S. J. Fegan

The first VERITAS telescope

Abstract The first atmospheric Cherenkov telescope of VERITAS (the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System) has been in operation since February 2005. We present here a technical description of the instrument and a summary of its performance. The calibration methods are described, along with the results of Monte Carlo simulations of the telescope and comparisons between real and simulated data. The analysis of TeV γ-ray observations of the Crab Nebula, including the reconstructed energy spectrum, is shown to give results consistent with earlier measurements. The telescope is operating as expected and has met or exceeded all design specifications.

VERITAS Observations of the γ-Ray Binary LS I +61 303

LS I +61 303 is one of only a few high-mass X-ray binaries currently detected at high significance in very high energy γ-rays. The system was observed over several orbital cycles (between 2006 September and 2007 February) with the VERITAS array of imaging air Cerenkov telescopes. A signal of γ-rays with energies above 300 GeV is found with a statistical significance of 8.4 standard deviations. The detected flux is measured to be strongly variable; the maximum flux is found during most orbital cycles at apastron. The energy spectrum for the period of maximum emission can be characterized by a power law with a photon index of -->Γ = 2.40 ± 0.16stat± 0.2sys and a flux above 300 GeV corresponding to 15%-20% of the flux from the Crab Nebula.

Wide field aplanatic two-mirror telescopes for ground-based γ-ray astronomy

Abstract Aplanatic telescopes with two aspheric mirrors, configured to correct spherical and coma aberrations, are considered for application in γ-ray astronomy utilizing the ground-based atmospheric Cherenkov technique. We explore the phase space of optical system parameters to find telescope configurations which minmize astigmatism. It is shown that unlike the traditional prime-focus Davies-Cotton design, such telescopes provide a solution for wide field of view γ-ray observations. The designs are isochronous, can be optimized to have no vignetting across the field, and allow for significant reduction of the plate scale, making them compatible with finely-pixilated cameras, which can be constructed from modern, cost-effective image sensors such as multi-anode PMTs, SiPMs, or image intensifiers.

Observation of Gamma-Ray Emission from the Galaxy M87 above 250 GeV with VERITAS

The multiwavelength observation of the nearby radio galaxy M87 provides a unique opportunity to study in detail processes occurring in Active Galactic Nuclei from radio waves to TeV -rays. Here we report the detection of -ray emission above 250GeV from M87 in spring 2007 with the VERITAS atmospheric Cherenkov telescope array and discuss its correlation with the X-ray emission. The -ray emission is measured to be point-like with an intrinsic source radius less than 4.5 arcmin. The differential energy spectrum is fitted well by a power-law function: d�/dE=(7.4±1.3stat±1.5sys)× (E/TeV) (−2.31±0.17 stat±0.2sys) 10 −9 m −2 s −1 TeV −1 . We show strong evidence for a year-scale correlation between the -ray flux reported by TeV experiments and the X-ray emission measured by the ASM/RXTE observatory, and discuss the possible short-time-scale variability. These results imply that the -ray emission from M87 is more likely associated with the core of the galaxy than with other bright X-ray features in the jet.

Observations of the shell-type supernova remnant cassiopeia a at TeV energies with veritas

We report on observations of very high energy γ rays from the shell-type supernova remnant (SNR) Cassiopeia A with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System stereoscopic array of four imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes in Arizona. The total exposure time for these observations is 22 hr, accumulated between September and November of 2007. The γ-ray source associated with the SNR Cassiopeia A was detected above 200 GeV with a statistical significance of 8.3σ. The estimated integral flux for this γ-ray source is about 3% of the Crab-Nebula flux. The photon spectrum is compatible with a power law dN/dE E –Γ with an index Γ = 2.61 ± 0.24stat ± 0.2sys. The data are consistent with a point-like source. We provide a detailed description of the analysis results and discuss physical mechanisms that may be responsible for the observed γ-ray emission.

VERITAS Discovery of >200 GeV Gamma-Ray Emission from the Intermediate-Frequency-Peaked BL Lacertae Object W Comae

We report the detection of very high-energy -ray emission from the intermediate-frequencypeaked BLLacertae object WComae (z = 0.102) by VERITAS, an array of four imaging atmospheric-Cherenkov telescopes. The source was observed between January and April 2008. A strong outburst of -ray emission was measured in the middle of March, lasting for only four days. The energy spectrum measured during the two highest flare nights is fit by a power-law and is found to be very steep, with a differential photon spectral index of = 3 .81±0.35stat±0.34syst. The integral photon flux above 200GeV during those two nights corresponds to roughly 9% of the flux from the Crab Nebula. Quasi-simultaneous Swift observations at X-ray energies were triggered by the VERITAS observations. The spectral energy distribution of the flare data can be described by synchrotron-self-Compton (SSC) or external-Compton (EC) leptonic jet models, with the latter offering a more natural set of parameters to fit the data.

VERITAS Observations of a Very High Energy Gamma-ray Flare from the Blazar 3C 66A

The intermediate-frequency peaked BL Lacertae (IBL) object 3C 66A is detected during 2007-2008 in VHE (very high energy; E > 100 GeV) γ rays with the VERITAS stereoscopic array of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. An excess of 1791 events is detected, corresponding to a significance of 21.2 standard deviations (σ), in these observations (32.8 hr live time). The observed integral flux above 200 GeV is 6% of the Crab Nebulas flux and shows evidence for variability on the timescale of days. The measured energy spectrum is characterized by a soft power law with photon index Γ = 4.1 ± 0.4stat ± 0.6sys. The radio galaxy 3C 66B is excluded as a possible source of the VHE emission.

Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar Markarian 421 in 2002 December and 2003 January

We report on a multiwavelength campaign on the TeV γ-ray blazar Mrk 421 performed during 2002 December and 2003 January. These target of opportunity observations were initiated by the detection of X-ray and TeV γ-ray flares with the All Sky Monitor (ASM) on board the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) and the 10 m Whipple γ-ray telescope. The campaign included observational coverage in the radio (University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory), optical (Boltwood, La Palma KVA 0.6 m; WIYN 0.9 m), X-ray (RXTE pointed telescopes), and TeV γ-ray (Whipple and HEGRA) bands. At TeV energies, the observations revealed several flares at intermediate flux levels, peaking between 1 and 1.5 times the flux from the Crab Nebula. While the time-averaged spectrum can be fitted with a single power law of photon index Γ = 2.8 from dNγ/dE ∝ E-Γ, we find some evidence for spectral variability. Confirming earlier results, the campaign reveals a rather loose correlation between the X-ray and TeV γ-ray fluxes. In one case, a very strong X-ray flare is not accompanied by a comparable TeV γ-ray flare. Although the source flux was variable in the optical and radio bands, the sparse sampling of the optical and radio light curves does not allow us to study the correlation properties in detail. We present a simple analysis of the data with a synchrotron self-Compton model, emphasizing that models with very high Doppler factors and low magnetic fields can describe the data.

Veritas observations of the BL Lac object 1ES 1218+304

The VERITAS collaboration reports the detection of very-high-energy gamma-ray emission from the high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object 1ES 1218+304 located at a redshift of z = 0.182. A gamma-ray signal was detected with a statistical significance of 10.4 standard deviations (10.4?) for the observations taken during the first three months of 2007, confirming the discovery of this object made by the MAGIC collaboration. The photon spectrum between ~160?GeV and ~1.8?TeV is well described by a power law with an index of ? = 3.08 ? 0.34stat ? 0.2sys. The integral flux is ?(E>200GeV) = (12.2 ? 2.6) ? 10?12 cm-2 s?1, which corresponds to ~6% of that of the Crab Nebula. The light curve does not show any evidence for very high energy flux variability. Using lower limits on the density of the extragalactic background light in the near to mid-infrared, we are able to limit the range of intrinsic energy spectra for 1ES?1218+304. We show that the intrinsic photon spectrum has an index that is harder than ? = 2.32 ? 0.37stat. When including constraints from the spectra of 1ES?1101-232 and 1ES?0229+200, the spectrum of 1ES?1218+304 is likely to be harder than ? = 1.86 ? 0.37stat.

MULTIWAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF MARKARIAN 421 IN 2005-2006

Since 2005 September, the Whipple 10 m Gamma-ray Telescope has been operated primarily as a blazar monitor. The five northern hemisphere blazars that have already been detected at the Whipple Observatory, Markarian 421 (Mrk 421), H1426+428, Mrk 501, 1ES 1959+650, and 1ES 2344+514, are monitored routinely each night that they are visible. We report on the Mrk 421 observations taken from 2005 November to 2006 June in the gamma-ray, X-ray, optical, and radio bands. During this time, Mrk 421 was found to be variable at all wavelengths probed. Both the variability and the correlations among different energy regimes are studied in detail here. A tentative correlation, with large spread, was measured between the X-ray and gamma-ray bands, while no clear correlation was evident among the other energy bands. In addition to this, the well-sampled spectral energy distribution of Mrk 421 (1101+384) is presented for three different activity levels. The observations of the other blazar targets will be reported separately.