Bibcode
Aleksić, J.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.; Antoranz, P.; Babic, A.; Bangale, P.; Barrio, J. A.; Becerra González, J.; Bednarek, W.; Bernardini, E.; Biasuzzi, B.; Biland, A.; Blanch, O.; Bonnefoy, S.; Bonnoli, G.; Borracci, F.; Bretz, T.; Carmona, E.; Carosi, A.; Colin, P.; Colombo, E.; Contreras, J. L.; Cortina, J.; Covino, S.; Da Vela, P.; Dazzi, F.; De Angelis, A.; De Caneva, G.; De Lotto, B.; de Oña Wilhelmi, E.; Delgado Mendez, C.; Doert, M.; Dominis Prester, D.; Dorner, D.; Doro, M.; Einecke, S.; Eisenacher, D.; Elsaesser, D.; Fonseca, M. V.; Font, L.; Frantzen, K.; Fruck, C.; Galindo, D.; García López, R. J.; Garczarczyk, M.; Garrido Terrats, D.; Gaug, M.; Godinović, N.; González Muñoz, A.; Gozzini, S. R.; Hadasch, D.; Hanabata, Y.; Hayashida, M.; Herrera, J.; Hildebrand, D.; Hose, J.; Hrupec, D.; Idec, W.; Kadenius, V.; Kellermann, H.; Kodani, K.; Konno, Y.; Krause, J.; Kubo, H.; Kushida, J.; La Barbera, A.; Lelas, D.; Lewandowska, N.; Lindfors, E.; Lombardi, S.; López, M.; López-Coto, R.; López-Oramas, A.; Lorenz, E.; Lozano, I.; Makariev, M.; Mallot, K.; Maneva, G.; Mankuzhiyil, N.; Mannheim, K.; Maraschi, L.; Marcote, B.; Mariotti, M.; Martínez, M.; Mazin, D.; Menzel, U.; Miranda, J. M.; Mirzoyan, R.; Moralejo, A.; Munar-Adrover, P.; Nakajima, D.; Niedzwiecki, A.; Nilsson, K.; Nishijima, K.; Noda, K.; Nowak, N.; Orito, R.; Overkemping, A.; Paiano, S.; Palatiello, M. et al.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 568, id.A109, 8 pp.
Advertised on:
8
2014
Journal
Citations
8
Refereed citations
6
Description
Context. It has been claimed that the nova-like cataclysmic variable AE
Aquarii (AE Aqr) is a very-high-energy (VHE, E> 100 GeV) source both
on observational and theoretical grounds. Aims: We search for VHE
γ-ray emission from AE Aqr during different states of the source
at several wavelengths to confirm or rule out previous claims of
detection of γ-ray emission from this object. Methods: We
report on observations of AE Aqr performed by MAGIC. The source was
observed during 12 h as part of a multiwavelength campaign carried out
between May and June 2012 covering the optical, X-ray, and γ-ray
ranges. Besides MAGIC, the other facilities involved were the KVA,
Skinakas, and Vidojevica telescopes in the optical and Swift in X-rays.
We calculated integral upper limits coincident with different states of
the source in the optical. We computed upper limits to the pulsed
emission limiting the signal region to 30% of the phaseogram and we also
searched for pulsed emission at different frequencies applying the
Rayleigh test. Results: AE Aqr was not detected at VHEs during
the multiwavelength campaign. We establish integral upper limits at the
95% confidence level for the steady emission assuming the differential
flux proportional to a power-law function dφ/ dE ∝ E-
Γ, with a Crab-like photon spectral index of Γ = 2.6.
The upper limit above 200 GeV is 6.4 × 10-12
cm-2 s-1 and above 1 TeV is 7.4 ×
10-13 cm-2 s-1. We obtained an upper
limit for the pulsed emission of 2.6 × 10-12
cm-2 s-1 for energies above 200 GeV. Applying the
Rayleigh test for pulsed emission at different frequencies we did not
find any significant signal. Conclusions: Our results indicate
that AE Aqr is not a VHE γ-ray emitter at the level of emission
previously claimed. We have established the most constraining upper
limits for the VHE γ-ray emission of AE Aqr.
Related projects
Particle Astrophysics
The MAGIC Collaboration is integrated by 20 research institutes and university departments from Armenia, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and USA. The collaboration comprises two 17m diameter telescopes, located at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, designed to measure the Cherenkov radiation associated with
Ramón
García López