Abstract
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 γ-rays. Here we report the detection of γ-ray emission above 250 GeV from M87 in spring 2007 with the VERITAS atmospheric Cerenkov telescope array and discuss its correlation with the X-ray emission. The γ-ray emission is measured to be pointlike with an intrinsic source radius less than 4.5′. The differential energy spectrum is fitted well by a power-law function: dΦ/dE = (7.4 ± 1.3stat ± 1.5sys)(£/TeV) (-2.31±0.17stat±0.2sys)10-9 m-2 s-1 TeV-1. We show strong evidence for a year-scale correlation between the γ-ray flux reported by TeV experiments and the X-ray emission measured by the ASM RXTE observatory, and discuss the possible short-timescale variability. These results imply that the γ-ray emission from M87 is more likely associated with the core of the galaxy than with other bright X-ray features in the jet.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 397-403 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
| Volume | 679 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 20 2008 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science