is well characterized. The atmosphere not only affects the shower development itself, but also the Cherenkov photon transmission from the emission point in the particle shower, at about 10–20 km above the ground, to the detector. Cherenkov light on the ground is peaked in the UV-blue region, and therefore molecular and aerosol extinction phenomena are important. The goal of CTA is to control systematics in energy reconstruction to better than 10%. For this reason, a careful and continuous monitoring and characterization of the atmosphere is required. In addition, CTA will be operated as an observatory, with data made public along with appropriate analysis tools. High-level data quality can only be ensured if the atmospheric properties are consistently and continuously taken into account. In this contribution, we concentrate on discussing the implementation strategy for the various atmospheric monitoring instruments currently under discussion in CTA. These includes Raman lidars and ceilometers, stellar photometers and others available both from commercial providers and public research centers.

Tools and Procedures for the CTA Array Calibration

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is an international initiative to build the next generation ground-based very-high-energy gamma-ray observatory. Full sky coverage will be assured by two arrays, one located on each of the northern and southern hemispheres. Three different sizes of telescopes will cover a wide energy range from tens of GeV up to hundreds of TeV. These telescopes, of which prototypes are currently under construction or completion, will have different mirror sizes and fields-of-view designed to access different energy regimes. Additionally, there will be groups of telescopes with different optics system, camera and electronics design. Given this diversity of instruments, an overall coherent calibration of the full array is a challenging task. Moreover, the CTA requirements on calibration accuracy are much more stringent than those achieved with current Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes, like for instance: the systematic errors in the energy scale must not exceed 10%.In this contribution we present both the methods that, applied directly to the acquired observational CTA data, will ensure that the calibration is correctly performed to the stringent required precision, and the calibration equipment that, external to the telescopes, is currently under development and testing. Moreover, some notes about the operative procedure to be followed with both methods and instruments, will be described. The methods applied to the observational CTA data include the analysis of muon ring images, of carefully selected cosmic-ray air shower images, of the reconstructed electron spectrum and that of known gamma-ray sources and the possible use of stereo techniques hardware-independent. These methods will be complemented with the use of calibrated light sources located on ground or on board unmanned aerial vehicles.

A prototype for the real-time analysis of the Cherenkov Telescope Array

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) observatory will be one of the biggest ground-based very-high-energy (VHE) γ- ray observatory. CTA will achieve a factor of 10 improvement in sensitivity from some tens of GeV to beyond 100 TeV with respect to existing telescopes. The CTA observatory will be capable of issuing alerts on variable and transient sources to maximize the scientific return. To capture these phenomena during their evolution and for effective communication to the astrophysical community, speed is crucial. This requires a system with a reliable automated trigger that can issue alerts immediately upon detection of γ-ray flares. This will be accomplished by means of a Real-Time Analysis (RTA) pipeline, a key system of the CTA observatory. The latency and sensitivity requirements of the alarm system impose a challenge because of the anticipated large data rate, between 0.5 and 8 GB/s. As a consequence, substantial efforts toward the optimization of highthroughput computing service are envisioned. For these reasons our working group has started the development of a prototype of the Real-Time Analysis pipeline. The main goals of this prototype are to test: (i) a set of frameworks and design patterns useful for the inter-process communication between software processes running on memory; (ii) the sustainability of the foreseen CTA data rate in terms of data throughput with different hardware (e.g. accelerators) and software configurations, (iii) the reuse of nonreal- time algorithms or how much we need to simplify algorithms to be compliant with CTA requirements, (iv) interface issues between the different CTA systems. In this work we focus on goals (i) and (ii).